Government Funding Programs For Sustainable Business Initiatives
One of the benefits of the sustainability movement is that governments are throwing money at sustainable businesses and sustainable business activities in the form of grants, loans, investments, and other capital funding vehicles. Countries have net zero targets they need to hit, and they know that the private sector is their key to success.
Want to know if your organization can grab a piece of the cake? Here’s a list of the funding opportunities that might be available to you. It’s a comprehensive, yet non-exhaustive list. These are all federally available options. Be sure to also take a look at what your local governments are offering.
United States
Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions
This table has 56 different US Government funding opportunities. These come from various federal agencies like the EPA. All have clickable links to find eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Inflation Reduction Act
This table has 25 funding opportunities made available through the Inflation Reduction Act. Most have application deadlines in the first half of 2024, before the general elections, so get your application in quickly.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
This table has many funding opportunities available as a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It also lists upcoming funding opportunities.
U.S. Department of Transportation
There is some overlap in this table with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, but there are other opportunities here not listed on either.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
This list of funding opportunities goes beyond just agriculture. There is some overlap between this list and the others above, but you’ll also find new opportunities here.
U.S. National Science Foundation
Hundreds of funding opportunities are available through this foundation. They generally concern research and innovation, and not all opportunities are available to for-profit companies, but many of them are.
Search the Grant Database
Grants.gov is the US Federal Government’s grant database where you will find all of the available government grants. You can search by keyword and find the funding opportunities that might be relevant to your business. As well, you can apply directly through the site.
European Union
European Commission Funding and Tender Opportunities
This is quite a large database of European funding opportunities. It’s almost too big and difficult to navigate but if there is a funding opportunity from the EU government, you will find it here. The search bar on the left can help narrow down the results. Clicking the home button in the top left corner will break down the opportunities by the program name.
HORIZON Europe
As part of the above funding and tender opportunities, this database is focused on research and innovation. Again, large and almost unwieldy, but you’ll probably find something that fits your organization after a little bit of digging.
Innovation Fund 2023 Net Zero Technologies
This is the same database as the above two but only searching for the specific funding opportunities through the Innovation Fund for Net Zero Technologies. It’s much more manageable than the other large databases.
Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE)
Again, it’s the same database but only showing this category.
Your Europe
This database of funding opportunities has a nice interactive search tool. The opportunities available here are generally from financial institutions that are vehicles for EU funding to reach businesses. Explore this tool to find grants, loans, and venture capital opportunities across the EU. You can toggle categories like cleantech and sustainability as well.
European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
In this list, you will find some similar opportunities listed above but the size of the list here is much more manageable. They also have a call for tenders if it interests you.
United Kingdom
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Some of the opportunities in this list are for individuals while others are for businesses. It’s searchable, so you can browse and use keywords to find what you’re looking for.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
This department has significantly fewer opportunities, but you may find something if you are engaged in research and development.
Department for Business and Trade
Similar to the two lists above, but more extensive and an extremely wide range of opportunities. Find it here.
UK Government Funding
This searchable list shows all funding opportunities and services available. On the left-hand side, you can search by keyword, topic, or organisation. Searching by organisation allows you to search only within specific government departments (as with the sections above). Going directly to the department you are looking for above may yield better results.
GrantFinder
GrantFinder in the UK compiles a list of available grants from charities and public or private bodies. They separate the grants by section. The link above takes you to the environmental section but you may find something relevant to your organization in the other sections as well.
Canada
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Net Zero Accelerator Initiative
There is up to $8 billion in funding available for businesses that contribute to Canada’s goal of reducing GHG emissions and achieving net zero by 2050. Applications are accepted on an ongoing, non-competitive basis from the Strategic Innovation Fund.
Clean Growth Hub
Here you can find a large list of funding opportunities for businesses committed to clean growth, which encompasses everything under the sun.
