Businesses and tax-exempt organizations, including schools, can claim the Investment Tax Credit (Sec 48) for ground-source heat pump (aka geothermal heat pump) projects.
Funding opportunity
Affordability + Strategic Energy Pathways for Schools (A+ STEPS) Funding Opportunity
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) announced a funding opportunity of up to $100 million to help public school districts reduce facility operating costs, improve the reliability of essential building systems, and develop financeable improvement plans that maximize public and private investments.
The competitive Affordability + Strategic Energy Pathways for Schools (A+STEPS) opportunity is part of the $500 million Renew America’s Schools Program to promote energy improvements at K–12 public schools across the country. The program will help school communities make energy upgrades to decrease costs and foster healthier learning environments.
For the first phase of A+STEPS, DOE anticipates selecting four to eight regional hubs, each of which will be awarded $2–5 million per funding round to train school facility staff, coordinate technical providers, and provide districts with tools and data.
DOE expects regional hub applications to open in November 2026. Instructions for interested applicants will be posted on the A+STEPS opportunity webpage.