List of State and Federal Green Grants

Environmental Protection Agency

• Politics notwithstanding, the EPA's name states its mission: protecting the environment. To that end, the EPA administers several federal grants to promote green initiatives. Houston, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, recently received EPA grant funding to reduce greenhouse gases and encourage environmentally friendly transportation, according to UPI. The EPA also offers grants for educational endeavors that enhance public knowledge and understanding of the environment, thereby building the skills to protect it. EPA environmental justice grants provide funding to groups and individuals working to correct damage to their environment.

United States Department of Agriculture

• The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees several agencies which offer grant funding to green-minded groups and individuals with an eye on the land. The USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) works toward the benefit of small towns by funding projects that benefit the entire nation, such as solar and wind energy production. Under REAP's Business and Industry grant program, the USDA will cover between 20 and 25 percent of the total cost of developing or implementing a green energy system. The USDA also offers grants, as part of its Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, to identify and support agriculture techniques that support environmental, social and economic equilibrium.

States with the Most Green Grants

• Though neither California nor Massachusetts top Greenopia's 2010 rankings as the greenest U.S. state, both are leaders in providing green energy grants, according to the Council of State Governments. The Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act provides funding for a variety of environmental projects; one grant offsets the cost lower-income and minority communities face when implementing green initiatives. California's Green Collar Job Council offers grants to companies that develop and implement environmentally proactive industries and provide training for the growing sector of "green collar" workers.

Grants in the Greenest States

• Washington state and Vermont top Greenopia's 2010 ranking of the greenest U. S. states. Businesses in these states take advantage of several government grant funding options, including Vermont's Conservation Innovation Grants. These grants offer funding of up to $75,000 to statewide public and private that develop and implement environmentally responsible projects such as reducing the state's carbon footprint and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. In Washington, the Department of Ecology offers its Magic Apple grant to teachers who promote the value of clean water to their students. Likewise, the Washington Conservation Corps offers grant funding as well as labor and technical assistance for schools building environmental study areas on their grounds.