Arizona Utilities Offer Technical Assistance Grants to Support Economic Development and Training in Coal Plant Communities

The program, which is jointly funded by Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP) and Tucson Electric Power (TEP), provides funding for critical grant writing technical assistance and matching fund support to help develop new, sustainable economic strategies for residents and other stakeholders in impacted communities. The following organizations were recently selected as grant recipients:

The Town of Eagar will receive a $25,000 grant to develop an updated general plan to replace the current version, which was written a decade ago. The updated general plan will identify areas of development, determine additional housing opportunities and craft a vision for the town’s future.

Apache County will receive a $25,000 grant to hire an engineering firm to write state and federal grants to support the design and construction of Phase II of the CR 8235 Stanford Road project.

The Town of Springerville will receive two grants. The first $25,000 grant will help fund the development of an updated master plan, the current version of which will expire in 2025. The master plan, a land use and infrastructure plan, sets forth local goals, objectives and policies to support community growth and redevelopment over the next two to three decades. The second $25,000 grant will match funding from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority for new automatic meter readers, which will more accurately measure water usage, streamline operations and save water.

Joseph City Unified School District will receive a $25,000 grant to match funds for an electric school bus that was awarded to the district through the second round of the EPA’s Clean Energy Grant.

APS, SRP and TEP pledged a combined $1 million in awards available through the Utilities’ Grant Funding program. Tribal, state, and local governments, public schools, economic development groups and nonprofit groups within 75 miles of a closing or closed coal plant are eligible to apply. More details about submission eligibility and requirements are available here.

This was the program’s fourth round of grant awards since its inception in 2023. The fifth grant application cycle is now open. Applications are due by August 15. APS and TEP funds for the Utilities Grants Funding program do not come from customer rates.