Grants for Clean Technology Guidebook
What you need to get started

Executive Summary

• Application requirements vary depending on the type of grant. The more funding at stake, the more demanding the application requirements will be. 
• Read applicant guides carefully to make sure you understand what is required–and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask a program officer for clarification! 
• Decide how you’re going to keep track of expenses and other details relevant to your grant. You don’t want to be scrambling to find these details when it comes time to submit claims and progress reports!

Are you ready to grow your clean tech business with grant funding? There are a few things to be aware of as you get started with your application. No matter what type of grant you’re applying for, you’ll need to provide some basic information about your business. Getting organized ahead of time will make the application process easier. To help you out, we’ve prepared a list of documents to have ready when you apply for clean tech grants.  

What you need to apply for hiring grants

• Business license 
• Registered business number
• Job description that emphasizes the job’s connection to the clean technology sector
• Resume highlighting the candidate’s green credentials and/or aspirations

What you need to apply for training grants

• Business license
• Overview of the training course 
• Course outline 
• NAICS code

What you need to apply for market expansion grants

• Business license
• Business plan or export plan
• Marketing strategy

What you need to apply for R&D grants

• Business license
• Project proposal
• Company financials 

As we explained in our Grants for Small Business Guidebook, these requirements are just a baseline. Funders may require additional documents to aid their decision-making process. Grants for large market expansion or research and development projects often require competitive analysis, letters of support, and proof of financing. Increasingly, programs are requesting short video pitches in place of traditional pitch decks. If you don’t have these materials prepared already, you’ll want to put in the groundwork before starting your applications. 

Careful records of expenses and project progress will make the claims/reimbursement process go more smoothly. Staying organized also ensures you make a positive impression on funders, which can increase your chances of securing more funding in the future. Most programs will provide templates for claims and reports, but it’s up to you to keep track of the information needed to complete them.