In 2022, President Biden and Congress delivered the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest climate and clean energy investment in US history. Now, as billions of dollars in federal funding become available, it’s time for states to take full advantage of this historic opportunity.

IRA programs provide funding directly to state governments to promote home energy efficiency, fund decarbonization projects, create equitable green financial institutions, and more. But to take full advantage of these federal funds, states must be ready to apply for funds and to use them well. Strategic use of IRA dollars and well-designed state-level programs have the potential to create thousands of jobs, lower energy costs for Americans, drive investment into disadvantaged communities, and put states on the path to meeting their own climate and economic development goals.

To help state officials take full advantage of opportunities in the IRA, Evergreen Collaborative and RMI produced a series of memos that contain:

• Guidance on applying for specific IRA programs
• Program implementation recommendations to ensure efficient, effective and equitable implementation
• Timelines and deadlines to access funds
• Pitfalls to avoid
• Other important considerations to maximize impact of federal funds