Federal grant programs / Department of Agriculture

Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (10.754)

Also known as HBIIP

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$339 million
• Grant awards368
• Typical award$520,374
• Awarded in FY 2025$246 million
• Size rank465 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceGrant

Key findings

• Annual funding rose from $35.4 million in fiscal 2021 to $246 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 465th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 39% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 31 states and territories.

What the program funds

The Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) is a new program that will expand the availability of domestic ethanol and biodiesel by incentivizing the expansion of sales of renewable fuels. To accompany the program, a new online grant application system has been developed to be used in applying for participation in the HBIIP grant program. The HBIIP grant program includes infrastructure projects for fueling station companies and fuel distribution facility companies.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Owners of transportation fueling and fuel distribution facilities located in the United States and its territories may apply for this program. Eligible entities would include—fueling stations, convenience stores, hypermarket retailer fueling stations, fleet facilities, and similar entities with equivalent capital investments, as well as fuel/biodiesel terminal operations, midstream partners, and heating oil distribution facilities or equivalent entities. Applicants must include all proposed activity under a single application.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Under the HBIIP, funds will be awarded to assist transportation fueling and fuel distribution facilities to convert their facilities through upgrade or installation of equipment required to ensure all equipment is fully compatible with higher blends of ethanol (i.e., greater than 10 percent ethanol) and biodiesel (greater than 5 percent biodiesel) (HB fuel). The program will share the costs related to the upgrading of fuel dispensers (gas and diesel pumps) and attached equipment, underground storage tank system components (which includes but is not limited to tanks, pumps, ancillary equipment, lines, gaskets, and sealants), and other infrastructure required at a location to ensure the environmentally safe availability of fuel containing ethanol blends greater than 10 percent or fuel containing biodiesel blends greater than 5 percent. Funds are to assist owners of transportation fueling and fuel distribution facilities located in the USA. Owners or operators who store regulated substances that contain more than 20 percent biodiesel or more than 10 percent ethanol, such as 15 percent ethanol or E15, must notify their implementing agency 30 days before storing the fuel. Owners and operators must also keep records demonstrating that their UST system is compatible with the substance stored.;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Those project funds required to receive an HBIIP grant. The applicant is responsible for securing the remainder of the total eligible project costs not covered by grant funds. Matching funds are comprised of eligible in-kind contributions from third parties and/or cash. In-kind contributions by the applicant cannot be used to meet the matching fund requirement. Written commitments for matching funds (e.g., Letters of Commitment and bank statements) must be submitted with the Certification of Matching Funds when the application is submitted. Funds provided by the applicant in excess of matching funds are not matching funds. Unless authorized by statute, other Federal grant funds cannot be used to meet a matching funds requirement. Passive third-party equity contributions are acceptable for HBIIP projects, including equity raised from the sale of Federal tax credits. In the event of ineligible, overstated, or otherwise unsubstantiated claims in the Certification of Matching Funds, the Agency reserves the right to adjust an application's grant request such that it is commensurate with eligible/actual Matching Funds, or take otherwise action as deemed appropriate. Up to 10 percent of an applicant's Matching Funds requirement (up to five percent of total project costs) may be used to pay consumer education and/or marketing and/or signage related expenses.

Continue reading on SAM.gov

Deadlines

Deadlines do not apply CLOSED -ROUND 2 WILL BE ANNOUNCED

Award range and average, in the agency's words

Max grant amount is $5 million.

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: Provided funds to upgrade the facility of oil distributor which created jobs in the region.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

By state

24 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.