$250,000 Grant to Facilitate Clean Energy Financing and Create Local Jobs

September 16, 2025
execmedia@danecounty.gov, 608-800-1127
County Executive, County Executive

DANE COUNTY - Dane County is proud to announce that the Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition (WLGCC) was awarded a $250,000 grant to support the development of clean energy financing in Dane County. WLGCC will work closely with the Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change to implement the technical assistance grant, which is from Phase 1 of the Municipal Investment Fund (MIF). This funding will be used to develop the public-private partnerships required to create an ongoing pipeline of clean energy projects, creating jobs, lowering energy costs, and strengthening the county's resilience to the impacts of climate change.

“We’re excited to partner with WLGCC to expand clean energy financing in Dane County,” said County Executive Melissa Agard. “Our community has a proud track record of leading the state in innovative clean energy projects, and these new opportunities will build on that progress. By leveraging green financing, we can grow our local economy, create good-paying jobs, lower energy costs for families and businesses, and strengthen our community’s resilience for years to come.”

The grant was made possible through a public-private partnership between the Coalition for Green Capital and ICLEI USA. Dane County was selected from a competitive pool of 114 applicants from 48 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and tribal nations, making us one of just 50 communities across the country to receive this award.

The awarded organization WLGCC provides a platform for member local governments to collaborate on overcoming the barriers to decarbonization, accelerating local climate change solutions, and ensuring the benefits of the clean energy economy are distributed to everyone throughout the state. WLGCC's membership is composed of 30 communities across the state, representing 40% of the population. To learn more about our work visit https://wlgcc.org/.

This Municipal Investment Fund grant is intended to kick-start public-private partnerships for unlocking investment and getting critical projects off the ground faster. By participating in this opportunity, Dane County will explore new ways to expand clean energy innovation locally while demonstrating that local action can drive national change. To learn more about this grant visit https://daneclimateaction.org/Initiatives/Municipal-Investment-Fund