City of South Portland’s Economic & Sustainable Development Grants Program

The primary purpose of the City of South Portland’s Economic & Sustainable Development Grants Program is to support smart development in the City of South Portland by providing financial incentives to businesses. Supporting smart development means promoting both economic development and sustainable development, because they are both intertwined and key to meeting our City’s ambitious goals as set forth in the City’s One Climate Future (OCF) Plan. The South Portland City Council approved OCF in October 2020, a joint climate action plan with the City of Portland, committing both cities to take action to combat the climate crisis. Transportation is the largest polluting sector in Maine, and in South Portland it accounts for 32% of our greenhouse gas emissions, while commercial and industrial buildings combined account for 47% of our greenhouse gas emissions. This program, through its targeted eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria, will aim to address emissions from both of these sectors. The City of South Portland’s Economic & Sustainable Development Grants Program is comprised of two grant options: • Grant A - Conditional Economic Development Grant, for businesses that are making significant general building and/or site improvements. • Grant B - Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging Grant, for businesses that are seeking to add Electric Vehicle Charging Stations to their locations.