Clean Transportation Program

GFO-25-603: NEVI Formula Program — Solicitation 6 Community Charging

Funds community electric charging readiness through public transport initiatives to strengthen real-world implementation.

GFO-25-603 is California's sixth solicitation under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, focused specifically on community EV charging. Federal NEVI funds — appropriated through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — are passed through to states and then administered by the California Energy Commission via its Clean Transportation Program. This sixth solicitation prioritizes community-level charging access rather than highway corridor charging, which was the focus of earlier NEVI rounds. The CEC's Fuels and Transportation Division administers the solicitation, with applications due October 16, 2026 via the GSS portal at gss.energy.ca.gov.

Eligible applicants include for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations with the capacity to install, operate, and maintain public EV charging infrastructure in California communities; universities and research institutions are not eligible under this solicitation. The federal NEVI program generally requires a cost-share component — applicants should confirm the specific match percentage in the GFO-25-603 PDF guidelines, as the CEC has not independently confirmed this figure outside the federal program rules. Award amounts per project are specified in the full solicitation document.

Applicants best positioned for NEVI community charging awards are charging network operators, municipalities, and community development organizations with site control in areas with limited existing charging access. Competitive proposals will address charging equity, demonstrate community partnerships, include utility capacity confirmation, and show a multi-year operations and maintenance plan. With a deadline of October 16, 2026, GFO-25-603 is the latest-closing CEC clean transportation solicitation on the current calendar, giving applicants more lead time to assemble site agreements and utility letters than earlier GFO cycles.