Dairy Digester Grants

Dairy Digester Grants

Funds Washington dairy operators for anaerobic digester construction, repair, and upgrades to cut emissions through biogas.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Dairy Digester Grants program is administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce and funded through Washington's Climate Commitment Act, the state's cap-and-invest carbon pricing program. The 2025 cycle made $12.8 million available for the construction of new anaerobic digesters, as well as repairs and upgrades to existing digesters — including cover and flare installations — at dairy operations in Washington. The program is designed to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by converting dairy biomass into energy while minimizing waste.

Eligible applicants include for-profit entities and nonprofits operating at or adjacent to Washington dairy facilities. Universities and research organizations are not eligible. Projects must feature an anaerobic digester processing primarily dairy biomass, with non-dairy feedstock capped at 50% of total input. Digesters must be designed for immediate construction and must be completable within 24 months of contract execution. Feasibility studies are explicitly excluded. Applicants must be licensed to conduct business in Washington state or commit to obtaining licensure within 30 days of selection. A 15% project match from non-grant sources is required. The 2025 application window opened October 22 and closed December 10, 2025, with contracts running from March 2026 through June 2027. The program follows an annual cycle driven by Climate Commitment Act appropriations, and a 2026 cycle is anticipated.

To compete effectively, applicants should demonstrate quantified greenhouse gas reduction projections, waste minimization data, and energy production capacity. Projects serving multiple dairies or demonstrating regional impact typically score well. The contact for program inquiries and advance notification of the 2026 RFA is EPICgrants@commerce.wa.gov. The administering office within Commerce is the Energy Division.