Oakland SAVES Grant Program
Oakland Saves StoryMap
Energy efficiency supports all three pillars of sustainability—environmental, social, and economic—by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lowering energy costs, and creating local jobs. In celebration of Earth Day, Oakland County is showcasing the impact of its 2024 energy efficiency program, Oakland SAVES, which provided upgrades that benefitted both the environment and the community through a brand-new StoryMap.
Oakland County partnered with Michigan Saves to upgrade nearly 1,100 households, improving comfort, resilience, and reducing utility bills, while also generating over $7.7 million in local contracting work. The StoryMap features participant testimonials, a map of completed projects, and an analysis of its environmental, social, and economic impacts.
Visit the new Oakland Saves StoryMap
Application Closed
The response to the Oakland SAVES program was phenomenal with more than 1,100 households receiving approval for the money saving, energy efficiency upgrade grants in less than a week. Tier 1 and Tier 2 grant incentive funds have been fully committed to previous applicants. The application is no longer available.
THERE ARE STILL OPTIONS
- Michigan Saves has a residential financing program that provides low-interest loans to homeowners for eligible energy-efficiency projects.
- Oakland County’s Neighborhood and Housing Development department has a home improvement program that provides interest-free low loans for needed house repairs.
- OLHSA has a weatherization assistance program that is a free energy conservation service for low-income households to reduce energy usage and utility bills.
- DTE Energy Efficiency Assistance
- Consumers Helping Neighbors Program
- Oakland County is actively seeking partners to help extend and expand the Oakland Saves initiative.
Oakland County partnered with Michigan Saves, the nation’s first nonprofit green bank, to invest $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to provide qualified residents with an Oakland SAVES grant. These grants were used for energy efficient upgrades to homes, producing savings in energy consumption and utility bills and improving our residents’ health, safety and comfort.
“Helping our residents upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes will not only enable them to save money on their utility bills but will also be beneficial for the environment. Less energy usage means a reduction in carbon emissions and that translates into a cleaner, more sustainable environment for all of us.”
Dave Coulter, County Executive
Any qualified resident in Oakland County applied for a grant in one of two tiers:
- Income-qualified households received up to $5,000 from a pot of $4 million to help pay for projects.
- Other residents applied to have 20% of a sustainable home improvement project covered by a grant, capping out at $3,000 each from a pot of $1 million.
Eligible improvements included: the installation of insulation, energy-efficient doors and windows, weatherstripping, and heating, ventilation, water heater and air conditioning improvements.
For more ways to improve your energy efficiency and reduce both costs and climate impact at home, check out the resources on our Sustainability at Home page.
News & Updates
Reducing Energy Costs and Saving Money for Residents Goal of New Oakland SAVES Grant Program
Applications are now open for Oakland SAVES, Oakland County’s $5 million grant program to help working families make energy-saving home improvements.
- Applications are now open for Oakland SAVES, Oakland County’s $5 million grant program to help working families make energy-saving home improvements.
- Some of the environmentally sustainable upgrades that are eligible for the grants include insulation, weatherstripping, ENERGY STAR HVAC, doors, and windows.
Jan. 23, 2024, Pontiac, Mich. – Applications are now open for the Oakland SAVES grant program, a collaboration of Oakland County and Michigan Saves, the first nonprofit green bank in the United States, to improve energy efficiency in at least 1,000 income-qualified and other households within the county. To apply, go to michigansaves.org/oaklandsaves or call 517-484-6474.
“At least 1,000 households in Oakland County will be able to make needed improvements to their homes, which will make them more energy efficient in all sorts of weather and help them save money on their utility bills,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “This program, funded with federal American Rescue Plan dollars, benefits not only our residents but will result in a reduction in carbon emissions and that translates into a cleaner and more sustainable environment in the long run.”
There are two tiers of grants. The first will utilize $4 million for grants of up to $5,000 for income-qualified households. The second will use the remaining $1 million to pay up to 20 percent of a sustainable home improvement, capping out at $3,000, for any Oakland County household.
Tier one will serve residents whose income doesn’t qualify for free services from the federal Weatherization Assistance Program and most utility income-qualified programs but struggle to qualify for traditional financing. These homeowners exist within every community and are overlooked when it comes to energy assistance programs. Many of these homeowners are making ends meet but are just one emergency expense away from financial difficulty.
Some of the environmentally sustainable upgrades eligible for the Oakland SAVES grants include attic insulation, air sealing, door weatherstripping, and duct insulation. It also includes ENERGY STAR doors, windows, water heaters, air conditioners and furnaces. Program participants may also make building code or health and safety improvements associated with installing energy-efficient upgrades.
The Oakland SAVES program will be available until Dec. 31, 2025, or until the funds are exhausted. The Oakland County Board of Commissioners, working with the Coulter administration and Chief Sustainability Officer Erin Quetell, appropriated $5 million of the county’s American Recovery Plan (ARP) funds last November for the Oakland SAVES (Simple Actions for Valuable Energy Savings) grant program.