Grants – Town of Fairhaven
Welcome to the Town of Fairhaven’s Grants page. This is your resource for learning about available funding opportunities, current grant initiatives, and how the town leverages grant funding to support community development, public services, infrastructure, and more.
The Town of Fairhaven actively seeks and administers local, state, federal, and private grants to enhance municipal services, promote sustainability, and improve quality of life for residents. This page provides updates on recently awarded grants, ongoing projects funded through grant support, and opportunities for departments, nonprofits, and community partners to collaborate on future grant applications.
Whether you’re a resident looking to understand how grant funds are used or an organization seeking to partner with the town, this page will keep you informed on how Fairhaven is investing in a better future.
Fairhaven became a Green Community in December 2018. The goal of the Green Communities Designation and Grant Program is to support investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that further clean energy goals set forth by the designated communities. To earn designation and qualify for grants, municipalities must pledge to reduce energy use by 20 percent over five years and meet four other criteria established in the Green Communities Act. Receiving this designation makes the town eligible for future grants to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
The Town had to meet the following criteria in order to be designated as a Green Community:
- Provide as-of-right siting for manufacturing or research and development of renewable or alternative energy products. The Fairhaven Zoning Bylaw fulfills this criterion.
- Adopt an expedited application and permit process for as-of-right energy facilities. The Fairhaven Zoning Bylaw fulfills this criterion.
- Establish an energy-use baseline inventory for municipal buildings and facilities; develop and adopt an Energy Reduction Plan (ERP) to reduce energy use by twenty percent (20%) within five (5) years of that baseline. The Town of Fairhaven Energy Reduction Plan was adopted in October 2018.
- Adopt a Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Policy and provide a plan for replacing non-exempt vehicles with fuel efficient vehicles. The Town adopted the Fuel Efficient Vehicle Policy in October 2018.
- Set requirements to minimize life-cycle energy costs for new construction. The Town of Fairhaven adopted a Stretch Energy Code Bylaw at Town Meeting in May 2018.
Fairhaven was awarded a grant of $174,535 with the official designation. The Town was subsequently awarded a competitive grant in 2021 for $184,956.
Green Communities Projects
| Project | Project Status | Electricity Savings (kWh) | Natural Gas Savings (therms) | Annual Cost Savings | Total Project Cost | Green Communities Grant Funding | Utility Incentives |
| Fairhaven High School Energy Management System (EMS) | Completed January 2021 | 33,421 | 8,701 | $16,123 | $99,870 | $96,349 | $3,521 |
| Council on Aging LED Lighting Upgrades | Completed December 2019 | 14,400 | 0 | $2,448 | $24,670 | $18,000 | $6,670 |
| Recreation Center LED Lighting Upgrades | Completed December 2019 | 71,790 | 0 | $12,204 | $64,634 | $52,649 | $11,985 |
| Fairhaven High School High Efficiency Transformers | In progress | 53,191 | 0 | $9,574 | $84,127 | $73,489 | $10,638 |
| Fairhaven High School Building Automation Controls & VFDs | In progress | 105,631 | 4,868 | $23,881 | $99,300 | $89,700 | $9,600 |
| Fairhaven High School LED Lighting Upgrades | In progress | 17,384 | 0 | $3,129 | $14,767 | $14,767 | $0 |