City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MAY 12, 2026 FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF A $76,042 grant award from ICLEI - Local governments for sustainability u.s.a., inc. and Coalition for green capital TO SUPPORT public-private partnership plans for clean energy projects - municipal investment fund vendor subcontractor agreement – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Accept a $76,042 grant award from ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability U.S.A., INC. and Coalition for Green Capital to support Pre-Market Development for clean energy projects and approve Municipal Investment Fund Planning Grant Subcontractor Partnership agreement.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Accept $76,042 from the ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability U.S.A, Inc. and Coalition for Green Capital to support Pre-Market Development public-private partnership plans for clean energy projects; Approve the Municipal Investment Fund Planning Grant Subcontractor Partnership Agreement (City of Riverside USBGC-CA GRID IE) between ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability U.S.A, Inc., Coalition for Green Capital, and the City of Riverside, a six-month agreement and any extension(s) for the amount of $76,042; Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the ICLEI USA Subcontractor Agreement with ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability U.S.A, Inc., Coalition for Green Capital, and the City of Riverside, including making minor and non-substantive changes and contract extensions for the $76,042; and With at least five affirmative votes, and upon receipt of the award, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenues and appropriate expenditures in the amount of $76,042, or the actual award amount, in the Grants & Restricted Programs Fund, ICLEI Municipal Investment Fund Grant revenue and expenditure accounts.
BACKGROUND:
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability USA has partnered with the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) to offer market-building funding and technical support to help communities, Local governments, Tribes, and their non-profit partner organizations — to develop public-private partnership plans that can accelerate the deployment of capital to clean energy projects with 50 percent of the funds targeting climate vulnerable communities. Selected communities will receive grant funding through the Municipal Investment Fund (MIF) – Phase I.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Riverside’s Office of Sustainability applied in partnership with GRID Alternatives-IE and UCGBC-CA winter 2025 and received notice of selection in summer of 2025 to participate in Phase I. GRID Alternatives – IE serves as the lead applicant and coordinates the deliverables for the partnerships and has since executed a Subgrant Agreement with ICLEI-USA and Coalition for Green Capital since fall 2025.
Phase I – Current Phase
In July 2025, CGC selected 49 communities to receive technical assistance and up to $250,000 in Market-Building grants for activities necessary to develop public-private partnership plans that will accelerate the deployment of capital to National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) qualified projects.
NCIF qualified projects that deliver benefits of one or more of the following categories but are not limited to: climate change; clean energy and energy efficiency; clean transportation; affordable and sustainable housing; training and workforce development; remediation and reduction of legacy pollution; and development of critical clean water infrastructure. The Municipal Investment Fund prioritizes EV infrastructure, renewable energy and storage, and building decarbonization.
Another important element of the Municipal Investment Fund is to deploy funds in disadvantaged areas. The Municipal Investment Fund originates a pipeline of financeable NCIF Qualified Projects with at least 50% of projects must be in LIDAC communities. LIDAC designation is found in the White House Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJEST) and are census tracts that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution.
As a selected community, the City of Riverside will follow the six-month subcontractor agreement’s timeline. The goal is to develop a public-private partnership plan, that if selected, will be invited to participate in Phase II and be eligible to for additional dollars to implement the energy projects identified in the plan.
Phase II – Future Phase
In Phase II, CGC will select up to 10 of the 49 communities that participated in Phase I to join its cohort of the Municipal Investment Fund, focusing on implementing their public-private partnership plans. In addition to the $250,000 in Market-Building grant from Phase I, the Municipal Investment Fund cohort participants will be eligible to receive up to $2 million in Predevelopment Activity grants and additional Market-Building Activity grants. Phase II applications are anticipated to open in summer 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this item is an increase in revenues and expenditures of $76,042. Upon City Council approval and receipt of the award, an increase in revenue and appropriation of expenditures will be recorded in the funds and accounts listed in the table below.
Fund
Program
Account
Amount
Grants & Restricted Programs
ICLEI Municipal Investment Fund Grant
Revenue
9934000-339000
$76,042
Expenditures
9934000-440309
$76,042
Prepared by: Fortino Morales III, Sustainability Manager Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Neems, Interim Finance Director Approved by: Gilbert Hernandez, Interim Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Agreement
Presentation
ICLEI Municipal Investment Fund Report ● Page 2