2023-2024 Home Upgrade Grant Program

Thanks to the support of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, Revitalize Milwaukee and other partners, Green Homeowners United is proud to offer a limited number of grants to upgrade the homes of low to moderate income (see below) to help decrease their energy burden. Will be available approximately Fall 2024.

To qualify for the grant, the homeowner must:

• Live in Milwaukee or Waukesha county

• Meet the income criteria below

• Meet the homeownership criteria below

• And be (a) Veteran, or (b) over 60 years of age, or (c) Person with a disability

This grant can include:

• Either (1) Insulating attics & portions of basements

• Or (2) partial basement wall insulation

• NEW AS OF Summer 2024! Grant can cover exterior above ground wall "drill & fill" insulation!

• HVAC distribution efficiency improvements and smart thermostats

• Safety and health home improvements

• Water & electricity saving improvements

• And sometimes more!

Homeownership requirements:

• Homeowners must have owned their home for at least 5 years (since at least Feb 2018), and

• Homeownership must be in good standing, meaning the home can not be in foreclosure/bankruptcy proceeding or behind in property taxes), and

• Home must be owned by an individual or couple (i.e. not in a living will / owned by a trust)

Home Requirements:

• Attic must be at least 600 square feet, and

• Attic should not have had any air sealing or insulation work done (i.e. there should be less than 10 inches of insulation)

• OR, if your basement is unfinished/uninsulated, you can have portions of your basement (a few feet before ground and up) insulated to reduce heat loss and some moisture issues in the basement

• NEW AS OF Summer 2024! If your exterior above ground walls are uninsulated, you could have them insulated through a method known as "drill & fill"!

How to Apply:

We help you through every step of the process. Please fill out the form below to get screened.

Click here to tell us more about you and your home, or call Mary at Green Homeowners United: (414) 604-6418

Who is Eligible?

This program is designed to help those experiencing a high "energy burden", as a way to help people reduce their utility bills by making the home more energy efficient. 9 out of 10 attics are estimated to be under-insulated, and too many homes are drafty, leaking warm air out in the winter and allowing humid air in the summer. This impacts our energy bills, our planet and residents' health.

Amounts - if you are within the income amounts above, you may be eligible for the following as a grant:

• Up to $8,000 in direct energy efficiency upgrades to your home

• Possible additional minor home repair funds

• (Optional) if you live in the City of West Allis, certain Milwaukee neighborhoods or Waukesha County and are eligible above, additional resources may be available to you

Energy Burden: What Does it Mean?

From a study by Sierra Club: “'Energy burden' is the percentage of household income that goes toward energy costs. For example: If your household spends $2,000 annually on energy bills, and your annual household income is $20,000, your energy burden is 10%. High energy burden is considered 6% or more."

The report continues: "85,000 people, or roughly 6% of the Milwaukee metro population, live in high energy burden census tracts with an average energy burden of at least 6%. However, areas with high energy burden are disproportionately Black and Hispanic/Latinx communities."

What can be done? Upgrading homes to make them less leaky ("air sealing"), insulating top and bottom, installing "smart" devices and low flow fixtures and servicing or replacing HVAC appliances.

Map of concentrations of energy burden in the Greater Milwaukee area (courtesy of Sierra Club)

To be eligible you must be within the income limits AND be EITHER (a) over 60 years of age, or (b) have a disability, or (c) be a veteran. Those within the partial income levels may be asked to cover a portion of the work with the grant paying the majority.

We believe that all homes can and should be upgraded to be energy efficient. Both for the homeowner as well as the planet. While our grant is focused on those mentioned above, Green Homeowners United can help you navigate other options, from instant rebates to understanding tax credits, to fair green financing. We work with all ages, incomes, abilities and household types! You don't have to be of the groups listed above to work with Green Homeowners United to save money and cut carbon emissions.

Where to start? Consider signing up for any energy assessment of your home, or call Mary at Green Homeowners United: (414) 604-6418

What if I earn above those amounts?