"Five groups are angling to lead EPA's largest climate grant program in history, each pitching a different plan to convert billions of federal dollars into lasting change for people and the planet.

EPA has said it will only choose two or three applicants to run the National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) — a $14 billion lending facility sometimes dubbed the national green bank. The stakes are high: NCIF is the largest program in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), with a mission to provide affordable financing for tens of thousands of clean technology projects.

EPA is expected to announce awardees for GGRF programs — including the investment fund — by March. Totaling $27 billion, the funding aims to ensure that underserved communities reap the benefits of the green energy transition."