CFI Grant

Connecticut Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Grant

Background

The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program provides funding to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure. The CFI Program is a grant program created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and is codified at 23 U.S.C. § 151. CFI Program investments make infrastructure available to all drivers of electric, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas vehicles. This program provides two funding categories of grants: (1) Community Charging and Alternative Fueling Grants (Community Program); and (2) Charging and Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program). The IIJA provides $2.5 billion over five years for this program.

On January 18, 2024, DEEP was awarded $14,652,800 under Round 1A of the U.S. DOT CFI Grant Program for the installation of eight (8) dual-port Level 2 charging stations and ninety-six (96) single-port direct-current fast chargers (DCFC) in seven (7) municipalities across the State of Connecticut.  DEEP executed a grant agreement with U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for this grant project on January 12, 2025.  On March 31, 2025, DEEP released a Request for Proposals (RFP) and on July 30, 2025, DEEP selected Gravity, Inc. (Gravity), in partnership with Fuss & O’Neill (Fuss), to administer the project. On January 27, 2026, DEEP finalized a contract with Gravity for project management, technical support, and implementation activities in accordance with all requirements set by the State and FHWA.

Selected Sites for Newly Installed EV Charging Stations

During the application process for the CFI Grant, the Connecticut Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Team (CT BILT) identified the following sites, where new electric vehicle charging stations (EVSE) are planned to be installed as part of this grant. These sites were selected initially but are subject to change during the planning process:

Timeline of CFI Project Activities

This project is being implemented in two (2) distinct phases, as required by FHWA:

Phase 1:  Planning

Phase 1 of the project, which is the only phase for which funding is secured, covers all deliverables up to and including the final design, including but not limited to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and rights-of-way analyses, along with completion of a Real Estate Acquisition Management Plan (RAMP). All deliverables for Phase 1 of this project must be completed before August 1, 2026.

Phase 1 Task	Due Date
Complete pre-NEPA, NEPA, SHPO, and RAMP, including any associated reviews and documentation for each selected site, in accordance with FHWA requirements.	May 1, 2026
Complete preliminary design work and engineering specifications for EV infrastructure needs in the pre-NEPA phase of the project.	June 1, 2026
Complete final design for each site and submit to FHWA for approval.	August 1, 2026

Phase 2: Implementation

Phase 2 of the project will only be funded by FHWA upon successful completion of Phase 1 and will cover implementation of the final design, including but not limited to construction, operation and maintenance of the charging stations.  Once Phase 1 is completed, initiation of Phase 2 is contingent on:  1) FHWA approval of Phase 1 deliverables, and 2) FWHA continuing to support and fully release the obligated grant funds to DEEP.

Phase 2 Task	Due Date
Complete construction and operation of EVSE at selected sites in accordance with state, local, and FHWA requirements, including EVSE installation and electric hookups.	By November 1, 2029
Complete inspection of infrastructure at selected sites.	By January 1, 2030
Create outreach content, usage guidance, and other engagement materials. Begin operation and periodic maintenance of EVSE at all selected sites.	By March 1, 2030
Ensure ongoing EVSE operation.	By April 1, 2030

Opportunities for Public Participation

DEEP will publish future opportunities for public participation on this webpage, as well as coordinate with the municipalities to provide local public outreach.

Possible outreach activities to be conducted under this project may include:

• Creation of fact sheets, engagement solicitation flyers, webinars, pre-recorded informational videos, and other outreach materials. Printed communications may be distributed or pinned in city/town halls,public libraries, and/or at the proposed project installation sites. All distributed project materials will include team contact information should stakeholders or members of the public have questions or feedback related to the project.
• Initial schematic design layouts for each of the identified sites.
• Public meetings (either virtual or with a hybrid component). These public meetings may be an opportunity to share design concepts and plans with residents, local businesses, or other interested stakeholders through a combination of informative presentations, engaging materials intended to promote active participation, and ample time for meaningful conversation.
• To reach audiences on the ground and in the community, interactive Pop-Up Sessions may be conducted at each project site (or close-by, should another location be preferred). Gravity may set up a Pop-Up table at the proposed project site to discuss the proposed project with passersby. This is also an opportunity to work with community groups and other institutions to share information and gather feedback on the project.

All outreach materials will be provided in both English and Spanish, or other prominent non-English speaking language of the affected community.

Project Budget

Total Estimated CFI Grant Project Budget
	Phase 1	Phase 2	Total
CFI Grant Funds	$1,465,280.00	$13,187,520.00	$14,652,800.00
DEEP In-Kind Match	$50,000.00	$250,000.00	$300,000.00
Gravity Cost Share	$336,320.00	$3,026,880.00	$3,363,200.00
Project Total	$1,851,600.00	$16,464,400.00	$18,316,000.00

Project Agreement

To view detailed information from DEEP's contract with Gravity for this project, please visit the links below:

Appendix A: Scope of Work

Appendix B: Project Timeline and Administration Budget

Original CFI Grant Application

To view detailed information from DEEP’s original application for the Round 1A CFI Grant, please visit the link below.  Please note, only a portion of the original application was funded by FHWA.

DEEP’s CFI Grant Application - Project Narrative

Other Helpful Links

FHWA General Terms and Conditions under the Fiscal Year 2022 and Fiscal Year 2023 Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Grant Program

Questions?

For additional information about these projects, please email DEEP.MobileSources@ct.gov. 

Content last updated April 14, 2026