EV CHARGING
EV make-ready programs.
The utility pays for the wire so you can pay for the chargers. We navigate the program.
THE FUNDING
How make-ready programs cut charger cost
EV make-ready programs are utility funding for the expensive, invisible part of a charging project: the electrical infrastructure between the grid and the stall. Service panels, junction boxes, conduit, wiring, trenching - the make-ready scope - can be most of a project's cost, and these programs pay some or all of it.
What they do not cover matters too: the chargers themselves, their maintenance, and their software stay on the buyer. The deal is still excellent. The infrastructure is the part that varies wildly by site, and it is exactly the part the utility takes off the table.
THE SEQUENCE
Using make-ready funding the right way
01
Apply before anything
Programs fund planned work, not finished work. The application goes in before a shovel touches dirt.
02
Design to the program
Port counts and equipment specs get matched to what the program rewards. Some pay more for more ports, or for disadvantaged-community sites.
03
Build with documentation
Invoices, photos, and inspection records feed the reimbursement. The paper trail is the money.
04
Energize and claim
The utility verifies, the reimbursement lands, and the chargers run on infrastructure the program paid for.
STACKING
EV charger funding after the 30C credit
Make-ready covers infrastructure, and until mid-2026 the federal 30C credit stacked another 30 percent on top - that credit expired June 30, 2026 for anything not yet in service.
Which concentrates the story: make-ready IS the money now. Utility infrastructure dollars plus hardware rebates still cover a large share of strong projects, and the failure mode is still not applying.
THE CATCH
Make-ready program requirements
Funded sites usually commit to keeping chargers operational and networked for a set period, sharing basic usage data, and sometimes to public access rules. None of it is exotic; all of it is contractual.
Read the commitments before signing. They are the price of the infrastructure, and for nearly every site they are worth it.
Is your utility paying for make-ready?
Request an estimate. We check your utility's active programs and file before construction, so the funding actually applies.
QUESTIONS
Straight answers.
What exactly does make-ready funding cover?
Customer-side electrical infrastructure: panels, junction boxes, conduit, wiring, and trenching between the service and the stalls. Chargers, maintenance, and software are excluded.
How much of a project can it pay for?
Infrastructure is often the majority of project cost, and programs cover some or all of it. On heavy-civil sites, funding can carry most of the budget.
Can funding be claimed after installation?
Almost never. Programs fund planned projects. Applying first isn't paperwork order - it's the difference between funded and not.
Do all utilities offer make-ready?
No, and active programs open and close. Checking current availability is step one of any charging project worth pricing.
GET STARTED
Ready to price your chargers?
Request an estimate. Program eligibility checked and filed before the first trench.