Development of Outreach Materials for EPA’s Clean School Bus Program

Funded by the 2022 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program provides up to $5 billion over five years to replace existing school buses with zero- and low-emission models. Under the program, EPA is providing grants and rebates to communities across the United States, with an emphasis on historically underserved communities, including rural and Tribal communities. The resulting shift to cleaner school buses will help protect children’s health and the environment. EPA contracted with ERG to develop outreach materials for this program.

Over two years, ERG’s strategic communications team for this project developed a wide variety of outreach materials, including flyers, guides, infographics, and educational materials, to help potential applicants in school districts and transportation offices learn about the program and know how to apply for a grant or rebate. In addition, our team believed that educating children about the benefits of zero-emission buses would help create a culture of support for clean school buses in communities across the United States. At ERG’s recommendation, EPA expanded the target audiences for the outreach materials to include school-aged children directly impacted by the cleaner buses. To engage students in their school district’s process of switching to electric and low-emission buses, ERG developed English and Spanish versions of an electric school bus activity book for elementary school students. This booklet provides engaging age-appropriate activities (e.g., coloring page, maze, word search, brain teasers) to help kids learn about electric and low-emission school buses, public health, and sustainability. Throughout the project, our team worked closely with technical experts and education experts to ensure content accuracy and adherence to state education standards.