As announced, funding for consultation and information points run by local governments will be increased – from PLN 35,000 to PLN up to 42 thousand PLN per year.
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A broader catalog of eligible costs
According to the Local Government Portal, the new template of the agreement with municipalities covers another year of financing the activities of these points by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. In addition to the higher subsidy, the catalog of eligible costs will also be expanded, including: o training for employees, which is intended to support the development of competences of people serving residents using the program.
The Fund emphasizes that this is the next stage of strengthening the importance of municipalities as the closest support link to residents in the implementation of investments. Local governments can now familiarize themselves with the new agreement template and prepare for the next stage of cooperation, and the deadline for signing contracts or annexes is set for September 30, 2026.
The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management estimates that next year the budget for the operation of municipal consultation and information points may exceed PLN 93 million. At the same time – as indicated by the Local Government Portal – the new agreements are intended to adapt the system to changes in the “Clean Air” program, including the role of municipal operators. From March 31, 2025, they took over some of the tasks related to servicing beneficiaries, and applications for the highest level of funding and pre-financing can only be submitted through them.
More stable financing
The changes introduced are intended to ensure more stable financing of local support points, increase the opportunities for developing the competences of municipality employees and organize the program management system. Currently over 2 thousand communes run consultation and information points, and over 1.4 thousand municipalities also act as program operators.
According to the Local Government Portal, the next stages of cooperation are planned to include, among others: introduction of vouchers for energy audits, further expansion of the catalog of eligible costs and a system of incentives for the most involved local governments.
The “Clean Air” program is addressed to owners and co-owners of single-family houses or separate residential premises with a separate land and mortgage register, and a new feature is the minimum three-year property ownership period. As indicated by the Local Government Portal, support includes, among others: replacing ineffective heat sources, modernizing heating installations, insulating buildings and replacing windows and doors.
Key audit in the new program
The key element of the new version of the program is an energy audit, which is intended to indicate the scope and sequence of necessary work and ensure their profitability. For this purpose, the so-called a green voucher financing the cost of the audit, awarded by municipalities – program operators. Approximately PLN 75 million was allocated for this purpose.
As Robert Gajda, deputy president of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, emphasized, the program is intended to improve the quality of life of people affected by energy poverty, without at the same time aggravating their financial problems – reports the Local Government Portal.
