Environment
Four states, three models: how to prepare a project an environmental fund will actually finance
Environmental money exists in three of the four Bajío states, but each fund rewards a different applicant and project. A comparison, which fund for what, and seven steps to a fundable project.
Environmental and energy project preparation for state, federal and international funds.
Let's talk about your projectBajío Ventures · March 2026 · Bajío environmental funds, 5 of 5
After reviewing Guanajuato, Jalisco, Querétaro and Aguascalientes, the conclusion is simple: the money exists in three of the four states, but each fund rewards a different kind of applicant and project. Choosing the right window is half the work.
The comparison
| Guanajuato (FOAM) | Jalisco (FEPAJ) | Querétaro (SEDESU) | Aguascalientes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | Trust, since 2000 | Trust, since 2016 | Instrument with annual rules | Provided in law, not found |
| Income | Emissions-test stickers | Testing, fines, permit fees, agreements | Emissions-testing fines | — |
| Applicants | Municipalities | NGOs, companies; delivery via inter-municipal boards | Public, private, social, academia | — |
| Access | Annual call with a set amount per municipality | Two-stage calls and co-funded programmes | Online platform, scored technical opinion | — |
| Strength | Predictability | Leverages federal and international money | Openness and published criteria | Planned link with universities |
Which fund for what
- A Guanajuato municipality with a waste, air, climate or energy-efficiency project: FOAM, within its allocated amount.
- A company, university or NGO in Querétaro with a study or a circular-economy or energy-efficiency pilot: the SEDESU fund.
- An organisation or group of municipalities in Jalisco with a project that can pull in federal money: FEPAJ, ideally through an inter-municipal board.
- An Aguascalientes municipality: own budget plus federal or international sources until a state fund exists.
Seven steps to a fundable project
- Keep planning instruments current. FOAM made a Celaya garbage truck conditional on publishing the municipal waste programme. Waste programmes, climate action plans and emissions inventories open doors.
- Choose the fund by who is applying, not by who has the most money.
- Define the problem, a baseline and measurable indicators. FOAM’s form asks for tonnes, routes and beneficiaries; Querétaro scores coverage and objectives met.
- Budget the co-funding from day one. Under FOAM the municipality pays first; recent projects split 50/50.
- Plan procurement under state law, with realistic timelines inside the agreement’s term.
- Secure the capacity to account for funds: dedicated account, quarterly reports, final report and records kept for years.
- Plan operation after the grant. Funds expect projects to keep running under later administrations.
The energy opportunity
Environmental funds are not only about tree planting. In Guanajuato they have paid for rooftop PV on municipal buildings, LED lighting and solar water heaters. In Querétaro, energy efficiency and renewables are explicit categories. For Bajío municipalities, where electricity bills weigh on running costs, this is an under-used route for studies and savings projects.
At Bajío Ventures we track these instruments as part of our work on energy and environmental infrastructure in the region. If you spot something we should update, let us know.
Sources for each state are listed at the end of posts 1 to 4 of this series. Each fund’s rules change by fiscal year; check the current version before applying.
Environmental and energy project preparation for state, federal and international funds.
Let's talk about your projectThis article is also available in Spanish. Read in Spanish