What is CORE?
The California Air Resources Board (CARB), in partnership with CALSTART, launched the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE) to accelerate the purchase of zero-emission off-road equipment in California. Senate Bill 170 appropriated $27 million to the California Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE) to provide incentives for professional landscape services in California operated by a small business or sole proprietor. These funds are intended to purchase qualifying zero-emission professional landscape service equipment. CORE does not require scrappage of existing internal combustion engines. https://californiacore.org/
Criteria for Eligibility:
CORE will begin accepting voucher requests for professional landscape service equipment starting November 7, 2022.
Eligible purchasers include small business or sole proprietors who provide professional landscape services as defined below.
Professional Landscape Service
A landscape contractor constructs, maintains, repairs, installs, or subcontracts the development of landscape systems and facilities for public and private gardens and other areas which are designed to aesthetically, architecturally, horticulturally, or functionally improve the grounds within or surrounding a structure or a tract or plot of land. In connection therewith, a landscape contractor prepares and grades plots and areas of land for the installation of any architectural, horticultural and decorative treatment or arrangement. (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 16 § 832.27.)
Small Business and Microbusiness
A small business means an independently owned and operated business that is not dominant in its field of operation, the principal office of which is located in California, the officers of which are domiciled in California, and which, together with affiliates, has 100 or fewer employees, and average annual gross receipts of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) or less over the previous three years, or is a manufacturer, as defined in subdivision (c), with 100 or fewer employees. Commencing January 1, 2019, the average annual gross receipts threshold shall be fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000). (Gov. Code § 14837(d)(1)(A))
Microbusiness is a small business which, together with affiliates, has average annual gross receipts of two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) or less over the previous three years, or is a manufacturer, as defined in subdivision (c), with 25 or fewer employees. Commencing January 1, 2019, the average annual gross receipts threshold shall be five million dollars ($5,000,000). (Gov. Code § 14837(d)(2))
Sole Proprietor
A sole proprietorship is set up to allow an individual to own and operate a business. A sole proprietor has total control, receives all profits from and is responsible for taxes and liabilities of the business. (https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/starting-business/types#sole)
Steps for Participating in CORE:
Select equipment that suits your needs from the equipment catalog.
Contact an eligible dealer.
Provide the dealer with voucher request information.
Purchase your CORE-discounted equipment.
Review the Implementation Manual for additional information.
FY 21-22 Attachment D – Professional Landscape Service Equipment – CORE Implementation Manual
FY 21-22 Anexo D – Equipo profesional de servicio de jardinería – Manual de implementación de CORE
Voucher Incentives
