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The United States Department of Energy (DOE), under the Biden administration’s Investing in America agenda, has selected nine candidates for the Renew America’s Nonprofits grant.
The grant, in the amount of $45 million, will support projects aiming to reduce energy use and costs in buildings owned and operated by 501(c)(3)s.
According to the DOE, behind salaries, energy costs are the second-highest operational expense for nonprofits, so reducing energy use can free up a meaningful percentage of funds in both the short- and long-term, leading to savings that can be redirected to mission-critical work.
The Renew America’s Nonprofits grant will provide $45 million in awards to nine Prime Selectees who will collaborate with nearly 40 partners to deliver energy improvements in approximately 300 facilities across 28 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, the DOE said in a media release.
The program recipients are: Alaska Heat Smart, Juneau, AK; Ecology Action, Santa Cruz, CA; Mid America Regional Council Community Services Corporation, Kansas City, MO; Medici Road, Washington, DC; Southface Energy Institute, Atlanta, GA; Sustainable Westchester, Mount Kisco, NY; Tierra Del Sol Housing Corporation, Las Cruces, NM; University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO; University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI.
“Nonprofits promote social cohesion, public health, creativity and innovation—all of which are essential to thriving communities,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “With this funding, the Biden-Harris Administration is empowering these organizations to expand crucial services by cutting their energy costs, while bringing the nation closer to President Biden’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. We are grateful to the leadership of Senators Amy Klobuchar and John Hoeven, along with Representatives Matt Cartwright and Brian Fitzpatrick, for leading the legislative charge to give nonprofits and religious organizations access to clean energy solutions in their buildings.”
Nonprofits operate approximately half a million facilities, mostly in commercial spaces where energy efficiency improvements can reduce energy use by up to 30 percent, the DOE said. There are approximately 1.5 million 501(c)(3) nonprofits in America, historically employing the third-largest workforce in the economy—more than 12.4 million people, according to the DOE.
To contact the author, email andreson.n.paul@gmail.com
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