$2 Million Investment to Improve Energy Efficiency & Lower Utility Costs in Nonprofits Across 17 States – CleanTechnica

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Funding will support energy infrastructure projects that position nonprofits to better serve their communities and missions.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced that 22 community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations will receive a total of $2 million to support building improvement projects that reduce energy use and generate short and long-term energy cost savings so that operational dollars can be redirected toward mission-critical work. Made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Building Upgrades Inspire Local Transformation (BUILT) Nonprofits is part of the $50 million Renew America’s Nonprofits Program and supports investment in community-based nonprofits to help reduce carbon emissions and improve the health and safety of buildings. Through this competitive funding opportunity, Building Upgrades Inspire Local Transformation (BUILT) Nonprofits, 22 nonprofits will receive grants up to $100,000 each. Strong, healthy communities depend on strong, healthy nonprofits, yet many operate on limited budgets, often under $500,000 annually, while managing high operational costs like salaries and energy.

“The Biden-Harris Administration has been steadfast in its efforts to ensure nonprofit and religious organizations — those that provide food, shelter and healthcare to the most vulnerable in our society — reap the cost-saving benefits of clean energy solutions,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Organizations have applied for 30x the funding Congress made available underscoring the interest by nonprofits for support that helps provide more vital services to more people in communities across our nation.”

There are 1.5 million nonprofit organizations working across diverse missions — libraries, childcare centers, food banks and shelters — providing vital goods and services to communities. These nonprofits employ 10% of the U.S. workforce (over 12.8 million people) across more than half a million U.S. facilities where up to 30% of energy can be wasted due to building inefficiencies.

The 2024 BUILT Nonprofits is the second funding opportunity from the Renew America’s Nonprofits Program aimed at reducing energy use, improving health and safety, and lowering utilities costs at buildings owned and operated by 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

The 2023 Renew America’s Nonprofits Grant received unprecedented public engagement with funding requests totaling $568 million across approximately 3,300 buildings and 100 applications from prospective recipients—of which only 10% could be funded. Similarly, the 2024 BUILT Nonprofits funding opportunity was widely oversubscribed, with 738 eligible applications requesting over $61 million—30 times the available funding. This high demand highlights the nonprofit sector’s urgent need for short and long-term energy cost savings and the limited available of infrastructure funding to the sector. Notably, 95% of applicants had never previously received DOE funding or support, demonstrating untapped potential for impact in nonprofit efficiency projects.

BUILT Nonprofits Grant Selectees

The funded projects will encompass a range of energy-saving upgrades, with a focus on HVAC improvements, lighting replacements, and window and door retrofits.

This investment supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which sets a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investment in climate, clean energy, and other areas flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. With 79% of applicants located in or serving disadvantaged communities, these investments will go beyond just physical upgrades and strengthen the social infrastructure of historically underserved areas by serving as examples for other nonprofits and ultimately inspiring local transformation in towns and cities across the country.

A list of the selectees and their location is below.

• Little Manila Rising (CA)
• Youth Employment Partnership, Inc. (CA)
• Jacksonville Urban League Economic and Community Development Foundation, Inc. (FL)
• Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam (GA)
• Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club (GA)
• Covenant House Illinois, Inc. (IL)
• Community Health Care, Inc. (IA)
• YMCA of Metro North (MA)
• Peace Neighborhood Center (MI)
• Crow River Players, Inc. dba Little Theatre Auditorium (MN)
• Community Partnership of SE Missouri (MO)
• National Avenue Christian Church (MO)
• Neighborhood Innovation Center (MO)
• Marbles Kids Museum (NC)
• Star House (OH)
• Share Food Program (PA)
• Moab Free Health Clinic (UT)
• Health Brigade (VA)
• Union Gospel Mission of Yakima Wash (WA)
• Operation Fresh Start (WI)
• WRTP BIG STEP (WI)
• Coalfield Development Corp. (WV)

Advancing DOE’s Mission to Address the Urgent Need for Lower Energy Use and Costs Through Enhanced Impact

Through this innovative funding opportunity, BUILT Nonprofits will directly fund nonprofit selectees, expediting the delivery of benefits to the nonprofits and communities in greatest need. Among the 22 selectees, 95% are located in or directly serve disadvantaged communities, underscoring the importance of generating operational savings that can be reinvested in communities and advancing the Biden-Harris Administration Justice40 Initiative. Notably, 8 of the 17 states have never received funding from the Renew America’s Nonprofits Program, and 95% of the selected organizations are first-time recipients of DOE funding or support, demonstrating the program’s commitment to reaching a broad and diverse range of nonprofits. Through strategic partnerships with contractors and other private sector entities, selectees will implement projects with a total value of $2,470,178, adding approximately 25% to DOE’s $2 million investment.

BUILT Nonprofits is managed by TechWerx in partnership with DOE, a collaboration made possible through an innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement set up by the DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions. This agreement enables TechWerx to broaden DOE’s engagement with innovative organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of clean energy solutions.

In tandem with the Renew America’s Nonprofits Program, the Department of Energy’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs also launched the $500 million Renew America’s Schools Program in 2022 to promote the implementation of clean energy improvements at K-12 public schools across the country. The third round of funding for this program was announced on December 17, opening applications for $90 million in funding to support energy upgrades in schools. To learn more about the opportunity visit the HeroX page.

For further information about the BUILT Nonprofits opportunity or the Selectees, please email [email protected].