Investing in local Los Angeles County and Ventura County communities is a key aspect of Clean Power Alliance’s (CPA) mission to strengthen the communities we serve by improving resilience and advancing access to clean energy for all. Providing funding through the annual Community Benefits Grant is one way CPA helps make that happen.
In 2023, CPA and Calpine Community Energy provided $275,000 in total grant funding to local nonprofits in CPA’s service area to support clean energy initiatives, green job training, environmental education and stewardship, and energy equity and diversity efforts. CPA and Calpine have partnered on providing the grant funds since 2021.
The Oxnard Performing Arts Center (OPAC) was a 2023 grant recipient and utilized the funding to support its year-long solar energy art initiative, which had a significant impact on their operations and programming for the youth and families they serve within the Greater Oxnard region. The $23,900 grant sponsored a week-long summer camp led by local artist and educator A. Tomas Hernandez for their Teen Art Program where 12 at-risk youth were able to explore STEAM from a new perspective – solar energy – by learning how to construct and “artify” their own personal solar panels.
“This grant has been nothing short of transformative for our organization. We pushed our programmatic boundaries, engaged more families in deeper and more creative ways, and invested in a mobile art cart that will serve OPAC and our community for years to come,” said OPAC’s Executive Director Carolyn Mullin. “We cannot thank CPA and Calpine enough for giving us this opportunity and for recognizing that the arts are a valuable partner and avenue for supporting sustainability and cultivating community.”
Erin Viera, Friend of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) COO and Acting Director of Education, highlighted how the group utilized $25,000 in grant funding to provide local students the opportunity to spend a day on the Los Angeles River, connecting a total of 140 classes at 70 Title 1 schools to the natural world right within their local backyard.
“This year’s Community Benefits Grant has been instrumental in helping us expand our reach to Los Angeles students. With their support, we have successfully increased access to new school districts by 700%, connecting young Angelenos from across the city to the Los Angeles River and inspiring action-oriented stewardship,” said Viera. “Additionally, their support has enabled us to provide these schools with improved access to lessons and family toolkits, extending the impact beyond the classroom and into homes.”
Another nonprofit organization, Tree People, located in Los Angeles County, received $25,000 in funding to implement environmental programs, education initiatives and tree planting projects in the City of Paramount, including the distribution of 150 fruit trees to residents while planting 50 trees in public spaces. This helped Tree People to broaden access to green areas, while strengthening the bond between communities and their environment.
“The benefits grant is a great opportunity to build on what you’re doing in the community,” said David Pineda, Tree People’s Director of Operations and Grants. “It allows you to do more in terms of greening and green infrastructure and you’re able to match the grant with other public and private dollars to really expand sustainable projects.”
In addition to the grant, CPA also provides funding for workforce development and college scholarships and skills training programs to support the next generation of renewable energy leaders.
CPA and Calpine Community Energy will soon announce the recipients of the 2024 Community Benefits Grant, which will provide $325,000 in funding to a dozen local nonprofits.
To learn more about the Community Benefits Grant and the innovative community projects led by local groups, visit cleanpoweralliance.org/cbg.
