Los Angeles is often celebrated as the heart of the global film industry and the home of dynamic Hollywood movie making magic. With the help of the annual Community Benefits Grant, a joint funding program from CPA and Calpine Community Energy, a wave of passionate young film students are stepping onto the scene, creating compelling sustainability-focused videos that highlight their mission to make the city greener and more resilient.
Recent grant recipient Film2Future (F2F), a Los Angeles–based nonprofit that provides underserved teenagers with access to professional-level filmmaking education and career opportunities, partnered with students to teach them about sustainability as they created original animated, story-driven public service announcements explaining clean energy and its benefits.
“Participating in the Animating for a Clean Energy Future program was such a fun and unique experience as a student filmmaker,” said Film2Future student Aileen G. “It gave me a valuable glimpse into client-based work while advocating for clean energy, which I loved being able to do as a huge environmental science nerd.”
Film2Future recruits students from more than 300 Los Angeles high schools serving communities where 80% or more of students qualify for free or reduced lunch assistance. Through the program, participants build portfolio-ready animated public service announcements that showcase their skills for college applications, internships and jobs.
Five student projects were developed showcasing original animations and storytelling centered on the themes of sustainability, renewable energy and environmentalism.
“Thanks to the generous support of the Community Benefits Grant, our emerging filmmakers had the incredible opportunity to explore the important topics of clean energy and energy conservation,” said Wendy Haynes, director of operations at Film2Future. “Through the creation of animated public service announcements, they not only educated their peers but also grew as advocates, storytellers and industry-ready professionals. This experience empowered them to use their voices and animation skills to drive change, both in their communities and in working towards a cleaner future for our planet.”
Since 2021, The Community Benefits Grant program has been funding impactful initiatives across CPA’s service territory. An innovative partnership between CPA and Calpine (CPA’s customer support and billing services provider,) the grant program is funded with three percent of the value of CPA’s contract with Calpine that gets reinvested into community-focused programs.
Grant funds support initiatives that further clean energy adoption, create pathways to clean energy industry job opportunities, expand environmental education, and promote environmental stewardship.
Applications are being accepted through Sept. 30 for the 2025-26 Community Benefits Grant with $289,000 in funding available to local nonprofit organizations. Funding will be awarded to between nine and 12 organizations, with grants ranging from $15,000 to $30,000.
The Community Benefit Grant is just one of many ways that CPA invests locally to strengthen the well-being of its member communities and support their efforts to advance sustainability. CPA also provides funding for workforce training with college scholarships and skills training programs throughout Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Local community-based organizations that are interested in applying can download the application here.
Completed applications and all relevant attachments must be submitted to communitybenefits@calpinesolutions.com no later than 5 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2025.
Selected recipients will be notified by the end of the year.
