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10 Local Non-Profits Receive Over $200,000 in Grants to Advance Clean Energy Initiatives
Clean Power Alliance (CPA) and Calpine Energy Solutions are pleased to announce the winners of the second annual Community Benefits Grant Program. Through this innovative grant program, 10 non-profit organizations within CPA’s service territory have received funding to advance clean energy initiatives in their communities.
This year’s grants are being awarded to non-profits that advance renewable energy research and planning; energy and environmental education; clean energy in disadvantaged communities; and green workforce development. The amount of the largest possible grant award was increased from $25,000 in 2021 to $30,000 this year.
The Community Benefits Grant Program application period took place from Aug. 1 to Sept. 16, 2022. A total of 29 applications were received, with 10 applicants being awarded grants ranging from $9,500 to $30,000. In all, the program awarded nearly $204,000 in grants.
The program is a partnership between Calpine Energy Solutions and CPA. Calpine Energy Solutions awards the program funding, while Clean Power Alliance determines the grant guidelines and project criteria and helps recruit nonprofit organizations to apply for funding. Both entities work together to assess grant applications.
Active San Gabriel Valley ($16,983.60) – Funding will support clean energy-related operations, including the Healthy Homes program, the Bassett Avocado Heights Advanced Energy Community (BAAEC), and GoSGV Electric Bike Share.
Climate Action Santa Monica ($12,500) – Funding will support the CASM Climate Corps program for education and workforce development. Each year, Climate Corps provides broad training in the global climate issue as well as local systems and actions.
Climate First: Replacing Oil & Gas ($19,334) – Funds will go toward encouraging local Climate Action Plans and improving the accessibility and content of educational materials on the organization’s website. Funds will also go toward the Environmental Voices Academy, which is designed to provide a deeper understanding of local environmental issues and advocacy, as well as expand the network of academy participants.
Columbia Memorial Space Center ($25,000) – Funding will support City of STEM, the largest program promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math in Los Angeles. The program is committed to opening equitable access to STEM learning, especially to those members of the public from marginalized and BIPOC communities, and under-resourced neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles.
Community Environmental Council ($22,240) – Funds will be used toward general operating support for the expansion of clean energy educational programming throughout Ventura County. This work will focus on electric vehicle and building electrification education and outreach, environmental awareness, and climate literacy.
Grid Alternatives LA ($30,000) – Funds will be used to provide homeowners in CPA service areas (Carson and Whittier) with reroofs, service panel upgrades, and/or any other necessary professional services to allow them to access no-cost solar energy systems.
Merito Foundation ($25,260) – Funds will be used to train eight middle school and high school science teachers from Ventura Unified School District to instruct approximately 1,000 students in the adoption of the Merito Foundation’s curriculum titled ‘Energy Efficiency to Mitigate Climate Change and Ocean Acidification (EECCOA) Activity Guide’ by March 2023.
Nyeland Promise ($20,000) – Funds will be used to develop and implement a multilingual (English, Spanish, and Mixteco) initiative to provide linguistically and culturally appropriate messaging to help residents reduce their energy usage during periods of peak energy.
Pando Populus ($23,000) – Funding will go toward Pando Days, a project-centered learning program for Southland colleges and universities focused on implementing county sustainability goals. Participating instructors dedicate a full course, studio, or lab during the fall term toward developing solutions to community sustainability challenges.
Sustainable Claremont ($9,500) – Funding will support four clean energy interns to assist with public dialogs and social media/newsletter outreach.
The Calpine Energy Solutions’ Community Benefits Program is an ongoing program. There will be another call for grant applicants in the third quarter of 2023. Interested non-profit organizations can visit https://cleanpoweralliance.org/calpinegrant.
To learn about previous grant winners, click here.
About Clean Power Alliance
Founded in 2017, Clean Power Alliance is the locally operated not-for-profit electricity provider for 30 cities across Los Angeles County and Ventura County, as well as the unincorporated areas of both counties. CPA is the fifth largest electricity provider in California and has the most customers receiving 100% renewable energy in the nation. CPA serves approximately three million people via one million customer accounts, providing clean renewable energy at competitive rates. To view CPA’s 2021 Impact Report, click here. For complete information regarding CPA visit www.cleanpoweralliance.org.
About Calpine Energy Solutions
Calpine Energy Solutions is the premier provider of data management and customer contact center services for Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Agencies. Since 2009, Calpine has been a trusted business partner serving 21 operating CCAs and managing customer data for over 4 million customer accounts across the state. As part of a Fortune 500 company, Calpine Energy Solutions’ best-in-class back-office services helps guide clients from the initial program launch through mass enrollment phases and beyond. Decades of utility and billing experience, electronic data interchange, customized implementation planning, and robust customer data management enable Calpine’s clients to achieve their missions and long-term operational success.