Community Innovation Grants
EBCE’s vision for Alameda County is found in the Local Development Business Plan (LDBP), a framework developed with community input for accelerating clean energy investments that enhance workforce development, promote stronger local economic activity, and increase community resilience. The LDBP outlines various financial and non-financial resources for non-profit and community organizations to help accomplish these goals.
Our Current Grant Recipients
Ecology Action designed a scalable multi-unit dwelling (MUD) EV charging program delivery model for low-and moderate-income residents within EBCE’s service area. This is a proof of concept initiative that will result in a fully-tested and vetted program design that will be ready to be implemented by EBCE.
Final Report (PDF) from Ecology Action
People Power Solar Cooperative
People Power Solar Cooperative organized its second community-owned solar project to provide a critical model for community investment and ownership of renewable energy in California and other states that lack shared solar laws.
Final Report (PDF) from People Power Solar Cooperative
Through RE-volv’s unique community-empowerment model, RE-volv seeks to bring solar installations to at least four East Bay nonprofits that serve underserved communities, while raising awareness about the benefits of clean energy, and creating dramatic electricity bill savings to benefit the community.
Community Impact LAB empowered and educated Alameda County families and businesses to tackle climate change through energy conservation and literacy. The project includes two conservation challenges which utilize technology to audit and reduce usage, a Clean Energy mini-conference and Business/ Career Fair, a three-part workshop series and an online educational campaign.
Final Report (PDF) from Community Impact LAB
Rising Sun Center for Opportunity
Rising Sun Center for Opportunity hosted a program titled Climate Careers, aiming to employ and train youth as Energy Specialists to conduct Green House Calls in hard-to-reach households, helping residents save energy and money. In a new pilot program, the youth will enroll Alameda County residents in a service that analyzes their energy bills and coaches them to reduce energy use. Check out the final grant here (PDF).
West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project
West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project’sWest Oakland Renewable Project (WORP) developed a business model for partnerships between local communities and commercial property owners/developers. It generates profits from energy sales to support various energy resilience programs for income-qualified residents.
Grant Evaluation
| Criteria | Definition(s) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
|
Primary Project Objectives (meets all two) |
70% | |
| Community Benefits | Delivers local energy-related benefits to targeted communities (e.g. low-income, disadvantaged, EJ, and/or hard-to-reach groups) in areas such as job creation, workforce development, economic empowerment, and climate and social resilience. | 50% |
| Innovation and Collaboration | New, community collaborative approaches to eliminating or reducing energy-related environmental or economic community impacts. | 20% |
|
Secondary Project Objectives (meets two of the following four) |
30% | |
| Local, Clean Energy Projects | Proposes plans to identify or develop local renewable energy, energy efficiency or fuel switching in Alameda County that increases community access to or ownership of clean energy. | 15% |
| Community Health | Reduces greenhouse gases (GHG), local criteria pollutants or energy bills in communities demonstrating an impact on local community health and quality of life. | 15% |
| Scalability | Is able to be expanded across other EBCE communities and beyond. | 15% |
| Increase Energy Literacy | Proposes plans to increase participation and public understanding of energy concepts and programs. | 15% |
|
Project Requirements (meets all two) |
||
| Project Feasibility | Project includes staffing capability. Organization showcases applicable skills to carry project. Budget is less than or equal to $40,000 and reasonable for project scope. | |
| Local Impact | Project includes key performance indicators (KPIs) that are identifiable, measurable, enduring, and local to EBCE’s communities. |
Grant Overview
The Community Innovation Grant will award up to a total of $160,000 in funding to non-profit and community-based organizations for projects designed to deliver energy-related social and environmental benefits to residents of Alameda County. Proposed projects will be evaluated based on criteria that assess an application’s alignment with EBCE’s goals and mission. EBCE’s grant resources can be financial and/or non-financial in nature. For example, applicants can request EBCE staff volunteers, consultations, data accessibility, or written support of community-led projects.
Eligibility
Community-based non-profit organizations and 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(5) are eligible to apply for up to $40,000 per project. EBCE will make $160k in funding available in this program cycle. While applicants are not required to have offices located within EBCE’s service territory, applications will be evaluated based on total local contributions (see Project Requirements in the table below). Proposed projects can be existing or new. If the proposed project is existing, please provide an explanation on how grant funds will support a new element or scaling effort.
Program Objectives
EBCE seeks proposals from organizations that meet the following program objectives.
Must meet the following criteria:
Deliver local community benefits
Advance innovation and collaboration
And must meet at least two out of the following four (secondary) criteria:
Identify or develop local clean energy projects
Encourage community health
Scalable and replicable
Increase energy literacy
Timeline
The application period is currently closed. Check this web page in the future for more information.