Clean Energy Communities Fund (CECF)

As the dust settles from the recent election, we are thinking a lot about our need for belonging. We are social animals. The desire to belong and feel like you are part of a community is a basic human need. Decades of research on human behavior has shown that our actions are heavily influenced by conversations with friends, neighbors and others we trust in our local communities. Social connections and social norms affect our decisions about many things – the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, the homes we want, and the politicians we support. We can use these insights to maintain forward progress on climate in the next four years. We, the people, have the power to create significant emissions reductions through our own actions and our local advocacy. About 60% of US annual emissions come from the fuel we burn to heat our homes and buildings and to power our vehicles. Technology is on the market today to eliminate most of these emissions (e.g solar panels, heat pumps, electric vehicles); it is up to individuals and local governments to pursue these upgrades and to provide support and resources so that everyone can make the transition to clean energy. Now is the time to double down on community-led climate action. Thousands of local governments and community-based organizations are willing to do more; the Clean Energy Communities Fund (CECF)'s collaborator network includes organizations working in all 50 states, with over 25,000 local communities, local partnerships and local chapters. But local organizations need capacity and funding to get started with engaging residents and updating local policies and permitting rules. By working together, neighbor-to-neighbor to get fossil fuels out of our homes, vehicles and communities, we can build hope, agency and belonging. We can create a healthier, more equitable and sustainable future. We, the people, have the power to create a better future. We don’t need to wait for politicians. We just need to remember where our power comes from - from relationships, from local communities and social connections, from a sense of belonging and support for one another. Thousands of communities and millions of individuals working together can create an unstoppable force for progress. Join us: www.cecfund.org Onward! Kristi Kimball & Nicole Rom #community #climateaction #CECF #election2024 #electrification

This thought experiment from @Grist is intriguing: What if billionaires bought every household in the U.S. a heat pump? The data from Rewiring America show that if every household in the United States was gifted a heat pump, annual emissions from residential buildings could fall as much as 64 percent. Wow! The initial investment literally pays for itself: ??Cutting fossil fuels: $448 billion saved ?Reducing energy costs: $470 billion saved ?? Avoiding pollution-related healthcare costs: $315 billion saved But I’m not holding my breath… What if we don’t wait for billionaires to help solve the climate problem? What if the real superhero is every one of us? Individuals can have a huge impact on the climate crisis by switching to heat pumps, driving EVs and installing solar panels or signing up for community solar. (We can take advantage of rebates and tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce the cost of these upgrades!) Individuals can also advocate for local policies that promote clean energy and home electrification, and this is an important way to ensure equity as we transition to clean energy. We all have superpowers when it comes to cutting emissions. By acting together, we can make big progress on climate even if billionaires aren’t willing to foot the bill. Join the movement! Clean Energy Communities Fund (CECF)

This year I’ve continued to lean into consulting for climate and environmental nonprofits. I’m excited to be working with a new client, the Clean Energy Communities Fund (CECF) as a thought-partner to Founder & CEO Kristi Kimball on strategy, org development, and fundraising as she ramps up revenue generation for the Clean Energy Communities Fund, an innovative and ambitious new philanthropic fund focused on climate mitigation at the community level nationwide. I was immediately impressed by Kristi and the work she has done to conceptualize the fund in partnership with on the ground community leaders across the country to fill a critical gap in the climate mitigation space. The Clean Energy Communities Fund (CECF) - designed with 100+ community-based partners across the country - will help 2,000 communities reach out via trusted local messengers to millions of residents to build hope, agency and equity by working together to get fossil fuels out of their homes, vehicles and communities. Community grant funding will be paired with significant investments in peer-learning cohorts and technical assistance – on program design and implementation, local policy changes, workforce development, and fundraising – to help make this work in each community successful and sustainable over time. Learn more and join us at cecfund.org. #electrification #cleanenergy #fundraising #community #philanthropy #cleanenergy4all

I’m happy to see more funding for clean energy projects, and competitions like the EPA’s CPRG Competitive program can at times feel like a lottery with crushing odds. The EPA recently announced 25 winners of a whopping $4.3 billion for climate pollution reduction projects across the country. This is great news for the 25 winners! And at the same time we need to move faster to help ALL communities make the transition to clean energy. It is fabulous that 13 state applicants, 11 municipal applicants, and 1 Tribal applicant will receive funding for projects in 30 states. And yet, the other 20 states and countless municipalities and Tribes across the country most likely spent a lot of time and energy planning projects and writing applications but received no funding. We need to build a bigger, more inclusive bandwagon for the clean energy transition by helping far more communities get started. A little napkin math illustrates what overly selective funding programs are missing. For example, $500 million could pay for a climate staff person for 3 years ($300k) in 30+ communities in every single state in the country. We need to quickly (like yesterday) cast a wider net by trusting, empowering and supporting thousands of local communities to help meet our climate goals. That’s why the Clean Energy Communities Fund (CECF) is helping thousands of communities get fossil fuels out of their homes, buildings and vehicles. We need to give communities a helping hand and a warm welcome to the clean energy future, not a high stakes lottery.

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We can't meet our climate goals without investing in local communities. Thanks to Tony Pipa for pointing out that rural communities need capacity building before they can engage in federal infrastructure programs. This is why we created the Clean Energy Communities Fund (CECF) - to provide thousands of communities a supportive 'on ramp' to the clean energy future. #CleanEnergyCommunitiesFund #CommunityDrivenSolutions #JustTransition #ClimateMitigation

Electrify DC turns 1 today! ?? ?? Working with all of you on innovative programs to #decarbonizeallhomes has been a joy. Here is to the next 365 days! Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE), District of Columbia Department of Buildings, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, City of Takoma Park, City Of Hyattsville, Maryland, City of Bowie, Maryland, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Synapse Energy Economics, Redwood Energy, Paces, Rewiring America, DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), A. O. Smith Corporation, Rheem Manufacturing, Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin Comfort, Eaton, LG Electronics, Solar Solution, Clean Energy Communities Fund (CECF), ENERGY STAR, AIA|DC #electrifyeverything #decarbonization #local #implementation

Amidst a landscape of unparalleled clean energy federal funding opportunities, many small organizations and rural communities for whom it was designed, find themselves watching helplessly from a distance. Despite the immense opportunities presented, limited capacity for collaboration and documentation threatens to stifle their potential to access these transformative resources. With this enabling fund, a pathway is illuminated to support locally developed programs resulting in expansive economic growth, positive environmental impact, and equitable social progress. This is a pivotal moment for a sustainable revitalization, empowering those previously sidelined to shape a brighter energy future for all. I'm elated to work with some extraordinary individuals to develop the concept and structure for this fund to further enable great work on the ground!

We are excited to announce the launch of our partnership with Forward Global! ?? ?? ?? Forward Global Announces Launch, a New Fiscal Sponsorship Program, Including First Sponsored Project: The Clean Energy Communities Fund #communitygrants #cleanenergycommunities #homeelectrification #vehicleelectrification #cleanenergy #solar #launch