Grant Highlights
Energy efficiency and renewable energy
Dedicated to promoting more livable, sustainable communities, the nonprofit develops and pioneers strategies to use natural resources more efficiently and equitably. A two-year grant funds development of a one-stop, energy-efficiency retrofit model for Chicago’s small, multi-family housing market as well as tools for assessing energy performance and financing and evaluating energy savings.
Through its Enterprise Green Communities program, the national nonprofit offers wide-ranging assistance to developers for creating affordable, environmentally responsible, low-income housing that meets high standards for green, healthy construction. A two-year grant allows Enterprise Community Partners to expand its use of Green Communities Criteria for new construction and develop parallel criteria for green retrofits.
The organization provides coordination, best-practices assistance and practice-based regulatory-reform leadership to its membership base of national nonprofit affordable-housing corporations. A three-year grant for its Energy Program supports energy-efficiency activities, including educating building owners, expanding federal policies, gathering data about energy use and retrofitting thousands of affordable-housing units.
Launched in 1970, the organization has been a leader in building the environmental movement and helping formulate environmental laws. A two-year grant supports the council’s Center for Energy Efficiency Standards, which is developing efficiency standards for buildings, equipment and appliances that will reduce energy usage and lower greenhouse-gas emissions.
The philanthropic fund administers the RE-AMP network, a collaboration of nonprofits and foundations working to achieve meaningful reductions in regional greenhouse-gas emissions in the upper Midwest through research, information exchange, strategy making and advocacy. A $1.1 million grant supports RE-AMP activities and groups working on energy efficiency, renewable energy and vehicle electrification.
Working side-by-side with utilities, electric-transmission-grid operators, regulators and other stakeholders, the nonprofit organization aims to bring wind power to market in the Midwest. A two-year grant renews funding for general operating support and advances planning, education and policy efforts to move forward the development of clean energy infrastructure.
Architecture 2030 spearheads cutting-edge efforts to reduce the energy demand of new buildings and major renovations, with a long-term efficiency goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030. A two-year operating grant supports its comprehensive work in research, education, coalition building, codes and legislation and design education and practice.
The Pacific Northwest’s leading green-building organization operates the Living Building Challenge, a certification system more stringent that the familiar LEED rating system. An 18-month grant allows Cascadia to promote its rating system and educate prospective users, host a national conference and complete a water-policy report for public officials.
The institute seeks to improve energy efficiency in the built environment through research, education, policy change, program initiatives and building codes. A two-year grant supports its efforts to facilitate energy rating and disclosure of commercial-building performance, revamp financing, promote stronger energy codes and enforcement and increase energy efficiency in federal buildings.