Grants to Support Underserved Communities with
Programs Focused on Community Resilience, Careers in
Sustainability, and Energy Efficiency Building Upgrades
The Hannon Armstrong Foundation (NYSE: HASI), a
non-profit philanthropic organization with a mission to accelerate
a just transition toward an equitable, inclusive, and climate
positive future, today announced three new multi-year partnerships
with leading non-profit organizations focused on community
resilience, careers in sustainability, and energy efficiency
building upgrades.
The Foundation's partnerships with Groundswell, SEI, and
Southface Institute will deliver funding to improve direct access
to affordable clean energy and health-enhancing products and
services for communities that contend with disinvestment and
inequities; provide education and training opportunities for
careers in climate solutions at historically Black colleges and
universities and those that serve other communities of color; and
equip non-profits with financial and technical resources to make
sustainable building improvements.
“The Hannon Armstrong Foundation is committed to supporting the
most impactful organizations working at the intersection of social
justice and climate action,” said Jeffrey W. Eckel, President,
Hannon Armstrong Foundation. “We are honored and grateful to help
support the growth of these unique programs and services offered by
Groundswell, SEI, and Southface Institute.”
Meet our partners:
Groundswell
Groundswell builds community power through equitable community
solar projects and resilience centers, clean energy programs that
reduce energy burdens, and pioneering research initiatives that
help light the way to clean energy futures for all. It leads clean
energy programs and projects in six states, including the District
of Columbia, serving more than 5,000 income-qualified customers
with more than $1.85 million per year in clean energy savings.
With funded support from the Hannon Armstrong Foundation,
Groundswell will develop up to eight new community resilience
center sites in Baltimore, help advance at least two community
resilience center sites into the construction phase and identify an
additional Maryland community that is ready to develop its own
energy resilience center program.
Groundswell resilience centers combine solar and energy storage
on a microgrid to keep the lights, heating, and air conditioning on
when the power goes off, providing essential services for members
of the community that are more likely to experience outages and
less likely to have adequate resources during emergencies. Their
approach puts communities first by involving local residents to
identify where resilience centers should be built and to determine
which services are priorities.
"Building energy resilience can do more than keep the lights on.
Resilience can be reparative, support the regeneration of
communities, and build wealth. It’s our privilege to be alive at a
time when the transformation of our energy systems can do justice,
and it is our joy to serve that vision," said Michelle Moore, CEO,
Groundswell.
SEI
SEI (Strategic Energy Innovations) is an environmental
non-profit that builds leaders to drive sustainability solutions.
For nearly 25 years, SEI has partnered with schools, communities,
and organizations across sectors to develop a leadership pathway
from elementary school to early career. Its flagship programs
(Energize Schools, Energize Colleges, School of Environmental
Leadership, Climate Corps, and Energize Careers) educate and
empower students and emerging professionals to create thriving,
resilient communities. SEI's Climate Corps program is an
award-winning, bridge-to-career fellowship program that recruits
and places rising climate professionals with higher education
institutions to implement climate change equity and resiliency
projects.
With support from the Hannon Armstrong Foundation, SEI will
expand its Climate Corps program. SEI will train the region's
climate and energy workforce of the future and build capacity at
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other
universities serving historically underrepresented communities in
the climate space to advance climate protection initiatives in the
region. SEI will build on Hannon Armstrong Foundation's existing
partnership with Morgan State University as part of the pilot year
of its expanded Climate Corps on Campus.
"The Hannon Armstrong Foundation and SEI both realize that the
world needs more people from all backgrounds putting climate
solutions into place in their communities,” said Cyane Dandridge,
Founder and Executive Director, Strategic Energy Innovations
(SEI). “Building the next generation of climate leaders takes
teamwork, and SEI is grateful to the Hannon Armstrong Foundation
for expanding the Climate Corps program to develop capacity at
Minority Serving Institutions, support high-quality professional
training and mentorship, and build sustainability-focused
networks.”
Southface Institute
Southface Institute is a sustainable building nonprofit that
strengthens equity and the environment by transforming residential
and commercial structures at every stage of the building life
cycle. Since 1978, Southface has collaborated with other
nonprofits, businesses, builders, developers, universities,
government agencies, and communities to deliver practical solutions
with tangible results for the planet and all its inhabitants.
With funded support from the Hannon Armstrong Foundation,
Southface will pilot a new model of employee engagement within
their GoodUse program, which equips 45-50 non-profits each year to
reduce operating costs and reap savings to reinvest into core
services to the community. This is accomplished through facility
and operational upgrades that increase resource efficiency, lower
utility bills, and improve indoor air quality. In the pilot, Hannon
Armstrong staff ambassadors will help review and choose grantees
from their own communities. These communities will benefit from the
increase in investment while the environment will benefit from the
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
"Southface is excited to partner with the Hannon Armstrong
Foundation to grow the impact of GoodUse in the Mid-Atlantic and
Northeast," said Jim Neal, Interim President, Southface Institute.
"This expansion will pay off for non-profits and communities
throughout the region in a deep and lasting way, all while
mitigating climate change. With our aligned goals and the profound
need for mission-driven investments, this is one powerful
partnership."
About Hannon Armstrong Foundation
The Hannon Armstrong Foundation's mission is to accelerate a
just transition toward an equitable, inclusive, and climate
positive future. Hannon Armstrong funds the Hannon Armstrong
Foundation through an annual Social Dividend. The Foundation’s
philanthropic priorities include providing climate solutions for
disadvantaged communities; supporting career pathways in climate
solutions for historically disadvantaged communities and those
impacted by climate change and the energy transition; and
strengthening the social fabric and promoting economic and climate
resilience in our local communities. For more information, please
visit hannonarmstrong.org.
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Media Inquiries Gil Jenkins 443-321-5753
media@hannonarmstrong.com
Foundation Inquiries Chad Reed 410-571-6189
connect@hannonarmstrong.org
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