Directory of Solar Energy Technical Assistance Available to Community-Based Organizations

Matt Ohloff | CESA

Community-based organizations (CBOs) pursuing solar energy projects may benefit from additional resources and information to help them achieve their desired clean energy and community-building outcomes. Fortunately, technical assistance is being offered to CBOs and other community-serving entities pursuing equitable clean energy development. Technical assistance opportunities are now available through federal agencies, states, and nonprofits.

Here, the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) has compiled currently available technical assistance opportunities for CBOs pursuing solar energy, though all of these opportunities offer clean energy technical assistance beyond solar. Each listing below identifies who is providing the technical assistance, the program location, who is eligible, and more.

This directory was developed as part of the Clean Energy States Alliance’s (CESA) Solar with Justice: Connecting States and Communities project. The Solar with Justice project aims to bring together state energy agencies (SEAs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) developing solar for environmental justice communities to create opportunities for dialogue and collaboration.

This directory is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Solar Energy Technologies Office Award Number DE-EE0009360. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.

Using this Database

In the interactive table, users can click on the “view” button on the right side to see more detailed information about a program, including any applicable deadlines.

Suggest Additional Entries

If you know of additional programs that should be included in the directory or corrections to any of the entries, please email Matt Ohloff at [email protected].

Resource Details:

Date: March 18, 2024
Type: Online Directory
Topic(s): Community Solar, Solar PV

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Solar with Justice: Connecting States and Communities

wdt_ID	wdt_created_by	wdt_created_at	wdt_last_edited_by	wdt_last_edited_at	Program Name	Topic(s)	Program Administrator(s)	Location	Eligible Applicants	Program Description	Types of Technical Assistance	How to Apply	Application Deadline	Program Duration	More Information	Point(s) of Contact
1	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	Clean Energy Group's Technical Assistance Fund (TAF)	Solar, Storage	Clean Energy Group (CEG)	Nationwide	Community-serving organizations	CEG is a national nonprofit organization focused on providing innovative technical, economic and policy solutions to enable communities to participate equitably in the clean energy transition. CEG’s TAF fills a critical resource gap by equipping community-serving organizations with the information they need to advance a resilient solar and battery storage project toward the next stage in development. CEG serves as an advisor throughout the TAF process to ensure that each organization’s questions are answered and its unique energy resilience, economic, and community goals are prioritized.	One-on-one support to help organizations gain a better understanding of solar+storage and its benefits. CBOs can also receive targeted funding to engage technical expertise to produce a solar+storage feasibility assessment for a proposed project. The TAF supports organizations that provide essential services to low-income and underserved communities, environmental justice communities, and communities of color so that they can develop resilient power solutions for critical community service providers in the event of a power outage. Clean Energy Group works with community centers, emergency shelters, cooling centers, affordable housing, food pantries, fire departments, and health clinics to provide information and guidance.	https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/newTAF	Rolling	N/A	https://www.cleanegroup.org/initiatives/technical-assistance-fund/	[email protected]
2	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 12:43 PM	Environmental Protection Network's (EPN) Technical Assistance	General Technical Assistance Support	Environmental Protection Network (EPN)	Nationwide	Communities, NGOs, and state, local, and tribal agencies disproportionately impacted by environmental and health issues.	EPN is a national nonprofit organization made up of over 600 former U.S. EPA staff focused on building the capacity of environmental and the communities they serve to address the most urgent health and environmental crises. EPN has Community Outreach Associates across the country to provide technical assistance to community-identified projects.	EPN’s network of volunteers helps organizations navigate various aspects of EPA, including potential grants, regulatory processes, federal policies, and publicly available data to support their work. EPN’s pro bono Capacity-Building Technical Assistance Program provides assistance to communities, NGOs, and state, local, and tribal agencies disproportionately impacted by environmental and health issues. EPN also offers bi-weekly updates on federal funding opportunities here: https://www.environmentalprotectionnetwork.org/category/federal-funding-opportunities-and-resources/	https://www.environmentalprotectionnetwork.org/our-work/capacity-building/apply-here/	Rolling	N/A	https://www.environmentalprotectionnetwork.org/our-work/technical-assistance/	Map of EPA regions and respective Community Outreach Associates: https://www.environmentalprotectionnetwork.org/community-outreach-associates/
3	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP)	Solar, Community Solar	US Department of Energy (DOE), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)	Nationwide	NCSP Partners. State agencies and other community solar stakeholders that agree to participate actively in the NCSP can apply to be NCSP partners. To become a NCSP Partner, visit the NCSP website and set up a Mobilize Account: https://ncsp.solarinyourcommunity.org/registrations/groups/39758	NCSP is a coalition of community solar stakeholders working to expand access to affordable community solar to every American household and enable communities to realize other benefits, such as increased resilience and workforce development. A CBO might want to join NCSP if it is interested in: networking with others working on community solar in your area; receiving TA to overcome challenges with developing community solar; find out about community solar events, webinars, resources, and more; and sharing experiences and expertise with others.	Assistance is available in five areas: research; project financing analysis; outreach; program design; and technical issues. Sample formats for the assistance include: consultation on programs; technical review of proposed projects; analysis of program benefits, costs, and impacts; market studies; toolkits; and case studies	NCSP Partners can apply using a form on the NCSP website. Non-partners must first join the NCSP.	Rolling	N/A	https://www.energy.gov/communitysolar/about-national-community-solar-partnership	[email protected]
4	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs)	General Technical Assistance Support	US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Department of Energy (DOE), 16 Technical Assistance Centers	Nationwide	Communities and stakeholders with environmental justice concerns	There are 16 regional Technical Assistance Centers as part of the TCTAC program that provide direct support and TA to communities and stakeholders in specific regional and/or geographic areas (map of the 16 EJ TCTACs). The EJ TCTACs are meant to provide readily accessible technical assistance to help communities meet their EJ goals and to help build their capacity to access federal resources and other opportunities.	Examples of technical assistance include: Grant proposal writing and preparation assistance Managing federal grants (e.g., accounting, policies, controls) Identifying funding sources to apply for Providing guidance on community engagement, meeting facilitation, and translating and interpretating for limited English-speaking participants Creating and managing communication channels to ensure all communities have direct access to resources and information	To submit a request for technical assistance, identify the EJ TCTAC for your region from the table in this link and navigate to their individual website: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers#Map%20of%20the%20EJ%20TCTACs	Rolling	Until October 2028	https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers	https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers#Submitting%20a%20Request%20for%20Technical%20Assistance
5	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	Community Change Technical Assistance (CCTA)	Support for accessing Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	Nationwide	A partnership between two community-based non-profit organizations (CBOs) OR a partnership between a CBO and one of the following: a Federally-Recognized Tribe; a local government; an institution of higher education.	Community Change Technical Assistance (CCTA) aims to support environmental and climate justice activities that benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to respond to environmental and climate justice challenges.	Examples of technical assistance include: Grant application support Project planning and development Outreach and engagement General capacity building Post-award TA through CCTA offers support with grants management reporting.	https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/forms/community-change-grants-technical-assistance-request-form	Rolling	5/31/2024	https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/community-change-grants-technical-assistance	[email protected]
6	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	SamanthaD	March 19, 2024 11:38 AM	Community Change Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance (CCER TA)	Support for accessing Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	Nationwide	A partnership between two community-based non-profit organizations (CBOs) OR a partnership between a CBO and one of the following: a Federally-Recognized Tribe; a local government; an institution of higher education.	The Community Change Grant Equitable Resilience technical assistance will be for climate resilience projects that could include a focus on new or expanded green infrastructure, open spaces, and/or retrofits of existing community buildings to address climate change impacts such as extreme heat and more intense heat islands, wildfire and smoke, floods, storms, or other climate impacts that pose a greater risk to disadvantaged communities.	Technical assistance includes providing free design and project development assistance, community engagement, and partnership development workshops that support climate resilience and environmental justice activities in disaster-prone areas.	https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/09501b3dad374a81a5ee857fc31648ce	Rolling	N/A	https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/community-change-equitable-resilience-technical-assistance	[email protected]
7	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	EmPower Massachusetts	Support for clean energy benefitting low- and moderate-income residents	Massachusetts Clean Energy Center	Massachusetts	CBOs, nonprofits, and individuals; federally recognized and state-acknowledged Tribes; municipalities (including those with municipal electric departments); clean energy installers/implementers; financial institutions* (*All applicants that do not have a history of working with Priority Groups must apply with at least one partner that does.)	Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is a state economic development agency dedicated to accelerating the growth of the of the clean energy sector across the Commonwealth. EmPower Massachusetts offers multiple stages of investment in communities and community-based organizations so that they can explore, develop, and implement program models or projects that provide access to the benefits of clean energy for previously underserved populations. EmPower offers funding to meet the following goals: Innovation & Capacity-Building Grants ($5,000 to $50,000 grants) Implementation Grants ($50,000 to $300,000 grants)	The Innovation & Capacity-Building Grants provide support for purposes such as staff time devoted to program concept development or refinement; technical studies needed to move projects forward; costs for a grant writer, accountant, lawyer, or other professional services; or community engagement expenses. The Implementation Grants provide funding to implement community-based programs or projects that provide the benefits of clean energy to and/or reduce energy burden on previously underserved population priority groups.	https://www.masscec.com/program/empower-massachusetts#apply	Rolling	4/3/2024	https://www.masscec.com/program/empower-massachusetts	[email protected]
8	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	Affordable Solar and Storage Predevelopment and Technical Assistance	Solar, Storage	New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), NY-Sun	New York	New York organizations only. Multifamily affordable housing providers, community organizations or agencies, and technical service providers (such as in energy, legal, or finance) working in partnership with any of these entities.	New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), NY-Sun. NYSERDA is the state agency in New York that works to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and emissions reduction across the state’s economy and energy system. NY-Sun is a public-private partnership in New York state that drives growth in the solar industry and makes solar energy more affordable for all New Yorkers. The Affordable Solar and Storage Predevelopment and Technical Assistance program provides up to $200,000 per project to address barriers to solar and energy storage installations benefitting low-to-moderate income (LMI) households not served by traditional onsite residential solar and providers of regulated affordable housing to LMI households	This program funds project activities in areas including, but not limited to: Early-stage project planning, project team organization, and site identification Procurement and contracting Customer outreach and enrollment Development of project models that allocate benefits to an environmental justice (EJ) community This funding does not apply to system design, engineering, hardware, installation, or other costs related to the construction of a solar project.	https://nyserda.seamlessdocs.com/f/NYSun_AffordableSolar	Rolling	N/A	https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/NY-Sun/Communities-and-Local-Governments/Predevelopment-and-Technical-Assistance	[email protected]
9	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	YF2AyeHx	March 15, 2024 11:46 AM	Solar plus Storage for Resilient Communities	Solar, Storage	Washington State Department of Commerce	Washington	Local government, state government, Tribal government or affiliate, retail electric utility, or nonprofit organization.	Washington State Department of Commerce, which administers more than 100 programs in Washington state related to community and economic develop, including clean energy and solar programs. The Solar plus Storage for Resilient Communities program funds solar and battery back-up power so community buildings can provide essential services when the power goes out. The Washington State Department of Commerce offers two technical assistance opportunities at no cost to a limited number of communities through the Solar plus Storage for Resilient Communities program. This assistance will position communities to apply for future funding through Commerce’s Solar plus Storage for Resilient Communities grant program. Commerce will prioritize requests from rural, tribal, and other communities most vulnerable to the impacts from power outages and emergencies.	Planning Assistance: This energy resilience planning assistance opportunity will explore the best energy resilience systems based on specific community needs to help them navigate and prepare for future funding opportunities. An energy resilience specialist from Commerce’s Energy Resilience and Mitigation Team will provide this assistance. Feasibility Studies: Feasibility studies will help the community size their solar plus storage system, identify permitting, zoning, and interconnection considerations, and identify costs and financial benefits. Commerce has selected two vendors, Cascadia Renewables and Sazan Group, who will provide these feasibility studies at no cost to communities.	https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/5cfd24d2a7a94191b404ffde7c8e101c	Rolling	N/A	https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/solar-plus-storage/	[email protected]
10	SamanthaD	March 19, 2024 11:30 AM	SamanthaD	March 19, 2024 11:38 AM	Clean Energy to Communities: Expert Match	General Technical Assistance Support	National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL); U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)	Nationwide	Academic institutions, Community-based organizations, Electric utilities, Local jurisdictions, Tribes	Expert Match is for community stakeholders who have decision-making power or influence in their community but need access to additional clean energy expertise to inform key upcoming decisions. Expert Match is most suitable for communities that could benefit from assistance to inform time-sensitive decisions and identify and understand the range of options for achieving clean energy goals. The Expert Match technical assistance timeframe is 40–60 hours over 3–4 months.	Free, short-term technical assistance to address near-term clean energy challenges and questions	https://forms.office.com/g/8yAitnuTzB	Rolling	N/A	https://www.nrel.gov/state-local-tribal/c2c-expert-match.html	[email protected]

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