Going Local

Every day is Earth Day for EBCE. Or at least it feels that way, as the EBCE outreach team has been making the rounds for nearly every Earth Day event in the East Bay, plus the Oakland marathon, beach cleanups, and other events. EBCE has even sponsored three Little League teams.

In April and early May EBCE staff set up the tent at 17 events in Alameda County, from the Piedmont Arbor Day festival to the Energy Resource Fair in Dublin.

“We’re getting a really positive response,” says Annie Henderson, VP of Marketing and Account Services at EBCE. “People are excited to see how EBCE is engaging with and supporting our local communities.” EBCE is also getting the word out by sponsoring several little leagues, the Oakland Midnight Basketball League, the Albany Community Triathlon, UC Berkeley’s Human Powered Vehicle Team, the Piedmont Makers fair, and more.

EBCE is also engaging the community through the first round of Community Innovation Grants.

The funding will support projects by local community-based non-profit organizations that deliver social, environmental, and financial benefits to residents of Alameda County.

The grant program, with a budget of $160,000, is one of the early action items in EBCE’s Local Development Business Plan, which is a comprehensive framework to deliver benefits within Alameda County.

Applicants can request up to $40,000 for an energy-related project. Specifically, EBCE is looking for proposals that will deliver local benefits to targeted communities in areas such as job creation, workforce development, economic empowerment, and climate and social resilience, as well as projects that advance innovation and collaboration.

Programs such as community-shared solar, energy conservation retrofits, workforce development efforts engaging disadvantaged and/or displaced workers, and energy-related projects directly impacting disadvantaged communities in Alameda County can directly benefit from EBCE’s grant.

“Investing in our local communities while supporting innovative, energy-related projects that benefit our County is a priority for our organization,” said Nick Chaset, CEO of EBCE.

Online applications were due on Friday, May 10, and grants will be awarded in June. More information on the Community Innovation Grant program can be found at ebce.org/community-innovation-grants.