East Bay Community Energy Launches $160K Community Innovation Grant Program to Award Up to $40,000 for Energy-Related Projects

The Community Innovation Grant is East Bay Community Energy’s first grant program, funding projects that benefit local, Alameda County communities while inspiring innovation

Oakland, CA (April 18, 2019) – East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) is Alameda County’s local community choice energy program and currently provides electricity services to 1.5 million customers across the county. EBCE is launching a new grant initiative and invites community-based non-profit organizations to apply for its Community Innovation Grant. The grant program 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.

Proposed projects must align with EBCE’s mission to deliver social, environmental, and financial benefits to residents of 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. In addition, these programs will bring direct benefits to program participants.

“We are excited to launch EBCE’s very first Community Innovation Grant outlined in EBCE’s Local Development Business Plan. 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.

An online application is available Thursday, April 18, 2019. Applications are due on Friday, May 10, 2019. EBCE staff will host a webinar on April 25, 2019. To attend our webinar, please RSVP here. More information on the Community Innovation Grant program can be found at ebce.org/community-innovation-grants.

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About EBCE

EBCE is the local electricity provider created by the votes of 11 City Councils and the County of Alameda Board of Supervisors to provide low cost, cleaner power to our community. Launching to residential customers in November 2018, EBCE joined 19 other Community Choice Energy programs operating across California.

Contact

JP Ross
jross@ebce.org