Mobilizing Funds
for Investment
in Communities

The Clean Energy Fund of Texas (TxCEF) launched in 2021 with the mission of making clean energy resources affordable for all Texans, providing them a healthier, prosperous, and just future. TxCEF provides competitive financing for clean energy projects, while prioritizing projects serving disadvantaged communities. As a partner organization in the Texas Solar for All Coalition that secured a $156 million Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) award, TxCEF is deploying a portion of the award to finance solar (or solar-plus-storage) assets at over 40 minority serving institutions in southern states.

Housing Partnership Network (HPN) is a collective of over 100 nonprofit organizations that build, plan, own and operate affordable housing properties. HPN facilitates lending, investment, and development, and encourages collaboration on programs, policies, and solutions members wouldn’t be able to execute on their own. In recent years, HPN has focused on helping members integrate clean energy and sustainability measures into their housing portfolios, ensuring affordable housing residents enjoy the health benefits and cost savings that come with decarbonization. With IOF support, HPN is providing technical assistance to network members developing decarbonization projects.

The Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA) is a nonprofit intertribal organization founded in 2014 to support Midwest Tribes navigating energy-related challenges and opportunities that advance Tribal sovereignty. The organization—which now includes 26 member Tribes in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin—provides customized assistance for energy planning efforts, maintains comprehensive planning and development resources, and connects Tribal representatives for shared learnings. IOF’s grant supported MTERA’s work to aid Tribes pursuing federal funding. Since receiving the grant, MTERA was also able to partner with the nonprofit GRID Alternatives in securing a $20 million award from the EPA’s Community Change Grants program, which they will use to build capacity among member Tribes and support home weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades.

New Mexico Climate Investment Center (NMCIC) was established to fill financing gaps for clean energy and sustainability projects throughout the state of New Mexico. A mission-driven, independent, nonprofit organization, NMCIC puts a particular focus on projects that offer direct benefits to low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities, including energy cost savings, job creation and economic development, and health improvements.

RE-volv is a nonprofit organization that offers financing for solar or solar+storage projects to community institutions, including local nonprofits, multifamily affordable housing developments, and houses of worship. Since the organization’s founding in 2011, RE-volv has deployed more than $12 million in solar financing for projects sited at over 70 nonprofits across 18 states. This portfolio has generated over $24 million in energy savings, meaning every dollar RE-volv has invested has netted $2 for their partners. Additionally, RE-volv trains college students to become “Solar Ambassadors” who engage with local nonprofits, providing insight into the benefits of going solar and guidance on how RE-volv’s financing options can make new projects feasible.