Fresh Energy
Shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies.
Fresh Energy at a glance
In short: Fresh Energy gave $879K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $440K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $879,093
- +32.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- +100.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $439,547
- -33.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $439,547
- Total assets
- $9,395,628
- +2.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Michigan (54% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Fresh Energy
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Fresh Energy
Solar for Schools Grant Program
Fresh Energy
Amount
Tiered grants based on school district tax base per student and financial need
Deadline
Deadline not published
SolarRewards for Schools
Fresh Energy
Amount
Performance-based: $0.04/kWh for 10 years; Up-front: $0.10/watt (non-income qualified) or $0.70-$1.10/watt (income-qualified)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Fresh Energy funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition ($474K). Together the top 2 received $879K.
Grant Size Distribution
3 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 2 grants of 3 (67%).
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2024 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $662K (2024) to $879K (2025). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $879K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition Bloomfield Hills, MI | Programmatic Funding Transaction | $474,020 |
| Canary Media Inc Boulder, CO | Programmatic Funding Transaction | $405,073 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9,395,628 | $7,134,049 | $7,006,749 | $879,093 | 2 | $145,962 |
| 2024 | $9,163,811 | $5,758,778 | $8,727,555 | $662,022 | 1 | $162,790 |
| 2023 | $12,082,755 | $8,513,899 | $6,174,749 | — | — | $20,398 |
| 2022 | $9,694,051 | $8,357,521 | $5,534,589 | — | — | $16,439 |
| 2021 | $6,901,163 | $8,258,160 | $4,820,648 | — | — | $25,237 |
| 2020 | $3,081,894 | $2,341,938 | $4,017,419 | — | — | $21,487 |
About Fresh Energy
Based on IRS filings
Fresh Energy is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in St. Paul, MN. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $9.4M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $879K. Net investment income was $146K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Fresh Energy is led by Brenda Cassellius, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 6 of 26 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brenda Cassellius
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$161K (2024) → $238K (2025)
Ellen Palmer
Chair
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allen Gleckner
Executive Lead, Policy & Programs
Lead Director & Clean Electricity → Executive Lead, Policy & Programs, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$105K (2021) → $144K (2025)
Mat Larson Krisetya
Executive Lead & Organizational Health
Senior Director & Operations → Executive Lead & Organizational Health, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$103K (2022) → $123K (2025)
Justin Fay
Senior Lead, Public Affairs & Advocacy
Senior Lead, Public Affairs & Advocacy → Senior Lead & Public Affair, 2024
Senior Lead & Public Affair → Senior Lead, Public Affairs & Advocacy, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$107K (2023) → $126K (2025)
Margaret Cherne-Hendrick
Senior Lead, Innovation & Impact
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$105K (2023) → $129K (2025)
Julia Olmstead
Executive Lead & Philanthropy
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$116K (2024) → $141K (2025)
Chris O'Brien
Board Member
Secretary & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacqueline Johnson
Treasurer
Board Member → Chair, 2023
Chair → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Merritt Clapp-Smith
Board Member
Board Member → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Raj V. Rajan
Board Member
Board Member → Chair, 2021
Chair → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Trent Mostaert
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Pasi
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erika Bailey Johnson
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey S. Broberg
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Ladner
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kate Wolford
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ted Contag
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Strobel
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bryan Herrmann
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christina Yagjian
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jina Penn-Tracy
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Lindsey
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Bishop
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Schuerger
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Blake
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Michael Noble (2020–2024) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Deepinder Singh (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Bird Anderson (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Joseph Dammel (2024) — Managing Director & Buildings
- Former: Sarah Clark (2020–2022) — Deputy Executive Director
- Former: Janet Hamilton (2021–2022) — Senior Director & Science Policy
- Former: Kristel Porter (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Nicholas Garbis (2021–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: Risikat Adesaogun (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Susan Hammel (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Bridget Levin (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Chuck Nadler (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Cody Fleischfresser (2020–2021) — Chair
- Former: Jamal Knight (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Joe Devito (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Rich Lehman (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Angelica Imhoede (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Anita S. Duckor (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Donna Allan (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff Broberg (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Nick Garbis (2020) — Vice Chair
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $238K, to Brenda Cassellius (Executive Director (Until Jan 2025)). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Fresh Energy
How much does Fresh Energy give each year?
Fresh Energy gave $879K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $662K across 1 grant.
How large is Fresh Energy?
Fresh Energy reported $9.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.1M.
What is Fresh Energy?
Fresh Energy is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in St. Paul, MN. It holds $9.4M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Fresh Energy operate?
Fresh Energy has awarded grants in Colorado, Michigan.
What is Fresh Energy's EIN?
Fresh Energy's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1735501. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fresh Energy's focus areas in our free grants database
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Fresh Energy down — hundreds of funders to go?