Community Fund

Community Fund

Status: Active grant program (launched September 2020)

Geographic Scope: United States only

Focus Areas:

Rooftop solar installations for nonprofits

Environmental justice in pollution-impacted U.S. communities

Reducing operational costs for BIPOC-led organizations

Addressing health disparities from environmental pollution

Eligibility Requirements:

Must be Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC)-led nonprofits

Located in most polluted regions of the United States

Mission-agnostic: Eligible nonprofits include those providing:

- Arts and education services
- Food security/food banks
- Shelters
- Community services
- Health and wellness services
- Any organization meeting essential community needs

501(c)(3) nonprofit status

Focus on Environmental Justice:

African Americans 79% more likely to live near industrial pollution

Over 1 million African Americans live near natural gas facilities

BIPOC-led nonprofits receive 76% fewer unrestricted gifts than white-led counterparts

Only 10% of domestic philanthropic funding goes to BIPOC communities

Addresses health disparities (asthma, lung disease, heart disease) linked to air pollution in BIPOC neighborhoods

Project Benefits:

Reduced energy/utility bills for nonprofits

Freed-up funds to support core organizational missions

Environmental benefits through renewable energy

Community resilience and energy security

Examples of Funded Organizations:

Bridging Communities (Detroit, MI): 19kW solar install, $4,000/year savings, serves elders and families

United Parents Against Lead (Petersburg, VA): 19.5kW installation, $5,000/year savings, Solar Resiliency Hub for flood-prone community

Congress of Communities (Detroit, MI): Community gathering space for Southwest Detroit

Utah Clean Energy: Solar energy access for low-income families

Giv Communities (Salt Lake City, UT): 100-bed supportive housing for homeless

HopeLink of Southern Nevada (Las Vegas, NV): Fighting homelessness and supporting families

Partnership:
Launched in partnership with Sunrun (nation's leading residential solar installer). Sunrun provides solar installation expertise and hardware.

Impact (as of 2021-2022):

Nearly 60 kilowatts of solar capacity installed

Projects in Memphis, Detroit, Houston, and Petersburg (Virginia)

Founder Statement:
Alex Honnold stated: "The reality is that in the United States, to focus on environmental issues like air quality and particulate pollution, is to focus on BIPOC communities."