Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize

After an exciting two-day summit, prize administrators announced that all 10 competing teams were awarded $25,000 each for successfully accomplishing the goals of the final phase of the prize! 

The winning teams are as follows: 

• Weku, Inc. (Positive Energy Coalition), Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Change is in the Air: Gresham Coalition, Multnomah County, Oregon
• HBCU Community Development Action Coalition, Denmark, South Carolina; Orangeburg, South Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana
• ReBuildATL Coalition, Atlanta, Georgia
• Missoula’s Clean Energy Workforce Coalition, Missoula, Montana
• ROC Community Clean Energy Coalition, Atlanta, Georgia
• Dream Entrepreneurs Network, Fresno, California; Denver, Colorado; Detroit, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; Savannah, Georgia; San Bernardino, CA
• Team Philly, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
• New Orleans Clean Energy Collective, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Asociación de Residentes de La Margarita, Inc., Salinas, Puerto Rico

In addition, the following three teams were named top performers and earned additional awards. 

• Asociación de Residentes de La Margarita, Inc, awarded an additional $50,000 
• Missoula’s Clean Energy Workforce Coalition, awarded an additional $25,000 
• Team Philly, awarded an additional $10,000 

The prize’s goal was to incentivize the creation of these community coalitions, and to develop strategies such as student education, workforce training, capacity building, and implementation of new technologies that address a local clean energy opportunity or inequity. We look forward to seeing the continued success of these teams as they build on their wins and continue to impact their communities!

If you’re planning to join the CCEC Prize Summit Dec. 6–7 in Atlanta, Georgia, make sure you’re registered and ready to go! 

Though only one member from each winning team will be presenting their team’s final pitch, all team members are welcome and encouraged to attend—as are other stakeholders interested in this valuable networking and knowledge-sharing opportunity. 

Over the course of the two-day event, participants will hear from speakers from a variety of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) offices—all sharing the ways DOE is committed to advancing an inclusive, equitable clean energy future. Participants will also learn more about the myriad funding opportunities available from DOE for equitable clean energy projects.

Event Details 

Dec. 6: Stakeholders—including community organizers, government leaders, advocates, philanthropists, innovators, investors, students, and other changemakers—will participate in moderated roundtables and workshops to promote dialogue and knowledge-sharing on strategies to equitably advance clean energy. 

Dec. 7: CCEC winners will present on their final progress and compete for additional cash prizes! The winners will be announced that afternoon.   

See the event registration page to register and get complete details. 

The Summit is free and open to the public; please feel free to pass along this invitation to colleagues or partners that may be interested. 

We hope to see you there! 

Join us at the Community Clean Energy Coalition (CCEC) Prize Summit, taking place December 6-7, 2023, at the Atlanta University Center. This event will showcase the 10 winning coalition teams awarded by the Department of Energy for their work in addressing a local clean energy opportunity or inequity.

• Day one of the event will include federal funding and stakeholder workshops for prospective applicants to other American-Made prizes and DOE programs. We encourage those with expertise and experience in financing, stakeholder engagement, or government programs to attend.
• Day two will showcase the progress of the CCEC coalitions as they compete for additional cash prizes.
• The event is free, open to the public, and will offer ample opportunities to network with the teams and other attendees. Register now: https://bit.ly/ccec-summit

We hope to see you there!

Hello CCEC Teams,

Remember that registration is now open for the ten winning teams from Phase Two to participate in the Summit this December in Atlanta. Please coordinate with your Team Captain to access that link and make your travel plans!

Additionally, your Power Connector the Clean Energy Business Network (CEBN) has compiled JEDI-specific opportunities that you may be interested in. Take a look!

• MAKE IT Prize Strategies Track - The MAKE IT Prize Strategies Track supports communities creating a roadmap for promoting clean energy manufacturing activity in their regions. Apply by Oct 18.
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF): Solar for All - Through this competition, Solar for All will award up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and nonprofits to expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment—enabling millions of low-income households to access affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy. Notices of Intent are due Aug 18. The GGRF also has two other funding opportunities: The National Clean Investment Fund and the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator.
• Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhood Grant Program - Funds community-led projects that mitigate physical barriers to mobility and access. The Neighborhood Access and Equity Program similarly funds projects that remove physical barriers as well as projects to improve walkability, safety, and affordable transportation access, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Apply by Sep 27.
• Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program - Under PACE, USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) will forgive up to 60% of loans for renewable energy projects that use wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, or biomass, as well as renewable energy storage projects. At least 50% of the population served by your proposed renewable energy project must live in communities with populations of 20,000 or fewer. Letters of interest are due Sept 29.
• Green Power Ventures - Seeks to accelerate climate resilience in communities significantly affected by climate change by providing de-risked long-term cash flows, reduce greenhouse gases and facility management costs, and grow jobs and economic development in disadvantaged communities.
• Climate Ready Workforce for Coastal and Great Lakes States, Tribes, and Territories Initiative - Sea Grant and the NOAA Climate Program Office seek to establish programs aimed at placing people across the country into good jobs that advance climate resilience. NOAA envisions making between 10-20 awards under this competition, at amounts ranging from $500k-$10M each for 2–4-year projects. Letters of Intent are due Nov 30.

We hope these opportunities are helpful to you. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

CCEC Team

The unique coalition-based format of the Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize is the highlight of a new blog from the American-Made team. 

The blog talks about how the concept of the prize—rewarding coalitions of community stakeholders rather than individuals or teams—came to be, and how this prize is different than others in the American-Made portfolio. Several teams and their work are featured in the blog.

Head to LinkedIn to read the blog and learn more about how this prize could influence future competitions!