Southface Institute, a Georgia-based sustainability nonprofit, has been awarded $5.87 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to support its High Impact Energy Efficiency Improvement (HIEEI) Portfolio. The program will provide financial and technical assistance to nonprofits throughout the Southeast to make their facilities more energy efficient. The grant was funded from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Renewing America’s Nonprofits grant program.  

The DOE is using a nonprofits-helping-nonprofits model to reach more organizations and fund more projects. Southface’s HIEEI Portfolio will focus on nonprofits in Justice40 areas in alignment with the federal Justice40 Initiative, which works to deliver at least 40 percent of overall benefits from certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities. 

Video of Related Southface Projects: https://app.mediafire.com/u9rapg67knqli (Fernbank Museum, Georgia Aquarium, Marcus Jewish Community Center, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta History Center)

Nationwide, the Renew America’s Nonprofits grants will provide $45 million in awards to Southface and eight other “Prime Selectees” who will then collaborate with nearly 40 partners to deliver energy improvements in 300 facilities in the U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

James Marlow, President of Southface says, “This DOE award will allow us to fund a number of new projects with select regional nonprofits. These projects are projected to save 62,724 metric tons of CO2e emissions from the atmosphere and more than $11 million in utility costs -- savings that nonprofits can invest back into their core services to the community.”

The EPA names energy costs as the second highest expense for nonprofits after salaries. Southface plans to recruit essential service organizations, cultural centers, K-12 schools, and senior centers for the HIEEI Portfolio. The organization will also create partnerships with minority, woman-owned and veteran-owned businesses.