Community Grant Program

San Diego Community Power (SDCP) launched its first community grant program in March 2023, called Community Clean Energy Innovation Grants. By providing grants to community-based organizations and nonprofits, SDCP is helping to support local clean energy projects and programs that provide economic, environmental, health and community benefits.

Timeline

The Fiscal Year 2022-23 program application is currently closed. Stay tuned for future details about the Fiscal Year 2023-24 program.  

 

Grant Overview and Eligibility

The inaugural Fiscal Year 2022-23 program was launched on March 27, 2023 and remained open until April 21, 2023. Organizations could apply for grants up to $45,000 per project for work to be completed within one year.

 

The Fiscal Year 2022-23 program applications were required to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Applicants must be led by a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status

• Applicants must have proven experience serving community members through projects or programs

• Proposed project must serve SDCP customers*

• Proposed project must advance one or more of the following focus areas

• Increased overall energy literacy of SDCP customers

• Energy behaviors and/or education that reduce energy consumption and/or costs

• Improvements in indoor and/or outdoor air quality related to greenhouse gas emissions

• Workforce development opportunities that support careers in the clean energy industry

• Energy resilience to ensure communities can avoid, prepare for, minimize, adapt to and recover from energy disruptions

• Increased access to the benefits of clean energy technologies with a focus on Communities of Concern

 

Grant Recipients

For the Fiscal Year 2022-23 program, SDCP, in partnership with San Diego Foundation, awarded the following grants: 

Casa Familiar – $44,998.35 to support Casa Verde, a workforce development program that provides extensive training on environmental justice principles, community organizing and climate change impacts in the South County border region. 

Climate Action Campaign – $30,500 to organize workshops for San Diego residents and contractors on how to access available incentives from state and federal programs.  

Community Housing Works – $34,500 to promote energy awareness and reduce costs by installing smart light switches in affordable housing properties through a partnership with Flick 

Environmental Health Coalition – $40,500 to support its Holistic Healthy & Climate Resilient Homes program that promotes home energy improvements and indoor air quality. 

GRID Alternatives – $45,000 to support the installation of solar panels and storage in Communities of Concern. Each installation site serves as an opportunity for hands-on learning for San Diego’s next generation of clean energy workforce. 

Hammond Climate Solutions Foundation – $25,000 to increase community energy resilience in Barrio Logan through solar and storage installation. 

La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation – $34,500 to support an electric tool lending library and green community events in the City of La Mesa. 

MAAC Project – $45,000 to support MAAC’s Electric Vehicle Access Program to reduce carbon emissions and increase electric vehicle adoption in Communities of Concern. 

San Diego Green Building Council – $45,000 to expand its Electric Home Cooktop Program that allows San Diego residents to borrow energy-efficient induction cooktop kits at no charge. 

United Women of East Africa – $45,000 to promote sustainable energy behaviors and reduce energy consumption and costs in San Diego’s East African communities.

 

*SDCP’s service territory includes the cities of Chula Vista, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, National City, San Diego and the unincorporated communities of San Diego County.