Project Grant 00E03623

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO COMMUNITY POWER. THE RECIPIENT AIMS TO ADDRESS A CENTRAL BOTTLENECK IN ACCESS FOR TO THE COST-SAVINGS, HEALTH, AND SAFETY BENEFITS OF EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS THAT LACK OF CULTURALLY RELEVANT, COMMUNITY-ROOTED OUTREACH AND SUPPORT TO NAVIGATE THE HIGHLY COMPLEX NETWORK OF MINNESOTA EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. DURING THE FIRST YEAR, THE RECIPIENT WILL FOCUS ON PLANNING FOR AND DESIGNING THE COMMUNITY-FOCUSED ENERGY PROGRAM NAVIGATION: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY OFFER NAVIGATION SERVICES; RECRUITING ORGANIZATIONS/INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD SERVE AS COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS AND CONDUCTING INTENSIVE TRAINING ABOUT EXISTING ENERGY PROGRAMS. THE GRANTEE'S COHORT WILL DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND APPROPRIATE ROLE FOR THEMSELVES IN OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY PROGRAM NAVIGATION. IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS, THE GRANTEE WILL START INTRODUCING NAVIGATION SERVICES TO COMMUNITIES TO START TAKING ON CLIENTS. THE GOAL IS TO HAVE AN ENERGY NAVIGATION PROGRAM BECOME A PERMANENT PROGRAM. THIS WORK BUILDS ON THREE YEARS OF CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH ~15 LOCAL CBOS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO SERVE OR COME FROM TWIN CITIES RENTER, LOW/MODERATE INCOME, AND BIPOC COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE IDENTIFYING ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO SHOULD BE A PART OF THE PIOLET PROGRAM. COHORT MEMBERS WILL BE ASSISTING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ENERGY NAVIGATION WORK. THE GRANTEE WILL INTRODUCE THE NAVIGATION PROGRAM TO COMMUNITIES AND START RECRUITING CLIENTS FOR A YEAR. NEAR THE END OF THE GRANT, WITH THE HELP OF HOST SITES, AND PARTNERS, THE GRANTEE WILL EXPLORE WHAT CHALLENGES THERE WERE AND DETERMINE IF THE NAVIGATOR PROGRAM IS A VIABLE LONG-TERM OPTION. SUBRECIPIENT:CENTER FOR EARTH, ENERGY, AND DEMOCRACY (CEED - STAFFED BY NATALYA AREVALO) CEED WILL PLAY A LEAD ROLE COORDINATING WITH COHORT MEMBERS AND OTHER PARTNER AGENCIES IN ENSURING THE NAVIGATION PROGRAM DESIGN REFLECTS COMMUNITY NEEDS. THEY WILL FACILITATE COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS AND HELP IN THE RECRUITMENT OF NAVIGATION PROGRAM HOST SITES AND NAVIGATORS. THEY WILL ALSO WORK WITH THE UMN IN DESIGNING AN EVALUATION MATRIX FOR MEASURING PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS. THIS LOCAL PROGRAM NAVIGATION WORK COMPLIMENTS CEED'S WORK TO PROVIDE POPULAR EDUCATION ABOUT ENERGY SYSTEM DESIGN AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY MEASURES. CEED HAS A NATIONAL PRESENCE AND OFFERS WORKSHOPS ON A VARIETY OF ENERGY TOPICS RELEVANT TO THIS WORK INCLUDING RESILIENT ENERGY SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, ENERGY DEMOCRACY AND CARBON EMISSIONS. CEED IS COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY FOCUSED WORK ON A LOCAL AND NATIONAL SCALE. THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW CEED TO SHARE WORK OF THIS PROJECT WITH A BROADER REGIONAL AND NATIONAL AUDIENCE. THE CITIZENS UTILITY BOARD OF MINNESOTA (CUB - STAFFED BY HANNAH HOEGER AND CARMEN CARRUTHERS) CUB, CEED, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA WILL SHARE LEARNINGS AND INSIGHTS REGARDING THE DESIGN OF THE NAVIGATION PILOT PROGRAM. CUB IS WELL VERSED IN THE VARIOUS ENERGY PROGRAMS SERVING MINNESOTA CONSUMERS AND WILL PLAY A LEAD ROLE IN TRAINING ENERGY NAVIGATORS ABOUT EXISTING ENERGY PROGRAMS. WITH INPUT FROM OTHERS, CUB CAN ASSIST IN PUTTING TOGETHER COMMUNICATION MATERIALS FOR TRAINING AND MATERIALS TO PROMOTE THE NAVIGATION PROGRAM. CUB INTERACTS REGULARLY WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, UTILITY COMPANIES, AND ENERGY PROGRAM PROVIDERS. CUB WILL TAKE A LEAD IN COORDINATING PROJECT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT DURATION. IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH THESE GROUPS TO ENSURE GOOD PROJECT DESIGN, ACCEPTANCE AND LONG TERM COMMITMENT. THESE RELATIONSHIPS WILL ALSO BE VALUABLE IN EVALUATING AND RECRUITING POTENTIAL NAVIGATION HOST SITES AND NAVIGATORS. CUB WILL PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAM EVALUATION WITH OTHER PROGRAM PARTNERS. PARTNERSHIPS