Project Grant 84094001

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO CLIMATE UNITED (CU). THE RECIPIENT WILL UTILIZE THE FUNDING TO REDUCE EMISSIONS OF GREENHOUSE GASES AND OTHER AIR POLLUTANTS; DELIVER BENEFITS OF GREENHOUSE GAS- AND AIR POLLUTION-REDUCING PROJECTS TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY LOW-INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES; AND MOBILIZE FINANCING AND PRIVATE CAPITAL TO STIMULATE ADDITIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF GREENHOUSE GAS- AND AIR POLLUTION-REDUCING PROJECTS. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL ENDEAVOR TO ACCOMPLISH THIS BY WORKING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ENTITIES TO REDUCE THE BARRIERS AND LIMIT THE INEFFICIENCIES THAT HAVE PREVENTED BROAD ADOPTION AND FINANCING OF CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES. TO ENSURE CLEAN ENERGY ACCELERATION AND MARKET TRANSFORMATION BEYOND THE NATIONAL CLEAN INVESTMENT FUND (NCIF), CLIMATE UNITED WILL INTEGRATE THIS CAPITAL RESOURCE INTO EXISTING LENDING PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES SO THAT ALL LENDERS, (I.E., BEYOND JUST THE COMMUNITY, GREEN AND NONPROFIT SECTORS) LEARN TO ADDRESS DECARBONIZATION IN THEIR ROUTINE LENDING PRACTICES. GREENING EXISTING LENDING WITH NCIF SUPPORT WILL HAVE THE BROADEST TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON THE CAPITAL MARKETS NATIONWIDE. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DEVELOPING A SUSTAINABLE FUND THAT CAN BE REVOLVED WHILE OFFERING PRODUCTS THAT MEET BORROWERS AND MARKETS WHERE THEY ARE. SPECIFICALLY, THEY INTEND TO LEVERAGE EPA FUNDS WITH PRIVATE CAPITAL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE LEVELS OF SUBSIDY TO SPUR THE ADOPTION OF GREEN ALTERNATIVES. AS COSTS COME DOWN AND MARKETS MATURE, THEY PLAN TO SLOWLY DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF SUBSIDY PER TRANSACTION TO ENSURE THEIR PRODUCTS ARE ADDITIVE AND TO MAXIMIZE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FUND. CLIMATE UNITED'S PLAN IS TO BUILD A SUPPORTIVE ECOSYSTEM FOR THE FINANCING OF QUALIFIED PROJECTS (QP) THAT LEVERAGE NATIONAL NETWORKS OF LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERS AND COORDINATION WITH LABOR AND WORKFORCE ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE FINANCED PROJECTS ARE (I) GENERATING HIGH-QUALITY JOBS WITH A DIVERSE, SKILLED WORKFORCE TRAINED IN DBRA COMPLIANCE AND REPORTING WHERE APPLICABLE, (II) DELIVERING HIGH-PERFORMING BUILDINGS FOR OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS OR ACCESS TO CLEAN ENERGY OR TRANSPORTATION FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND (III) ELIMINATING THE BARRIERS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY PREVENTED THE SCALING OF CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES ACROSS SEGMENTS. THEIR CAPITAL DEMAND SIDE MARKET-BUILDING PLAN FOCUSES ON BROAD AWARENESS BUILDING, TARGETED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, AND STRAIGHTFORWARD CONVERSION TO ADDRESS HISTORIC BARRIERS. THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR STRATEGY WILL BE POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH NATIONAL NETWORKS OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL ENGAGE, EDUCATE, AND EQUIP LOCAL PARTNERS WITH THE TOOLS TO FACILITATE QP DEVELOPMENT. CLIMATE UNITED WILL DEVELOP OR PARTNER TO DELIVER ONGOING TRAINING TO LENDERS, CONTRACTORS, OWNERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, BUILDING OPERATORS, AND OTHER PRIORITY SEGMENTS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH ESTABLISHED, ON THE GROUND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THEY WILL WORK WITH CCIA PARTNERS CREATING TRAINING PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THEIR PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES TO BUILD THE CONTINUATION OF SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY LENDERS AND BUILD TRAINING FOR COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AROUND HOW TO ACCESS CLIMATE UNITED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THEIR CAPITAL SUPPLY SIDE MARKET-BUILDING PLAN FOCUSES ON ASSET AND DATA STANDARDIZATION, FINANCIAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS, AND MARKET EDUCATION. THROUGH A COOPERATIVE DESIGN PROCESS WITH TRANSACTION PARTNERS, THEY WILL CREATE AND REFINE THEIR STANDARDIZED PRODUCTS SO THEY CAN MORE QUICKLY SCALE AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIABLE SECONDARY MARKETS.SUBRECIPIENT:A PORTION WILL BE DEPLOYED TO BALANCE SHEETS INVESTING IN AND WITH TRANSACTION PARTNERS TO FACILITATE STANDARDIZED AND TAILORED LOANS INTO QPS THAT MAY STAY ON THE BALANCE SHEETS OF THE COMMUNIT