Meet our partners

DC Department of Energy and Environment

DOEE's mission is to improve the quality of life for the residents and natural inhabitants of the nation’s capital by protecting and restoring the environment, conserving our natural resources, mitigating pollution, increasing access to clean and renewable energy, and educating the public on ways to secure a sustainable future. The agency’s core responsibilities include, but are not limited to, enforcing environmental regulations; monitoring and assessing environmental risks; developing energy and environmental policies; issuing permits; and providing residents and local businesses with funding, technical assistance, and information on initiatives designed to ensure a more resilient and sustainable city.
City of LaGrange

The City of LaGrange is committed to satisfying its customers and citizens by providing responsive and effective services, and well-maintained public infrastructure, which will add value to the community. The city partnered with Groundswell to implement the SOUL pilot program.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NREL advances the science and engineering of energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, and renewable power technologies and provides the knowledge to integrate and optimize energy systems. Groundswell leads one of eight collaborative teams supported by NREL’s Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN). SEIN supports teams across the United States that are pursuing novel applications of solar and other distributed energy resources by providing critical technical expertise and facilitated stakeholder engagement. This support gives the teams the wide range of tools necessary to realize their innovations in real-world contexts.

Teams are composed of diverse stakeholders to ensure all perspectives are heard, key barriers are identified, and the resulting solutions are robust and ready for replication in other contexts. The Innovation Network is a collaborative research effort led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office.
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

NYSERDA offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and support to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. A public benefit corporation, NYSERDA has been advancing energy solutions and working to protect the environment since 1975.
Maryland Energy Administration

The Maryland Energy Administration’s mission is to promote affordable, reliable and cleaner energy that benefits all Marylanders. Our programs and policies help lower energy bills, support business energy upgrades, support a cleaner environment and promote energy independence for Maryland.
Office of Sustainability, City of Baltimore

Groundswell is proud to partner with the Baltimore Office of Sustainability whose sustainability agenda focuses on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and social equity. The Baltimore Office of Sustainability actively works to address the challenges of population growth, climate change, and aging infrastructures to advance Baltimore as a dynamic city.
US Department of Energy

The mission of the Energy Department is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. Groundswell is currently supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Solar Energy Technologies Office Award Number DE-EE0008567 (LIFT).
Community Power Accelerator

The Community Power AcceleratorTM connects developers, investors, philanthropists, and community-based organizations to create an ecosystem of partners that work together to get more equity-focused community solar projects financed and deployed. Part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP), the accelerator will create a pipeline of credit-ready community solar projects—particularly those that provide benefits to underserved communities—and connect them with mission-aligned investors and philanthropic organizations to get these projects funded.
Buildings Upgrade Prize

The Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP) provides more than $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance to support the transformation of existing U.S. buildings into more energy-efficient and clean energy-ready homes, commercial spaces, and communities. Buildings UP is an American-Made Challenge funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate, smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management, and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 66 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,300 retail financial centers, including approximately 2,700 lending centers, 2,600 financial centers with a Consumer Investment Financial Solutions Advisor and approximately 2,400 business centers; approximately 17,000 ATMs; and award-winning digital banking with approximately 39 million active users, including approximately 31 million mobile users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Abell Foundation

The Abell Foundation is committed to improving health, economic, and educational outcomes in Baltimore City so that all people can thrive.
Bellwether Foundation

The Bellwether Foundation is a charitable foundation located in St. Louis, Missouri. The mission of The Bellwether Foundation is to improve the quality of life for all people in St. Louis by supporting innovative programs that make a positive impact for present and future generations.
Builders Initiative

Builders Initiative invests in and collaborates with non-profits, businesses, and others working towards sustainable solutions to societal and environmental challenges.
Callaway Foundation

The Callaway Foundation’s mission is to resource and catalyze efforts that make Troup County a great place to live for all of its residents.
EarthShare

EarthShare’s mission is to accelerate the pace of positive environmental change by unleashing the collaborative power of motivated businesses and passionate people in support of our vital network of member organizations.
HASI Foundation

The HASI Foundation's mission is to accelerate a just transition toward an equitable, inclusive, and climate positive future. Funded by leading climate investment firm HASI through an annual social dividend, the Foundation’s philanthropic priorities include providing climate solutions for disadvantaged communities; supporting climate solutions career pathways for historically disadvantaged communities and those impacted by climate change and the energy transition; and promoting economic and climate resilience in our local community.
Georgia Power Foundation

Georgia Power focuses on supporting causes contributing to the well-being of the communities we serve. Our Company Representatives determine which local organizations to invest in by directing funding where it has the most impact.
Josephine and Louise Crane Foundation

Josephine and Louise Crane Foundation is an independent non-profit private foundation based in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Established in 2008, the foundation's primary field of interest includes arts, health organizations, human services, United Ways, and federated giving programs. The foundation was formed as a result of the merger of the Josephine B. Crane Foundation and Louise Crane Foundation.
JPB Foundation

JPB’s mission is to advance opportunity in the United States through transformational initiatives that empower those living in poverty, enrich and sustain our environment, and enable pioneering medical research.
Kresge Foundation

The Kresge Foundation works to expand opportunities in America’s cities through grantmaking and social investing.
The MacArthur Foundation

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. MacArthur is placing a few big bets that truly significant progress is possible on some of the Add Bank of America Foundation?world’s most pressing social challenges, including advancing global climate solutions, decreasing nuclear risk, promoting local justice reform in the U.S., and reducing corruption in Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria. In addition to the MacArthur Fellows Program and the global 100&Change competition, the Foundation continues its historic commitments to the role of journalism in a responsive democracy as well as the vitality of our headquarters city, Chicago.
Movement Strategy Center

Since 2001, the Movement Strategy Center has challenged systemic racism by providing space for reflection, experimentation, incubation, and fiscal sponsor services to BIPOC, women, and LGBTQIA+ Transformative Movement leaders tackling social justice causes that center on the interconnected issues of racial, gender, and environmental inequity. They insist on a radical shift in philanthropy that transforms giving practices in support of a culture of equity and diversity.
Rural Climate Partnership

Heartland Fund’s Rural Climate Partnership aims to leverage climate investments in small towns and rural communities, to spur sustainable job development that will allow communities to protect what they love about the places where they live, and build communities strong enough for young people to want to make homes there. Through grantmaking, technical assistance, policy advocacy, communications, and organizing, the Rural Climate Partnership will address climate change through a place-based, sustainable job, and economic development strategy.
Salesforce

Salesforce empowers companies of every size and industry to connect with their customers through the power of data + AI + CRM + trust. The company's climate philanthropy focuses on preventing and responding to the disproportionate impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities, including investing in programs to scale the adoption of renewables in disproportionately climate-impacted communities. For more information, visit: www.salesforce.com/philanthropy.
SolSystems

Sol Systems is a leading, national solar energy firm with an established reputation for integrity and reliability across its distinct and complementary businesses. Sol works together with customers and partners to ensure a better, more just energy transition.
The Solutions Project

The Solutions Project envisions a world that is driven by purpose. One that combines and amplifies radical ideas and hard work from those whose voices typically might go unheard. A world where equity — for women, Black people, Indigenous communities, people of color; everyone — is a priority.
Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets. We proudly serve one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and we are a leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. Wells Fargo provides a diversified set of banking, investment, and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 47 on Fortune’s 2023 rankings of America’s largest companies. In the communities we serve, the Company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy.
Working Power

Working Power centers climate justice by co-developing clean energy projects with frontline organizations. We act as a bridge between community partners and funders, co-designing projects that catalyze economic development through community ownership and support climate justice by democratizing clean energy. Parent company Urban Ingenuity (UI) has overseen, advised, and directly invested $150M resulting in 18MW of clean energy and $21M in community benefits. Today, Working Power has over a dozen community co-owned projects in development across the United States.