In January 2021, President Biden established the Justice40 Initiative through executive order, specifying that at least 40% of the benefit of certain Federal investments shall flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved or overburdened by pollution. (Note that Justice 40 commitments are not required to be honored by the new Administration.)
Later that year, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) was passed. IIJA is a sweeping funding opportunity to improve the United States’ roads, expand broadband access, and provide higher-paying jobs for impacted communities.
Then, in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was passed. The IRA is the largest climate funding bill in American history, providing nearly $400 billion for clean energy and climate protections nationwide.
Although billions of dollars were made available, it is not easy to find out how and when to access it. In an effort to help make the funds available to those who need it the most, a coalition of educational, environmental, labor, and social justice organizations created EnergyFundsForAll.org. This is a mobile-accessible website created for residents across the Carolinas to learn more about ways to save money on energy bills, improve energy efficiency of homes and apartments, and install solar.
Our website is designed to help you find clean energy funding in three simple clicks:
Tip: If you’re looking for something specific, use the “See All Funding” button on the homepage or in the dropdown menu. For example, searching “heat pump” will show funding opportunities that can help you install one.
This website contains a list of funding sources and opportunities from local, state, and federal sources. Our goal is to help communities across North and South Carolina save energy, reduce utility bills, and build more resilient, sustainable neighborhoods.
This website will also house video testimonials from folks who have successfully accessed these funds, and sources of technical assistance and resources related to this funding.
A lot of the money will flow from the Federal government to the states, and from states to individual homes, businesses, and organizations. To see what funds North Carolina is applying for, visit this Department of Environmental Quality web page. We will post a South Carolina overview page when we find it. In the meantime, the individual pages on our website give updates on South Carolina funding.
This toolkit is publicly available, so please spread it far and wide! It was built specifically for individuals and communities throughout North and South Carolina, but much of the information is applicable anywhere.
This website will be updated every 3-6 months or as new information becomes available. Please contact us at info@energyfundsforall.org for the next estimated update or to report out-of-date information.
Yes! We welcome any thoughts, questions, and areas of improvement on the toolkit. If you see something that needs updating or have ideas on how to make our work better, please email info@energyfundsforall.org.
For general questions, please contact us at info@energyfundsforall.org. For any fund-specific questions, please refer to any point of contact listed under that specific opportunity.
Yes! We have one-pagers on some funding opportunities here, and a full printout of this toolkit can be requested by emailing us at info@energyfundsforall.org.
Numerous organizations are offering technical assistance to North and South Carolinians wishing to apply for funding. Visit our Get Help page to find one or more organizations that might be able to help you.
The “Where can I get more information?” section on each page of the website suggests other places to reach out for help.
If you’re still not sure where to turn, email us at info@energyfundsforall.org and we will be happy to direct you.
This toolkit was built and is being updated by a collection of educational, environmental, labor, and social justice organizations. Find a list of them on our About Us page. The intention of this tool is to provide access to funding opportunities to all Carolinians regardless of race, gender, social standing, or political affiliation. This tool was built under 501(c)(3) nonprofit compliant procedures and is purely for educational use.
Any tribe that isn’t Federally recognized can still access federal funds that are also available to nonprofits. Each opportunity will specific eligibility requirements.
If you have any questions about what funding is available to you please reach out to info@energyfundsforall.org so we can point you in the right direction.
Your email address will be stored in our EnergyFundsforAll.org database and will not be shared, sold, or distributed. We will only email you when new funding information becomes available (meaning no automated or marketing content!).
For more information, please see our Privacy Policy linked at the bottom of this page, or email us at info@energyfundsforall.org with questions.
