Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize

Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize

The Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize was established by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) in support of the White House’s Justice40 Initiative, and is part of the American-Made Challenges family of prizes.

The goal of the Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize is to help community coalitions—made up of nonprofits, city governments, school systems, and other community organizations—come together to develop a strategy to address a local clean energy opportunity or inequity. Strategies may include student education, workforce trainings, or implementation of new technologies that prioritize a shift to clean energy and remove undue burdens on the communities being served.

Through the prize, DOE seeks to identify and support:

• Newly partnered or existing community-based coalitions that have recently committed to helping underrepresented communities address energy challenges and implement clean energy solutions.
• Further development of relevant in-community coalitions executing projects that are consistent with the Justice40 Initiative and EERE’s focus on clean energy technologies and implementation.
• Long-term engagement by the relevant in-community coalitions on energy challenges on behalf of the communities served.

About the Justice40 Initiative

Through its Justice40 Initiative, the federal government has set a goal of directing 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. The specified investments include those in clean energy and energy efficiency; clean transit; affordable and sustainable housing; training and workforce development; remediation and reduction of legacy pollution; and the development of clean water infrastructure.

Prize Structure

The Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize consists of three phases, with a total available prize pool of $2.1 million. Prizes are available to multiple coalition winners in Phase One and Phase Two. The prize will conclude after Phase Three, with a Community Summit Event. At this event, all competitors who complete Phase Two will have the opportunity to present their progress, benefit from networking opportunities, and be eligible for the final cash prizes. Philanthropy partners may also be invited to make connections with coalitions.

Who is Eligible to Compete?

The competition is open to teams of local partners, organized into coalitions and centered around community-based nonprofits, that are: (1) new coalitions established on or after the date of this announcement or (2) existing coalitions that have established a new or amended mission on or after the date of this announcement. For more information, review the official prize rules.