Selected applicants may receive:
- Up to $60,000 per year to support project costs and funding to hire a part-time Energy Advocate
- Comprehensive training in energy efficiency offerings, especially residential weatherization, residential heating and cooling upgrades, and Small Business Turnkey program
- Co-branded marketing materials
- Monthly progress reports
- Program participation guide
- Best practices to encourage program participation, training; and
- Local event support, such as guest speakers for local events
What will I need to do as a Community First Partner?
All partners will need to commit to participating for three years with annual program progress review.
Host a variety of activities, including but not limited to:
- Collaborating with participating Mass Save Program Sponsors (Local utility companies)
- Including a member of your Community First Partner team to work 5-10 hours a week as an Energy Advocate to help residents and reach program goals
- Submitting outreach, marketing, public engagement activities and communications plans
- Actively tracking participation barriers and program performance
- Engaging in community based social marketing
- Participating in monthly calls and submit monthly activity reports
- Participating in training to learn about energy efficiency offerings
- Completing local community organizing
- Creating innovative strategies and initiatives to engage residents
- Work closely with Community First Program Manager and team of coordinators to create a robust strategy to reach customers
Community First Partner Orientation will be on February 10th, 2022.
Eligibility Requirements
Municipalities and registered non-profit organizations (or those with a fiscal agent), as well as teams of municipalities and/or registered 501c3 and 501c6 non-profit organizations are eligible to apply. Additional program requirements include:
- Must commit to a 3 year participation in the program
- Must participate in monthly calls and submit monthly outreach reports
- Must track and report progress
- Must be open to building partnerships with local community organizations
- Must propose to focus outreach in Environmental Justice census blocks among renters/landlords, low and moderate income residents (at/below 80% state median income), English isolated residents, and/or small businesses.