FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2024, 8:00 AM ET

Washington, DC  –  June 24, 2024  – America Is All In, the most expansive coalition of leaders ever assembled in the U.S. in support of climate action, announced its inaugural Clean Energy Academy, an effort to help local communities tap into the unprecedented levels of federal funding available for clean energy investments thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. More than 20 organizations, including universities, healthcare organizations, cultural institutions, and nonprofits, have been accepted into the Academy.

The Academy, led by RMI, will help organizations take advantage of the tax incentives available through the Inflation Reduction Act by leveraging new financing opportunities such as direct pay - provisions within the Inflation Reduction Act that make certain clean energy tax credits refundable - and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to build clean energy projects. Participants were chosen for their demonstrated commitment to advancing ambitious and equitable clean energy projects.

“The Clean Energy Academy is helping organizations from across the country go all in on clean energy,” said Gina McCarthy, Managing Co-Chair of America Is All In. “We are giving participants the tools they need to take advantage of the unprecedented funding opportunities in the Inflation Reduction Act to advance creative solutions that reduce energy costs and grow good-paying jobs in their communities while cutting pollution, improving health, and fighting climate change.”

Through the Academy, participating organizations will be working on:

• Federal clean energy implementation: They will be able to plan successful projects that qualify for and utilize federal incentives, such as direct pay that recoup at least 30% of project costs, green financing from Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, and other grant funding, if applicable.
• Clean energy project completion: Participants will use Academy resources and peer support to secure funding for clean energy projects and initiatives that will produce cleaner power, use less energy, and save energy costs.
• Success replicability: Jumpstart their IRA project success, plan for additional opportunities within their own organization, and inspire other peers to take action.
• Peer-to-peer learning: Learn from organizations about challenges to implementation, lessons learned, etc.

The Academy’s first cohort will run until October 2024, during which time participating organizations will have access to facilitated workshops, technical assistance, including one-on-one-support for project planning and design, and tools and resources that will accelerate participants’ planning for strong clean energy projects. Faculty members with extensive subject matter expertise and experience have been brought on to support our first cohort. Supporting faculty include: Amy Turner of Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Kathy Kuntz of Dane County, Wisconsin’s Office of Energy and Climate Change, Jason Prince of Giraffe Financial, an IRA tax credit platform, and Andrew Haser of New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation (NYCEEC). 

Participants were selected based on their ability to demonstrate concrete short-term goals or project ideas for equitable decarbonization; secure the necessary internal buy-in and approvals from decision-makers and stakeholders within their organization; and dedicate the necessary time and resources to participate in the Academy. A list of the participating organizations is available below. 

• Adamah, Maryland
• Bates College, Maine
• Big Sky Sustainability Network Organization (SNO), Montana
• Catawba College, North Carolina
• Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority, Ohio
• Clean Power Alliance of Southern California, California
• Emory University, Georgia
• Intermountain Health, Utah
• Loyola University Chicago, Illinois
• Northern Light Health, Maine
• NYC Health + Hospitals Corp., New York
• OhioHealth, Ohio
• Rutgers University, New Jersey
• San Diego Natural History Museum, California
• Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota
• Southern Sustainability Institute, Georgia
• The Wild Center, New York
• University of New Mexico, New Mexico
• University of Richmond, Virginia
• The University of Vermont Health Network, Vermont & New York
   

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Siham Zniber
America Is All In
[email protected]

For general America Is All In inquiries, 
Avery Cullinan
America Is All In
[email protected]