Energy Equity Collaborative - Founding Steering Committee Application

Please complete this application to formally nominate your organization to join the Founding Steering Committee for a new statewide body -- tentatively called the Energy Equity Collaborative -- hosted by NYSERDA. The Collaborative will focus on addressing clean energy equity issues and opportunities facing disadvantaged and under-resourced communities. 

Only individuals who are authorized to act on behalf of their organizations should fill out this application. Organizations cannot nominate other organizations. 

The application deadline is October 5, 2022 at 5:00 p.m ET. If you have questions, contact Jenny Sing-Bock at Jenny.Sing-Bock@nyserda.ny.gov. 

Please note: Partially completed information cannot be saved, be sure to have all details with you before beginning the form. For the best form completion experience, use the Google Chrome browser. Upon submission, you will receive a confirmation and a tracking number on your screen to print or save. Refer to this tracking number to check on the status of your request.

* Required field

Organizations are eligible to serve on the Founding Steering Committee and receive compensation for their participation through the Disadvantaged Communities Honorarium if the organization can certify they are a non-profit (incorporated or unincorporated) or for-profit organization, registered to do business in New York State, aimed at making desired improvements to a community’s social health, well-being, and overall functioning, as well as meet at least one of the two following additional criteria: 

1. That they represent a community-based organization that principally serves (greater than 50% of their work is in service of) and/or based in a NYS disadvantaged community, as defined here. The organization is representative of a community or significant segments of a community; and provides services to individuals in the community based on input from community members. The organization must also understand what strategies and solutions would be most likely to help overcome barriers to disadvantaged communities accessing clean energy; knowledge of barriers related to low-income, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), affordable housing, environmental justice, underserved rural communities, and other areas with high levels of poverty and limited access to resources;  

OR 

2. The organization is based in NYS and has expertise in clean energy equity and/or climate justice issues which may include but is not limited to experience in providing services to and implementing clean energy projects in disadvantaged communities, including: lived experience which may be in energy issues, engaging with and providing housing and advocacy services, transportation, workforce, MWBE, and other related services to disadvantaged communities. 

* For purposes of this application, the term disadvantaged communities is inclusive of hard to reach, underserved rural communities, Indigenous Nations, and other areas of the State with high levels of poverty and limited access to resources.

Upload supporting information such as:

• a list of neighborhoods

• zip codes served, including housing and demographic characteristics of households in the community served

• provide supporting documentation such as an annual or grant report, a service territory map, or a summary of projects noting percentage (by budget or staffing) dedicated to DACs

2. Has your organization developed successful solutions for community priorities? What is the impact your organization achieved by creating solutions in under-resourced communities?

Please briefly respond to the following prompts as applicable:
Describe efforts your organization has made to involve diverse or underserved community populations directly affected by energy and environmental justice issues in leadership roles and in setting priorities for your organization’s work.    

Describe initiatives your organization has implemented to serve or benefit these underserved populations and outcomes resulting from these initiatives.

Describe how your organization worked with these community members to develop solutions to address energy and environmental justice issues that impact the communities your organization serves.

Upload supporting information of discrete activities with measurable/documented outcomes such as:

• a detailed summary of successful campaign victories

• evidence of concrete success with community-centered efforts

• samples of media coverage demonstrating the organization’s involvement in successful community-centered efforts

Supporting examples such as summary of applicable staff profiles or applicable staff resumes (resume should include business contact information). 

7. Organizations serving on the Equity Collaborative Founding Steering Committee can opt in to receive compensation for serving on the Steering Committee through NYSERDA’s Disadvantaged Community (DAC) Honorarium. The DAC Honorarium will be used to compensate under-resourced, community-based organizations to increase their capacity to participate on the Founding Steering Committee and other applicable Collaborative activities in the first year the Equity Collaborative is created. For more details on the DAC Honorarium, including compensation thresholds. For more details on the DAC Honorarium, including compensation thresholds email Jenny Sing-Bock at Jenny.Sing-Bock@nyserda.ny.gov.The Founding Steering Committee will determine the criteria and guidelines for compensation on consultation with NYSERDA that will be used after the first year to pay organizations for their participation on the Steering Committee and other applicable Collaborative activities.