Calpine Community Benefits Grants Announced for Local Nonprofits

Seven nonprofit organizations awarded $127,750 in grants to advance clean energy, sustainability, and resiliency in Orange County Power Authority member cities

IRVINE, Calif. (February 13, 2025) – Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) – a community clean energy provider – announced seven recipients of its first annual Community Benefits Grant program, in partnership with Calpine Community Energy. The $127,750 in total funding is supporting local nonprofit organizations in the advancement of clean energy usage and generation, green job training, environmental education and stewardship, and energy equity efforts.

“Orange County Power Authority extends its gratitude to Calpine Community Energy for its partnership in making this grant program available to the local nonprofit organizations shaping the future of renewable and clean energy,” said Susan Sonne, OCPA Board Chair. “As a not-for-profit, OCPA is proud to have the opportunity to reinvest in our local communities and support organizations and projects that are working toward a more sustainable and resilient future.”

The Community Benefits Grants will support:

• OC Goes Solar to launch the “Electrify Everything” Accelerator Campaign, which will focus on education and cost savings of home electrification assistance to low- to moderate-income homes in Buena Park, Fullerton and Irvine. 
• Cool OC’s Cool Block Climate Leadership and Resilience Program in Fullerton and Buena Park, to conduct training on family emergency plans, assemble emergency kits and identify local resources during natural disasters or extreme heat events, and expand education on climate resilience.
• CSU Fullerton Philanthropic Association to fund four students over two semesters to participate in the Climate Impact Assessment Internship that will focus on high-quality pollution monitoring inside CSU Fullerton’s Arboretum and health impacts of the proximity of the 57 freeway.
• One OC’s Buena Park Collaborative community members to obtain materials to support the local community garden. Funding will support stipends provided to community members to maintain the garden; educational trainings on composting, drought tolerant growing, and climate control; and other community engagement activities to support the maintenance of the garden.
• Orange County United Way’s United for Student Success Summer Career & Life Academy to support Buena Park and Fullerton students staying in school and pursuing a career or degree after high school. With this funding, students will learn about clean energy usage and green jobs.
• California Green Business Network to provide efficiency rebates for up to $500 to Irvine businesses who have received the Green Business Program certificate and support outreach efforts to grow the Green Business Program in other cities.
• The Dragon Kim Foundation for training and developing workshops for The Dragon Kim Foundation Fellowship Program focused on environmental and renewable energy projects for high school students primarily in Irvine.

“We are honored to award these seven remarkable organizations with grants to support their efforts,” said Josh Brock, Vice President of Commercial Operations for Calpine Community Energy. “This program not only supports our Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) partner, but also the communities they serve throughout Orange County that are creating a greener future.”              

Community Benefits Grant recipients were selected based on a comprehensive evaluation of their organization and the nominated project. The assessment framework centered on four key pathways used to drive progress in advancing clean energy, sustainability and resiliency: 1) Research, 2) Education, 3) Environmental and Social Justice Communities, and 4) Workforce Development.

OCPA also invests in the communities it serves through numerous programs that provide customers with access to cost-savings as well as energy-saving opportunities that create healthier communities by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating green jobs. Learn more at ocpower.org/energy-programs.

About Orange County Power Authority

The Orange County Power Authority is a not-for-profit public agency that offers clean power at competitive rates, significantly reducing energy-related greenhouse emissions and enabling reinvestment in local energy programs. To learn more, visit www.ocpower.org.