From Grants to Green Impact: How Community Benefit Grant Recipients Are Strengthening Local Sustainability

This article is from the Clean Power Alliance.

Clean Power Alliance (CPA) and Calpine Community Energy are excited to announce the recipients of the 2025-26 Community Benefits Grant. 

This year, more than $289,000 will be distributed among 12 nonprofit groups serving communities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. This funding will help to strengthen clean energy initiatives, build pathways to clean energy employment, enhance environmental education and stewardship and promote fair and inclusive access to affordable, dependable clean power.  

Supporting local communities is one of the primary ways CPA achieves its mission to strengthen regional resilience and broaden access to clean energy for all.

This year’s grant recipients include API Forward Movement, California Green Business Network, California Housing Partnership, Climate Mental Health Network, Community Environmental Council, Designing Resilience, Food Ed, Grades of Green, MERITO Foundation, Pando Populus, Reel Guppy Outdoors, and the Ventura County Community Foundation. 

These grants go beyond financial assistance and are intended to equip local organizations with the resources they need to grow local sustainability programs, extend their reach and deepen community impact. 

Previous grant recipient, Community Nature Collection, utilized funding to support youth outreach and programs that advance healthy outdoor engagement opportunities in Los Angeles.   

“Having the ability to partner with Clean Power Alliance through the Community Benefits Grant has been a natural fit for Community Nature Connection,” said Delaney Alamillo, Community Nature Connection’s executive director. “It has allowed us to implement programming that facilitates getting youth out into a healthy environment. The connection between wellness and nature is a priority focus of our programming. Getting youth reconnected with nature and recognizing the benefits it offers creates the space for a personal and memorable experience. Our youth notice the difference in air quality between the built and natural environment when they engage breath exercises as part of their wellness practice. Locally generated, sustainable and renewable energy makes for clean air, and in-turn healthier futures.”  

The Community Benefits Grant program launched in 2021 with $75,000 and has grown in funding over the years. Previous award recipients have been given funding to develop electric vehicle supply equipment technician training programs, create short films promoting sustainable practices and clean energy and expand climate change and sustainability outreach in local schools. Grant awards range from $15,000 to $30,000 per organization. 

The grant program is a partnership between Calpine Community Energy and CPA. Through this innovative program, Calpine — CPA’s customer support and billing services provider—reinvests 3% of its contract value with CPA into the communities CPA serves, helping fund locally focused programs.  

Giangelo R. Leos, Education & Program Director of Food Ed, highlighted how the organization was able to apply grant funding to move student-focused education programs forward.  

“Food ED is so excited to bring our Eco-Entrepreneur Program to high school students in Monrovia, Arcadia, and Temple City as a way to learn about clean energy career pathways, environmental stewardship, and as an opportunity to grow community resiliency,” said Leos. “As a result of CPA’s Community Benefit Grant, we are establishing an Eco-Entrepreneur Council of students from the region that will learn about clean energy cooking, hydroponics, and composting technologies. As we head into the new year, students will craft and deliver community workshops alongside a newly hired staff member that worked with us for three years in AmeriCorps, thanks in part to this grant. Thank you, CPA!” 

By supporting organizations based in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, CPA is helping to drive long-term environmental and economic benefits throughout its service area, while ensuring that all communities, particularly those that have been historically underserved, can participate in and benefit from the transition to a clean energy future. 

To learn more about the Community Benefits Grant and the recent awardees, visit cleanpoweralliance.org/cbg.