Households in underserved communities face disproportionate barriers to accessing clean energy. While there are several federal and state clean energy assistance programs, there are barriers to accessing these funds due to property ownership, credit scores, property value, and other challenges. Many households do not have the capacity to absorb additional debt and require grant capital to subsidize clean energy options. In order to address these barriers by creating options for low-income households to go solar, HBCU-CEI has launched a Residential/Community Solar Grant Fund with job training and creation opportunities
CDAC facilitates public-private engagement opportunities among HBCUs and MSIs and their host communities to engage federal, state, and local governments agencies and organizations to work alongside public and private industry partners to successfully develop and implement construction-related clean energy projects on HBCU and MSI campuses.
Millions of low- and moderate-income families face significant challenges in paying energy bills. The HBCU-CEI program will reduce energy bills for property owners, increasing comfort and indoor health, and creating employment opportunities for families that need it the most