Historically Black Colleges and Universities, through their executive leadership, stellar faculty and staff, exemplary students and alumni have historically and contemporaneously been summoned to lead the way for their host towns and communities, states, and regions as well as the country as a whole. In fact, many HBCUs, like many traditional universities, have the distinction of being both HBCU and Land-Grant Institutions and as such are charged with providing educational opportunities alongside research and outreach. Often disadvantaged, yet unwavering in sharing a societal responsibility via this dual designation, HBCUs and Land-Grant Institutions consistently summon the entire educational academy in the roles of leadership, research, and outreach. CDAC’s HBCU Clean Energy Initiative presents a unique opportunity for HBCUs to exemplify all three of these roles while aligning with governmental champions, industry partners, philanthropic organizations, and financial institutions to develop and implement sustainable projects that deliver environmental and economic impacts to the institutions themselves as well as to other end users including the broader community through projects such as residential and community solar.