Green Equity Initiative Grant Updates
Recipients of BECU Foundation’s 2023 Green Equity Initiative Program grants are making progress toward a greener, more equitable future. Learn about the progress they’ve made in the past year.
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In 2022, BECU Foundation introduced the Green Equity Initiative Program with the goal of reducing our region's collective carbon footprint through green workforce development and entrepreneurship. We're excited to share the latest news on how recipients of Green Equity Initiative Program grants in 2023 are driving positive change and addressing the needs of our communities.
Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship
The Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) provides training, one-on-one advising and other support to help with the first steps of building a business, from ideation to growth. CIE developed a process for leveraging existing startup training curriculum to enhance new courses that focus on the development of social enterprises that measure success in three key areas: profit, people, and the planet. CIE has also awarded $500 momentum stipends to participants in the Community Enterprise Program who have completed all training sessions and required homework. Going forward, CIE plans to award participants with seed grants and awards to promote business development.
ecoTHRIVE Housing
ecoTHRIVE Housing is a community-led community land trust that develops affordable, resilient villages that address people's fundamental needs and foster community. In the past year, ecoTHRIVE neared acquisition of their land and use permit and used funds to pay for land use permitting fees. ecoTHRIVE also submitted a land use application to the City of Burien, allowing for the finalization of construction drawings and application for construction permits.
As part of its next steps, ecoTHRIVE will complete its program design and proceed with creating legal documents, which include governance and real estate materials.
Emerald Cities Collaborative
Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) is a national nonprofit network of organizations that work to advance a sustainable environment while creating just and inclusive economies with opportunities for all. In the spring of 2024, ECC hosted an E-Contractor Academy that graduated 13 women and minority participants who represented 11 organizations. Eight of these firms are directly involved in climate-critical trades, and the other three organizations are starting to expand into climate-critical work.
ECC also achieved broader geographic representation from its contractors, with contractors hired from Whatcom County and Yakima County for the first time. Additionally, ECC launched its first grant program for contractors in 2024, which is focused on funding clean energy expansion within women and minority-owned businesses.
Olympia Community Solar
Olympia Community Solar is a nonprofit organization working to steward an equitable and accessible transition to clean energy, with pro-bono solar development support to nonprofit organizations and tribes. In 2024, Olympia Community Solar successfully launched solar technical support program for low-income households. The team has also created and expanded partnerships with low-income service providers seeking clean energy products.
Going forward, Olympia Community Solar will continue to support several housing organizations to secure multiple quotes from reputable, local solar panel installers.
Refugee Artisan Initiative
The Refugee Artisan Initiative (RAI) partners with immigrant women to foster an inclusive, prosperous transition to the U.S. through artisan skills training in zero-waste and small-batch manufacturing. In 2024, RAI launched a project that successfully diverted 10,000 post-consumer bulk bags from landfills. RAI played a heavy role in research and development of creating upcycled bags, making dozens of prototypes to put into production and upcycling over 1,000 bags to date.
Today, RAI is working to establish purchasing contracts to continue to make more products out of post-consumer bulk bags in response to client interests.
Seattle Good Business Network
Seattle Good Business Network connects and inspires people to buy, produce and invest locally so that everyone has a meaningful stake in the local economy. As of June 12, it launched the Climate Action Youth Internship Program, which included a kickoff and matchmaking event between intern and host businesses.
The Seattle Good Business Network also successfully recruited and matched a cohort of 10 businesses and 10 skilled young professionals. The selected businesses across King County are recognized as climate leaders that inspire climate action across their peers and industries. The cohort chosen to represent underrepresented communities and help guide meaningful climate action for agencies and businesses across King County.
Zero Waste Washington
Zero Waste Washington aims to create true green circular economy jobs targeted on the furniture repair sector which is currently experiencing workforce shortages. To accomplish this task, Zero Waste Washington has developed new connections with repair businesses looking for skilled workers. They developed robust relationships with furniture refinishing entrepreneurs who refurbish and resell quality furniture to end markets.
Going forward, Zero Waste Washington's final program outcome is to deliver a replicable model for other geographies to adopt similar efforts. They are closely recording and documenting all aspects of their efforts locally, and they are in communications with organizations in North Carolina, Texas, and California to help those geographies replicate their model.