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In April, the Florida Solar for All (FSFA) Coalition announced that it received notice of a $156.1 million award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Solar for All competition to create new and expand existing low-income solar programs in the Sunshine State. The EPA’s Solar for All competition, funded via the Inflation Reduction Act, will disburse $7 billion to 60 states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and non-profits grantees to bring solar energy ownership and direct electric bill savings to historic numbers of low-income communities—a once in a generation investment. The FSFA Coalition that captured this historic award for the state is a non-partisan, non-political coalition of three Florida-based non-profits, consisting of the Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF), Solar United Neighbors (SUN), and The Nature Conservancy in Florida (TNC).

The Florida Solar For All Coalition’s application benefited from letters of support from 60 local governments, including the Compact Counties, as well as community-based organizations. The Coalition will work with these partners and others to further flesh out the program design and implement the grant to deploy solar energy, prioritizing the most energy-burdened households across the state. The grant will focus on single-family homes and multifamily rentals in low-income communities, which will support these families in lowering their energy costs, while investing in their own wealth.

SELF, the coalition’s lead applicant, was founded in 2009 as the nation’s first green non-profit community development financial institution (CDFI) and has financed over 3,400 sustainable and climate-resilient property improvements and new developments, creating over $40 million of economic development activity, and leveraging over $100 million in total projects.

Beginning October 2024, funds will be available for:

• Grants and deeply affordable financing for residential rooftop solar systems in low-income areas across Florida
• Technical assistance to support workforce development, community engagement, and market development

Funding sizes will be structured as follows:

• Low-income home: 100% grant
• Moderate-income home: 60% grant + special financing
• Multi-family: 10% grant + special financing

Stay tuned for more information in the coming months about how your community can take advantage of and be a part of this incredible advancement in Florida’s clean energy future.