GRID Alternatives
GRID Alternatives is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that provides no-cost solar installations, battery storage, and EV charging infrastructure to low-income families, veterans, and tribal communities, alongside workforce development programs including IBT and SolarCorps, across multiple U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What GRID Alternatives does
GRID Alternatives is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that operates as the nation's largest nonprofit deployer of renewable energy. The organization provides no-cost and reduced-cost solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, battery storage systems, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure to income-qualified households, veterans, tribal communities, seniors, disabled individuals, and nonprofit facilities across California, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Oregon, and New York through a network of regional affiliate offices. Its customer-facing programs include the Energy for All Program (single-family, community, and multifamily solar), Tribal Energy Alternatives, Clean Mobility, and Battery Storage, with installations funded through a mix of federal incentives (SASH, DAC-SASH, Inflation Reduction Act Solar for All), state programs (California LIWP), and charitable contributions.
The organization's second major function is workforce development, delivered through the Installation Basics Training (IBT) Program (a 13-week paid solar installation course with 80%+ graduate employment rates), the SolarCorps Fellowship Program (an 11-month paid AmeriCorps-affiliated fellowship with 300+ alumni), Troops to Solar (veterans-focused training), Women in Solar, and Solar Futures (youth pipeline). Programs are delivered through AmeriCorps members, SolarCorps fellows, and trained installation teams, with employer matchmaking via RE+ Events job fairs and regional Rooftop Ready events. Over 34,000 people have been trained and over $750 million in cumulative energy cost savings have been delivered since inception.
GRID Alternatives is funded entirely through philanthropic and government grants rather than earned revenue from customers, with no-cost service delivery to eligible homeowners. Major funding sources include MacKenzie Scott ($15M in 2024), Bank of Montreal ($3M in 2023 and $2M in 2025), Amazon Web Services ($1.2M in 2024), Wells Fargo ($3.8M cumulative including a $750K Troops to Solar grant), Bank of America ($510K), Invenergy ($300K), and the U.S. Department of Labor ($2.3M in 2020), supplemented by corporate volunteer partnerships with Accenture, KPMG, Hannon Armstrong, and Mitsubishi Electric. The organization is led by Co-CEO and Co-Founder Erica Mackie and Co-Founder/COO Tim Sears, with a board-supported regional Co-Executive Director structure across affiliates.
GRID Alternatives firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GRID Alternatives
- Legal name
- GRID Alternatives, Inc
- Website
- https://gridalternatives.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- GRID Alternatives is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that provides no-cost solar installations, battery storage, and EV charging infrastructure to low-income families, veterans, and tribal communities, alongside workforce development programs including IBT and SolarCorps, across multiple U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GRID Alternatives industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Solar Installation & Workforce Development
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Generation (22111)
- SIC
- Electric Services (4911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Solar Development & Subscription Management (EUAMAJAA), Distributed Storage (Behind-the-Meter Batteries) (EUAMAJAE), Resilience & Backup Power Solutions (Critical Facilities, Islanding) (EUAMAJAK)
Keywords
Where GRID Alternatives is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
GRID Alternatives business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: GRID Alternatives is a nonprofit organization that relies on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations, as well as government grants to fund solar installations and workforce development programs. Major donors include MacKenzie Scott ($15 million), Amazon Web Services ($1.2 million), Bank of Montreal ($3 million), Bank of America ($500,000), and Invenergy ($300,000 grant).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | No-cost solar installations for income-qualified families |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
GRID Alternatives product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GRID Alternatives is a nonprofit organization that provides no-cost and low-cost solar photovoltaic installations to income-qualified households, affordable housing, and nonprofit facilities, combined with hands-on workforce development programs (Installation Basics Training, SolarCorps Fellowship, Women in Solar, Solar Futures) that train individuals from underserved communities for careers in the solar industry. The organization also delivers battery storage, EV charging (Clean Mobility), and Tribal Energy Alternatives programs across multiple U.S. states.
Product overview
GRID Alternatives operates as a nonprofit organization offering a unified portfolio of solar energy and workforce development programs. The core offerings center on the Energy for All Program, which provides single-family, community, and multifamily solar installations for low-income communities. Supporting this is a comprehensive Workforce Development division encompassing the Installation Basics Training (IBT) Program, SolarCorps Fellowship Program, Women in Solar, Solar Futures, and Contractor Network. Additional programs include Clean Mobility (EV charging), Battery Storage, Tribal Energy Alternatives, and Policy Leadership initiatives. Together, these programs aim to advance economic and environmental justice through renewable energy while building community-powered solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SolarCorps Fellowship Program: An 11-month paid fellowship offering hands-on experience in solar photovoltaics, construction, outreach, project management, program administration, and communications for those new to the workforce or interested in career change.
- Installation Basics Training (IBT)
- Energy for All Program
- Solar Futures
- Troops to Solar
- Women in Solar
Products and services
- Energy for All Program
- Installation Basics Training (IBT) Program
- SolarCorps Fellowship Program
- Clean Mobility Program
- Battery Storage Program
- Tribal Energy Alternatives
- Women in Solar Program
- Solar Futures Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Energy cost savings of $750 million+ for served communities
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use GRID Alternatives
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
GRID Alternatives technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
GRID Alternatives partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- RE+ EventscoreRE+ Events is expanding its partnership with GRID Alternatives to hold clean energy job fairs across the U.S. in 2025 and 2026, aiming to connect over 300 job seekers with clean energy companies. These events provide networking opportunities for professionals and those transitioning into the clean energy sector.
- Collective EnergycoreCollective Energy funds solar and battery storage projects for nonprofit community health centers across California, partnering with GRID to install the San Fernando Community Health Center solar system.
- Operation DignitycoreGRID collaborated with Operation Dignity to transition their veteran housing facilities to clean energy through a solar installation funded by California's Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP).
- State of California Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP)coreLIWP funded 91% of the total cost of solar installation for Operation Dignity's House of Dignity, aiming to provide low and no cost solar PV systems and energy efficiency upgrades to California residents.
- Partnership for a Civilian Climate Corps (PCCC)coreGRID is a partner organization of the American Climate Corps (ACC) and the PCCC, working with federal agencies and the White House to implement equitable climate resilience programs.
- SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District)coreGRID Alternatives North Valley partnered with SMUD on the Career Energy Pathways program, a free stipended solar certificate program with virtual education and in-person lab training.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
GRID Alternatives competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- IREC (Interstate Renewable Energy Council): IREC is a nonprofit that sets clean-energy workforce standards, credentials, and training program quality benchmarks. It is comparable to GRID Alternatives on the workforce development side, particularly as GRID scales IBT and SolarCorps programs across states.
- Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA): CCSA is a nonprofit trade association advancing community solar policy and project deployment. It overlaps with GRID Alternatives' community solar program work and is a relevant peer for federal program positioning and policy advocacy.
- Vote Solar: Vote Solar is a nonprofit advocacy organization advancing state-level solar policy and equitable access. It is comparable to GRID Alternatives' Policy Leadership function and shares the equity-and-access mission, though Vote Solar focuses on policy rather than installation.
- Solar United Neighbors: Solar United Neighbors is a nonprofit that organizes solar co-ops and advocates for rooftop solar adoption. It is comparable to GRID Alternatives in mission (expanding solar access) but focuses on group purchasing power rather than direct installation and workforce development.
Regional players
- ReVision Energy: ReVision Energy is a mission-driven, employee-owned solar installer operating primarily in the Northeast U.S. It is comparable to GRID Alternatives' values-aligned installer model but with a regional rather than multi-state geographic focus.
- Sun Light & Power: Sun Light & Power is a California-based commercial and residential solar installer with a long operational history. It is a regional peer in GRID Alternatives' core California market, competing for installation capacity on commercial and multifamily projects.
Direct peers
- PosiGen: PosiGen is a for-profit residential solar installer specializing in low-to-moderate-income households. It is the closest for-profit analog to GRID Alternatives' low-income single-family solar model, competing for the same customer base through a leasing/PPAs structure rather than grants.
- Solar Energy International (SEI): SEI is a nonprofit solar training and workforce development organization. It directly parallels GRID Alternatives' IBT and SolarCorps training offerings, providing industry-recognized PV installation credentials and serving as a feeder into the same clean-energy labor market.
Broad incumbents
- Sunrun: Sunrun is the largest U.S. residential solar installer with a national footprint and a growing low-income segment. As a broad incumbent, it competes for installer labor, customer leads, and subcontractor capacity in the same geographies where GRID Alternatives operates.
Others
- GRID (organization) — same anchor; excluding from peer list: Not applicable — listed for completeness only.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GRID Alternatives social profiles
Digital presenceGRID Alternatives financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GRID Alternatives leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
GRID Alternatives funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GRID Alternatives M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GRID Alternatives
What does GRID Alternatives do?
GRID Alternatives is a nonprofit organization that provides no-cost and low-cost solar photovoltaic installations to income-qualified households, affordable housing, and nonprofit facilities, combined with hands-on workforce development programs (Installation Basics Training, SolarCorps Fellowship, Women in Solar, Solar Futures) that train individuals from underserved communities for careers in the solar industry. The organization also delivers battery storage, EV charging (Clean Mobility), and Tribal Energy Alternatives programs across multiple U.S. states.
Is GRID Alternatives a public or private company?
GRID Alternatives is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was GRID Alternatives founded?
GRID Alternatives was founded in 2004. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is GRID Alternatives based?
GRID Alternatives is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does GRID Alternatives make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are GRID Alternatives's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are IREC (Interstate Renewable Energy Council), Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), Vote Solar and Solar United Neighbors. Regional players are ReVision Energy and Sun Light & Power. Direct peers are PosiGen and Solar Energy International (SEI). Sunrun is listed as a broad incumbent. GRID (organization) — same anchor; excluding from peer list is listed as an others.
Does GRID Alternatives have an API?
No public API is recorded for GRID Alternatives.
What industry is GRID Alternatives in?
GRID Alternatives's product category is Nonprofit Solar Installation & Workforce Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUACALAJ, Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro), with a secondary code of EUAMAJAA, Community Solar Development & Subscription Management. Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 4911.