What Spark Northwest does

Spark Northwest is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 91-2141987) that has operated in the Pacific Northwest for nearly 25 years, delivering community-based clean energy programs and policy advocacy in Washington and Oregon. The organization partners with immigrant, low-wealth, rural, and Indigenous communities—including Tribal Nations, community land trusts, affordable housing nonprofits, faith-based organizations, school districts, and local governments—to co-design solar, battery storage, microgrid, and energy-efficiency retrofit projects. Its programmatic portfolio spans flagship initiatives such as the Solarize the Land Trust and Energize the Land Trust programs, the Batteries 101 educational series, the Energy Navigator Program (10–40 hours of free tailored technical assistance), the ETIPP technical assistance partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Clean Energy Ambassadors Coalition. Across its history, the organization has facilitated installation of over two megawatts of clean energy, catalyzed $42 million in locally-owned clean energy investments, and directly prevented over 13 million pounds of annual carbon emissions.

The organization's underlying "technology stack" consists of clean energy hardware and program frameworks rather than software—rooftop solar PV systems, residential battery storage and microgrids, ductless heat pumps, and whole-home energy-efficiency retrofits—paired with culturally responsive curricula and hands-on training tools such as the WeCareSolar Solar Suitcase and mock-roof solar installation workshops hosted at Northwest Indian College. Notable programmatic assets include a Tribal Energy Planning curriculum, multilingual multicultural outreach (Chinese, Vietnamese, Amharic, Spanish), and a tiered three-phase Energize the Land Trust program model funded by the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund and running through 2029.

Spark Northwest operates a nonprofit revenue model funded primarily by foundation grants (All Points North, Ren Che, Tudor, Union Bank, Bullitt), corporate sponsorships (Google Cloud Supply Chain & Operations Group, Northwest Electric Solar), government and public agency grants (U.S. Department of Energy ETIPP and Prize funding, Washington Department of Commerce, Washington State Climate Commitment Act, Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund, Oregon Department of Energy, Energy Trust of Oregon, Pacific Power Blue Sky), individual donations, and annual fundraising events such as Power UP! Pricing is not published because services are delivered at no or subsidized cost via grant funding; donor and grant relationships are managed by a small team of approximately twelve staff based in Seattle with operations spanning Washington and Oregon (with some Alaska reach via ETIPP).

Name

Spark Northwest

Legal name

Spark Northwest

Website

https://sparknorthwest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spark Northwest is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with immigrant, low-wealth, rural, and Indigenous communities in Washington and Oregon to deliver community-led solar, battery, microgrid, and energy-efficiency programs alongside clean energy policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Clean Energy Program Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Climate, Environment & Natural Resource Management Aid Programs (BPADABAI)

Keywords

• Community clean energy programs
• Solar installation services
• Energy policy advocacy
• Energy efficiency retrofits
• Tribal energy planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation grants: Grant funding from foundations such as All Points North Foundation, Ren Che Foundation, Tudor Foundation, Union Bank Foundation, Bullitt Foundation, and others. Foundation prospects are researched and tracked by the Communications & Development Manager in collaboration with the program team.
2. Individual donations: Donations from individual supporters via online giving, monthly recurring donations, and end-of-year appeals. Supports core operations including the Energy Innovation Fund launched in late 2025.
3. Corporate sponsorships and partnerships: Corporate sponsorships for fundraising events (e.g., Northwest Electric Solar sponsored the 2023 Mix & Mingle) and corporate partnerships such as the collaboration with Google's Cloud Supply Chain & Operations Group announced August 2024.
4. Government and public agency grants: Funding from public sources including U.S. Department of Energy (ETIPP partnership, $200,000 Prize), Washington Department of Commerce (energy grants), Washington State Climate Commitment Act, Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF), Energy Trust of Oregon, Oregon Department of Energy, Pacific Power Blue Sky program, and others.
5. Fundraising events: Annual ticketed fundraising events (e.g., Power UP!, Mix & Mingle, Cheers to Sparking Change) with tiered sponsorship packages. The Communications & Development Manager is responsible for executing the annual fundraising event (typically 100–125 attendees).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Spark Northwest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that partners with immigrant, low-wealth, rural, and Indigenous communities in Washington and Oregon to deliver community-led clean energy programs. Its core offerings include facilitating rooftop solar installations, residential battery storage and microgrids, ductless heat pump and energy-efficiency retrofits, technical assistance and grant writing, energy education workshops, and policy advocacy for equitable clean energy access. The organization co-designs programs with community partners, braids federal, state, utility, and foundation funding into projects, and operates flagship programs such as Solarize the Land Trust, Energize the Land Trust, Batteries 101, Energize Shoreline, and the ETIPP regional technical assistance partnership.

Product overview

Spark Northwest is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3), EIN 91-2141987) operating in the Pacific Northwest, not a technology company. Its offering is a portfolio of community-based clean energy programs and policy advocacy services rather than a unified software product or platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering is the Spark Northwest Community Energy Programs, which encompasses flagship programs like Energize the Land Trust (a solar and energy-efficiency retrofit program for Proud Ground homeowners in Portland funded by PCEF) and Solarize the Land Trust (a solar program for permanently affordable housing with Homestead Community Land Trust and Proud Ground). Supporting programs include the educational Batteries 101 webinar series, the Energize Shoreline heat pump pilot, Energize King County, the ETIPP Technical Assistance Program partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Navigator Program, and the Clean Energy Ambassadors Coalition. These programs sit alongside a Policy Advocacy Program focused on Oregon and Washington legislation, annual community events including Power UP! and the Energy Activators series, and a new Energy Innovation Fund. All offerings work together to advance Spark Northwest's mission of building equitable, affordable clean energy through community programs and policy reform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Solarize the Land Trust: Program partnering with community land trusts (Homestead Community Land Trust and Proud Ground) to bring solar and energy-efficiency retrofits to permanently affordable housing in Seattle and the greater Portland area.
• Energize the Land Trust
• Batteries 101

Products and services

• Spark Northwest Community Energy Programs Portfolio of community-based clean energy programs that partner with immigrant, low-wealth, rural, and Indigenous communities in Washington and Oregon to facilitate solar installations, energy-efficiency retrofits, microgrid projects, and policy advocacy for equitable clean energy access.
• Energize the Land Trust Collaborative program bringing solar installations and whole-home energy-efficiency retrofits to Proud Ground homeowners in Portland, OR, paired with workforce development training through Northwest Native Chamber.
• Solarize the Land Trust Program partnering with community land trusts (Homestead Community Land Trust and Proud Ground) to bring solar and energy-efficiency retrofits to permanently affordable housing in Seattle and Portland. Each system can save homeowners up to $400 per year and eliminate up to 3,000 lbs of CO2 annually.
• Batteries 101 Educational webinar and info session program in partnership with Puget Sound Energy to educate residential customers about the PSE Flex Batteries Program and residential battery storage.
• ETIPP Technical Assistance Program Regional partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP) supporting coastal, remote, and island communities seeking to improve energy resilience, including hands-on mock-roof solar installation workshops at Northwest Indian College.
• Energize Shoreline Ductless heat pump pilot program with the City of Shoreline providing fully and partially subsidized heat pump installations for low-income residents, in partnership with Gensco and local installer partners.
• Energy Navigator Program Provides 10-40 hours of free tailored support to local eligible entities seeking to make progress on their energy priorities, offered with rolling deadline and intake form.
• Policy Advocacy Program Policy advocacy work spanning Oregon and Washington with active campaigns supporting community microgrid legislation, Clean Energy Ambassadors program, weatherization and cooling legislation, and shifting utility regulation. Engages with coalitions including Making Energy Work, Building Resilience Coalition, and Shift Zero.
• Clean Energy Ambassadors Coalition Statewide coalition in Washington co-led by Spark Northwest advocating for the inclusion of community-based Clean Energy Ambassadors who provide education, outreach, community engagement, and case management to support communities' clean energy goals.
• Energy Innovation Fund New initiative that seeds clean energy justice projects across the Pacific Northwest, including for low-income families living in apartments and in places like the Yakima Valley, supported by Ren Che Foundation and donor matching.
• Power UP! Annual Fundraiser Annual community-powered energy celebration held each fall in Seattle gathering clean energy supporters, community leaders, with food, drinks, music, and stories from the energy justice movement.
• Energy Activators Event Series Series of interactive in-person and digital gatherings to explore the intersection of community-led clean energy, health, and economic empowerment, limited to 30 spots per session.

Quantifiable outcome

• Facilitated installation of over 2 megawatts of clean energy
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Puget Sound Energy (PSE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpark Northwest helps PSE educate residential customers about the PSE Flex Batteries Program through Batteries 101 info sessions and webinars. PSE's Green Power Program also funded the 50 kW Lummi Nation School solar project. Spark Northwest is a long-standing utility partner in the region.
• Sustainable NorthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-convener of the Making Energy Work coalition that drove Oregon House Bills 2065 and 2066 — described as a "first in nation" pathway for community-owned microgrids.
• Shift Zero AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolicy Manager John Seng was appointed to the Shift Zero Alliance steering committee. Most of Spark Northwest's healthy homes policy work takes place within the Shift Zero Weatherization Workgroup.
• Front and CenteredcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-partner with Spark Northwest and Seattle City Light on the 2022 53 kW rooftop solar installation at Asian Counseling & Referral Service in Seattle's Mt. Baker neighborhood.
• Proud GroundflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest Community Land Trust in the Pacific Northwest; Spark Northwest partners with Proud Ground on the Solarize the Land Trust and Energize the Land Trust programs, installing solar on permanently affordable homes in Portland. Funded by Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund.
• Homestead Community Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal partner for the 2019 Solarize the Land Trust program in Seattle; co-developed a new whole-home electrification pilot program.
• Northwest Native ChambercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides contractor and workforce development training as part of the Energize the Land Trust program; delivers Building Analyst Training Program for individuals and small businesses in Native and Tribal communities.
• U.S. Department of Energy (ETIPP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpark Northwest is a regional partner of DOE's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP), supporting coastal, remote, and island communities with clean energy technical assistance. Recent cohorts include Swinomish, Port Orford, Nez Perce, and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. DOE also awarded Spark Northwest a $200,000 Prize.
• Remote EnergycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLongtime partner on Tribal solar education training; co-delivered 2-day mock-roof solar install workshops at Northwest Indian College with Port Gamble S'Klallam and Nooksack Tribes; led Tulalip Tribes solar education training.
• Säzän GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSubcontractor that worked with Toppenish School District and Commerce's Technical Assistance program on the Valley View Elementary microgrid feasibility study.
• Dynamic Solar & Electric NW CorpminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSolar installer for the 256-panel Habitat for Humanity Yakima project.
• Lhaq'temish FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribally chartered nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that fiscally sponsored the 50 kW Lummi Nation School solar project.
• Solar for AllcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-partner on the Solarize the Land Trust program in the greater Portland area, helping income-qualified community land trust homeowners make the shift to clean energy.
• Washington State Department of CommerceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided Energy Resilience Technical Assistance Program support to Toppenish School District; $1.7 million clean energy grant and additional grants totaling over $1 million for LED lighting. Also published a feature article on Valley View Elementary as a resilience hub.
• Northwest Indian CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted 2-day mock-roof solar install workshops in summer 2024 and June 2025 with Port Gamble S'Klallam, Nooksack, and Lummi Nation; supports Indigenous workforce development.
• Indigenous CollaborationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFacilitated the 3-day energy planning workshop for the Nooksack Indian Tribe in early 2024.
• GenscominorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered with the City of Shoreline Energize Shoreline ductless heat pump pilot program.
• Building Resilience CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpark Northwest is a member of the Building Resilience Coalition, which champions Oregon SB 88 (Get the Junk Out of Rates) and Rental Home Heat Pump Program advocacy.
• Clean Energy Ambassadors CoalitionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpark Northwest co-leads this statewide coalition of place-based and nonprofit organizations advocating for community-based energy experts in Washington; achieved $3M in 2024 budget for the Clean Energy Ambassador program.
• Hawaii State Energy OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMet with Spark Northwest's Clean Energy Ambassadors coalition to share learnings from Hawaii's Clean Energy Wayfinders program.
• King CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Spark Northwest on the Energize King County heat pump campaign and provided low-income seniors access to high-efficiency heat pumps.
• MZ SolarminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHelped Toppenish School District through the grant application process for Valley View Elementary microgrid.
• Coalition of Communities of ColorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-convener of the Building Our Power event in Eugene with the Oregon Department of Energy.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves1 record

Direct peers

• Sustainable Northwest: Pacific Northwest nonprofit that co-convenes the Making Energy Work coalition with Spark Northwest, co-drove Oregon HB 2065/2066, and runs overlapping community energy, forestry, and rural resilience programs across Oregon and Washington.
• Groundswell: National 501(c)(3) that builds community-owned solar projects for low-to-moderate income households, sharing the community-solar-on-affordable-housing model that Spark Northwest deploys through Solarize the Land Trust.
• GRID Alternatives: National nonprofit delivering no-cost rooftop solar to low-income households and workforce training; directly comparable in mission, volunteer-driven installation model, and community-based energy justice orientation.
• Vote Solar: State and federal policy advocacy nonprofit advancing equitable solar and distributed energy policy; overlaps with Spark Northwest's policy work in Olympia, Salem, and on ETIPP-related federal issues.
• Front and Centered: Washington statewide coalition of communities of color advancing climate and clean-energy justice; partnered with Spark Northwest on the ACRS 53 kW rooftop solar project and aligned on equitable clean-energy policy.
• Coalition of Communities of Color: Oregon-based coalition advancing racial justice; co-convener with Spark Northwest and the Oregon Department of Energy of the Building Our Power event and aligned on equitable energy program design.
• Northwest Energy Coalition: Regional clean-energy policy and equity coalition in the Pacific Northwest; awarded Spark Northwest's Policy Manager an Emerging Clean Energy Leader Award and works alongside on Washington and Oregon legislative campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• Energy Trust of Oregon: Statewide nonprofit utility administrator that runs the Solar within Reach program and Solar Ambassador pilot that inspired Spark Northwest's Clean Energy Ambassadors coalition; established institutional funder and program operator in Oregon.
• National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation nonprofit with significant regional Pacific Northwest clean-energy and climate-resilience programming; operates at a much larger scale but overlaps on policy advocacy and partnership networks.

Others

• Bullitt Foundation: Seattle-based environmental philanthropy that has funded Spark Northwest's Tribal Energy Planning guidebook; a major PNW funder in the same issue space and relevant ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SparkNorthwest
• Facebookfacebook.com/SparkNorthwest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sparknorthwest

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spark Northwest