Re-volv
RE-volv is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides zero-down solar financing to community-serving nonprofit organizations via its revolving Solar Seed Fund, supplemented by a volunteer Solar Ambassador Program, Direct Pay financing, and specialized BIPOC houses of worship initiatives across 20 U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Re-volv does
RE-volv is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2011 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The organization provides zero-down solar photovoltaic (PV) installations to community-serving nonprofit organizations across the United States, including houses of worship, animal shelters, community centers, and educational institutions. As of its most recent disclosed impact metrics, RE-volv has completed 137 nonprofit solar projects totaling 5.9 MW of contracted capacity across 20 states, with $46 million in cumulative electricity savings generated for nonprofit beneficiaries and 311 million pounds of CO2 emissions avoided.
The company's core technology and business architecture centers on the Solar Seed Fund, a revolving fund financing model in which donor contributions and recoverable grants are deployed to finance solar installations for nonprofits at zero upfront cost. As nonprofits repay the financing from their realized electricity savings, the repayments are recycled back into the fund to finance additional projects, creating a self-sustaining capital cycle. RE-volv complements this financing platform with a volunteer Solar Ambassador Program (400 ambassadors trained) that provides grassroots project origination and community education, plus specialized programs such as Solar for BIPOC Houses of Worship and a Direct Pay Solar Program. Revenue mechanics consist of tax-deductible donations, recoverable grants from individual and institutional investors, and solar loan repayments from nonprofit customers.
RE-volv's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on university-based Solar Ambassador teams, direct nonprofit outreach via website applications, and annual awareness campaigns such as Solar Education Week. The organization distributes through direct sales to enterprise-segment nonprofit customers, with a complementary home-solar referral arrangement via EnergySage for residential consumers. Pricing for nonprofit customers is structured as multi-year contracts tied to electricity savings, while donor contributions are solicited on a tiered basis (monthly gifts ranging from $10 to $1,000). The organization has raised a disclosed $10 million "Solar For All" investment round (2021) to scale the Solar Seed Fund.
Re-volv firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Re-volv
- Legal name
- RE-volv
- Website
- https://re-volv.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- RE-volv is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides zero-down solar financing to community-serving nonprofit organizations via its revolving Solar Seed Fund, supplemented by a volunteer Solar Ambassador Program, Direct Pay financing, and specialized BIPOC houses of worship initiatives across 20 U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Re-volv industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Solar Financing Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- akta.pro primary industry
- DER Financing, Leasing & Billing Platforms (TPO, PPA, On-Bill) (EUAMAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ), Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD)
Keywords
Where Re-volv is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Re-volv business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Solar Seed Fund Repayments: Nonprofits receiving solar installations make payments back to RE-volv as they save on electricity costs. These repayments are reinvested into the Solar Seed Fund to finance additional nonprofit solar projects, creating a self-sustaining revolving fund model.
- Donations and Recoverable Grants: Individual donors and investors contribute tax-deductible donations to the Solar Seed Fund, which supports nonprofit solar projects. Recoverable grants allow donors to receive their contribution back over time while supporting solar deployment.
- Partnership Referrals (EnergySage): RE-volv partners with EnergySage to provide home solar resources, generating referral-based engagement for residential solar education content.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Zero-Down Nonprofit Solar Financing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Re-volv product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Re-volv provides zero-down solar photovoltaic (PV) installation financing to community-serving 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations through its Solar Seed Fund, a revolving fund where repayments from nonprofits are continuously reinvested into new solar projects. The organization also delivers end-to-end solar project development support, a volunteer Solar Ambassador training program, and educational resources such as Solar Education Week, targeting houses of worship, community centers, and social service nonprofits across the United States.
Product overview
RE-volv is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a unified platform focused on accelerating equitable clean energy transition through solar deployment for nonprofit organizations. The core offering centers on the Solar Seed Fund — an innovative revolving financing model that enables nonprofits to receive zero-down solar installations, with repayments reinvested into new projects. This is complemented by the Solar Ambassador Program (a volunteer fellowship for community solar advocacy), comprehensive Education Center resources, and specialized programs like Solar for BIPOC Houses of Worship. RE-volv provides end-to-end services including project development support, financing, and community education, creating a complete ecosystem for nonprofit solar adoption and clean energy advocacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Solar Seed Fund: The revolving fund financing model that helps nonprofits go solar - as nonprofits pay back their financing, the money is reinvested into more solar projects
Products and services
- Solar Seed Fund Innovative revolving fund financing model that provides zero-down solar PV installations to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations; nonprofits repay Re-volv from their electricity savings, and the repayments are reinvested into additional community solar projects.
- Nonprofit Solar Project Development End-to-end solar project development service that guides community-serving nonprofits from initial assessment through design, installation, and zero-down financing using the Solar Seed Fund.
- Solar for BIPOC Houses of Worship Specialized program delivering zero-down solar PV financing and project development support to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-owned or led houses of worship.
- Direct Pay Solar Program Direct payment financing option for nonprofits to access solar energy with zero upfront costs, leveraging federal tax credit direct-pay provisions for tax-exempt entities.
- Solar Ambassador Program Volunteer fellowship program that trains college students and community members to spearhead nonprofit solar projects using Re-volv's financing model, covering solar energy, finance, policy, technology, engagement, and communications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nonprofits save an average of 15-30% on electricity bills after solar installation
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Re-volv
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Re-volv technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Re-volv partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- EnergySageminorRE-volv partners with EnergySage to provide home solar resources and education. EnergySage provides a marketplace and solar calculator to help homeowners compare solar quotes, while RE-volv maintains focus on nonprofit solar financing.
- Wall Street JournalminorRE-volv has been featured in the Wall Street Journal for their work helping churches and nonprofits go solar.
- Rolling StoneminorRE-volv was featured in Rolling Stone as part of their coverage of community leaders and innovators making climate equity possible.
- ForbesminorRE-volv has been featured in Forbes for their Earth Day initiatives and climate action work.
- Capital Partners Solar ProjectminorMulti-university collaboration (referenced via American University partnership) where RE-volv Solar Ambassador teams have helped facilitate solar projects through university sustainability offices.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Re-volv competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GRID Alternatives: National 501(c)(3) nonprofit that installs no-cost solar for low-income communities and nonprofits. Most directly comparable in mission, customer base (mission-driven organizations and underserved communities), and use of volunteer-driven solar installation models.
- Solar United Neighbors: 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps communities and nonprofits organize group-buy solar projects. Comparable in nonprofit mission, community-led organizing model, and education-driven customer acquisition.
- Footprint Project: Nonprofit deploying mobile solar and battery systems to community-serving organizations and disaster relief efforts. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit using innovative solar models to serve mission-driven organizations.
Emerging players
- Mosaic: Solar financing platform offering loans and PPA-style products to homeowners and businesses. Comparable in providing democratized solar financing, though Mosaic is for-profit and focuses on residential rather than nonprofits.
- PosiGen: Residential solar and energy efficiency provider serving moderate- and low-income households with a lease/PPA model. Comparable in mission-driven focus on customers excluded from conventional solar financing, though oriented to residential rather than nonprofit customers.
- Arcadia: Clean energy data and access platform connecting households and organizations to community solar, wind, and bill credits. Comparable in democratizing access to distributed renewables for mission-aligned customers.
- Sunlight Financial: Solar loan and financing platform for residential installations. Comparable as a solar financing intermediary connecting capital providers with end customers, though focused on the residential mortgage/loan channel.
Broad incumbents
- Generate Capital: Infrastructure financing platform for distributed clean energy, including community solar and resilience projects. Comparable in financing distributed solar at scale, though Generate is a much larger, for-profit institutional financier.
- Sunrun: Largest US residential solar lease/PPA provider. Comparable as a solar financing platform serving non-commercial customers, though Sunrun is a public, for-profit incumbent operating at vastly greater scale.
Others
- EnergySage: Solar marketplace and education platform for residential solar. Directly comparable as a distribution and education channel; EnergySage is also RE-volv's actual referral partner for residential inquiries.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Re-volv social profiles
Digital presenceRe-volv compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Re-volv financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Re-volv leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Re-volv funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Re-volv 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 Re-volv
What does Re-volv do?
Re-volv provides zero-down solar photovoltaic (PV) installation financing to community-serving 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations through its Solar Seed Fund, a revolving fund where repayments from nonprofits are continuously reinvested into new solar projects. The organization also delivers end-to-end solar project development support, a volunteer Solar Ambassador training program, and educational resources such as Solar Education Week, targeting houses of worship, community centers, and social service nonprofits across the United States.
Is Re-volv a public or private company?
Re-volv is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Re-volv founded?
Re-volv was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Re-volv based?
Re-volv is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Re-volv make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Solar Seed Fund Repayments are the primary driver. The others are donations and Recoverable Grants and partnership Referrals (EnergySage).
Who are Re-volv's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GRID Alternatives, Solar United Neighbors and Footprint Project. Emerging players are Mosaic, PosiGen, Arcadia and Sunlight Financial. Broad incumbents are Generate Capital and Sunrun. EnergySage is listed as an others.
Does Re-volv have an API?
No public API is recorded for Re-volv.
What industry is Re-volv in?
Re-volv's product category is Nonprofit Solar Financing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMAJAJ, DER Financing, Leasing & Billing Platforms (TPO, PPA, On-Bill), with a secondary code of EUAMABAJ, Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization). Its NAICS code is 81321.