Rising Sun Energy Center

What Rising Sun Energy Center does

Rising Sun Center for Opportunity (operating as Rising Sun Energy Center) is a California-based 501(c)-style nonprofit founded in 1994 that builds career pathways at the intersection of economic equity and climate resilience in the Bay Area and Central California. Its core programs are Climate Careers® (a youth employment program operating since 2000 that trains and pays youth to deliver energy efficiency services), Green House Calls® (in-person and virtual energy and water efficiency services for households), Opportunity Build (a 10-12 week adult construction career training program certified as an Apprenticeship Readiness Program for union trades, with 12 months of job placement support), the Women Building the Bay sub-program, Appliance Upgrades, and a Policy and Advocacy function. The organization reports cumulative impact of 3,300+ youths and adults served and 66,352 homes made more climate resilient and efficient.

The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial. All beneficiary-facing services — workforce training, youth employment, and household energy assessments — are delivered free of charge. Funding flows through donations (processed via the website), 1% for the Planet membership, Annual Celebration fundraising events, and grants routed through a 22-member High Road Training Partnership coalition. Distribution is direct-to-beneficiary: in-person service delivery at homes (Green House Calls), hands-on training at the Oakland facility (Opportunity Build), and a virtual Green House Calls self-serve intake form. There are no third-party resellers, no patents, no proprietary technology disclosed, and no AI/ML capabilities in evidence. Operationally, Rising Sun runs two offices — Oakland (headquarters with training facility) and Stockton (regional office for Central California) — and is governed by a board of directors that includes program alumni.

Name

Rising Sun Energy Center

Legal name

Rising Sun Center for Opportunity

Website

https://risingsunenergy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Rising Sun Center for Opportunity is a California nonprofit founded in 1994 that trains youth, women, and individuals in reentry for high-road green careers while delivering free energy efficiency services to households across the Bay Area and Central California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar Workforce, Training & Safety Services (Installer Training, Certification, EHS) (EUAMABAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG), Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Workforce development programs
• Youth job training
• Energy efficiency services
• Construction apprenticeship training
• Nonprofit community services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic/Grant Funding: As a nonprofit organization, Rising Sun Center for Opportunity operates primarily through philanthropic donations and grant funding. The organization accepts donations through its website and is a member of 1% for the Planet.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rising Sun Center for Opportunity is a nonprofit organization that delivers free workforce development programs preparing youth, women, and individuals in reentry for high-road careers in green industries and union construction trades. Its services combine youth employment (Climate Careers) with hands-on energy and water efficiency assessments delivered to households (Green House Calls), adult construction apprenticeship readiness training (Opportunity Build, including Women Building the Bay), appliance upgrades, and equity-focused policy and advocacy work.

Product overview

Rising Sun Center for Opportunity is a nonprofit workforce development organization offering a portfolio of programs that specialize in preparing youth, women, and individuals in reentry for high-road careers in green industries. The core offerings include Climate Careers® (youth energy efficiency jobs program), Green House Calls® (energy and water efficiency services), Opportunity Build (adult construction career training), Appliance Upgrades, and Policy and Advocacy. With offices in Oakland and Stockton, these programs collectively serve to create career pathways for economic equity and climate resilience in the Bay Area and Central California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Climate Careers: Youth jobs program that employs Bay Area and Central California youth to conduct Green House Calls energy efficiency services.
• Green House Calls
• Opportunity Build
• Women Building the Bay

Products and services

• Climate Careers® A youth empowerment program operating since 2000 that employs Bay Area and Central California youth to provide energy efficiency services (Green House Calls) to households and helps youth explore careers in green industries.
• Green House Calls® Energy and water efficiency services delivered to households throughout the Greater Bay Area and Central California, conducted in-person or virtually by trained youth workers from the Climate Careers program.
• Opportunity Build Adult construction career training program certified as an Apprenticeship Readiness Program for union construction trades, offering 10-12 weeks of hands-on training at the Oakland facility followed by 12 months of one-on-one job placement and retention support.
• Appliance Upgrades Program providing energy-efficient appliance upgrades to households as part of the organization's energy efficiency services portfolio.
• Policy and Advocacy Policy efforts driving positive change at the intersection of equity, climate, and jobs, confronting root causes of poverty in the Bay Area and Central California region.
• Women Building the Bay Construction training program for women offered as part of Opportunity Build, providing hands-on construction trade skills training with union placement support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66,352 homes made more climate resilient and efficient
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• High Road Training Partnership MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRising Sun convenes 22 partners as members of a High Road Training Partnership. This collaboration supports workforce development aligned with high-road careers offering family-sustaining wages and climate resilience in the Bay Area and Central California.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GRID Alternatives: National nonprofit providing solar installation training and workforce development for underserved communities. Highly comparable to Rising Sun's Climate Careers model of training youth/workers to deliver clean energy services to households.
• Cypress Mandela Training Center: Oakland-based pre-apprenticeship construction training program serving Oakland residents for union construction careers. Closely comparable to Rising Sun's Opportunity Build program in geography, target population, and union placement focus.
• Building Skills Partnership: California-based nonprofit providing construction workforce training for low-income workers. Shares Rising Sun's focus on union construction pathways and equity-centered workforce development in California.
• Civic Works: Baltimore-based nonprofit providing workforce development, energy efficiency services, and youth employment programs. Mirrors Rising Sun's integrated model of training youth to deliver home energy efficiency services to households.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free tech workforce training with employer partnerships and job placement support. Comparable to Rising Sun in operating free training programs with extended post-graduation job placement support.
• Conservation Legacy: National conservation corps engaging youth and veterans in environmental service work. Shares Rising Sun's model of employing youth to deliver community environmental services and building career pathways.
• Juma Ventures: San Francisco-based nonprofit creating employment pathways for youth from low-income communities. Comparable to Rising Sun's Climate Careers youth employment model and focus on first-generation career outcomes.

Emerging players

• Homeboy Industries: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing workforce reentry support including construction training. Comparable to Rising Sun's Opportunity Build work serving individuals in reentry for construction trades careers.

Broad incumbents

• The Corps Network: National umbrella organization representing conservation and service corps programs. Operates in the broader youth service/workforce space that Rising Sun's Climate Careers occupies, with relevant federal funding channels and policy advocacy.

Others

• Rewiring America: National nonprofit focused on electrification policy and workforce advocacy. Adjacent to Rising Sun's Policy and Advocacy work at the intersection of climate, equity, and jobs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Rising Sun Energy Center