Together New Orleans

What Together New Orleans does

Together New Orleans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organizing coalition founded in July 2021 and headquartered at 2721 S. Broad St. in New Orleans, Louisiana. It operates as the New Orleans chapter of the Together Louisiana statewide network, which comprises more than 250 congregations, unions, neighborhood associations, and civic institutions. The organization's core product is the Community Lighthouse network—commercial-scale solar-plus-storage resilience hubs installed at churches and community institutions, using Canadian Solar 405W panels, Unirac racking, Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries, and SPAN load control panels. As of 2026, 18 Community Lighthouses are operational with 86 planned across New Orleans to ensure every resident lives within a 15-minute walk of one; the network owns approximately 1.7 MWh of battery storage and generated 278,000+ kWh year-to-date 2026. The organization also designed the $30 million Neighborhood Power Plan, a virtual power plant program approved by the New Orleans City Council in December 2025 that installs batteries at approximately 1,500 homes and 150-250 community institutions, managed through EnergyHub software.

The business model is nonprofit grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding sources include philanthropic foundations (Greater New Orleans Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Direct Relief, Episcopal Relief and Development), federal earmarks ($3.8M secured by Rep. Troy Carter), municipal appropriations ($2M from City of New Orleans), multi-parish government commitments, and the $30M Entergy New Orleans settlement. Programs are provided at no cost to participating institutions or residents. Distribution occurs through member institution networks and approved solar installation contractors such as Solar Alternatives. Supporting offerings include Civic Academies for civic education, Community Solar for renter/low-income solar access, and the TNO Weekly News newsletter. The organization is led by Board President Sonya Norsworthy, Lead Organizer Broderick Bagert, and Organizer Nathalie Jordi.

Name

Together New Orleans

Legal name

Together New Orleans

Website

https://togethernola.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Together New Orleans is a nonprofit community organizing coalition that builds solar-plus-storage resilience hubs (Community Lighthouses) at congregations and institutions, manages a $30M residential virtual power plant program, and serves New Orleans residents and low-income households across 250+ member organizations statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Disaster Resilience Infrastructure

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Electric & Other Services Combined (4931)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Microgrids & Shared Distributed Generation (EUACALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Resilience & Backup Power Solutions (Critical Facilities, Islanding) (EUAMAJAK), Distributed Storage (Behind-the-Meter Batteries) (EUAMAJAE), Demand Response & Load Flexibility Services (EUAMAJAF), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community organizing
• Disaster resilience infrastructure
• Solar battery microgrids
• Virtual power plant
• Civic policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Together New Orleans operates as a nonprofit coalition that raises funds through grants from foundations (Greater New Orleans Foundation, Kresge Foundation), government appropriations (federal, city, parish), and philanthropic donations. Funding supports Community Lighthouse installation and operational costs.
2. Settlement Funded Programs: The $30 million Neighborhood Power Plan is funded through Entergy settlement dollars from a nuclear plant mismanagement case, not rate increases. This funds battery incentive programs for residents and community institutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Together New Orleans is a nonprofit community-organizing coalition that deploys solar-plus-battery Community Lighthouse resilience hubs at congregations and community institutions across New Orleans to provide backup power and emergency services during grid outages. The organization also drives policy advocacy through its People's Platform agenda and operates the Neighborhood Power Plan virtual power plant program that distributes battery incentives to 1,500 homes and 150-250 community institutions via $30 million in Entergy settlement funds. Programs are delivered free of charge and funded through philanthropic grants, government appropriations, and settlement dollars.

Product overview

Together New Orleans operates as a community organizing coalition offering a portfolio of programs centered on energy resilience and civic empowerment. The core products are the Community Lighthouse network (solar-plus-battery resilience hubs at churches and community institutions) and the Neighborhood Power Plan virtual power plant program. Supporting offerings include Civic Academies for civic education, Community Solar initiatives for broader solar access, and the TNO Weekly News newsletter. The organization does not offer a traditional SaaS or technology product; its offerings are community programs, physical infrastructure initiatives, and advocacy campaigns rather than software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Community Lighthouse: A network of solar-powered community resilience hubs providing backup power and emergency services during outages
• Neighborhood Power Plan
• People's Platform
• Civic Academy Series

Quantifiable outcome

• 86 Community Lighthouses planned for New Orleans to cover all neighborhoods within 15-minute walk
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Entergy New OrleansminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 December 2025Local utility ordered by City Council to design and implement the $28 million battery incentive program. Initially opposed using settlement funds for the VPP but agreed to collaborate on implementation plan. EnergyHub manages distributed controls for the pilot VPP.
• Together LouisianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent network of 250+ congregations and civic organizations across Louisiana. Together New Orleans is the New Orleans chapter of this statewide coalition. Together Louisiana led the ITEP reform advocacy and coordinates the Community Lighthouse expansion across multiple parishes.
• Alliance for Affordable EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit policy advocacy organization that has been directly involved in setting up the Virtual Power Plant program. The Alliance works with Together New Orleans on utility regulatory matters and grid resilience initiatives.
• Solar AlternativescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGulf South's leading solar power and microgrid design-build firm. Designed, installed, and maintains Community Lighthouse solar systems using Canadian Solar panels, Unirac racking, and Tesla Powerwall batteries. Serves clients across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
• Louisiana Green CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development organization that trains workers for high-wage jobs in renewable energy. Students and alumni install solar panels at lighthouse sites. Provides pipeline of trained workers for ongoing installations.
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion of electrical workers providing workforce development through project labor agreements. IBEW No. 995 training facility in Baton Rouge serves as Community Lighthouse site. Hires local workers at living wages for lighthouse installations.
• 127 EnergyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject developer for Community Lighthouse, led by Pierre Moses. Assisted with securing funding and coordinating installation partnerships.
• The Batteries Included FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory organization run by Matt Candler that has served as adviser to the Community Lighthouse program and provides expertise on battery program design.
• Luminary Strategies (Arushi Sharma Frank)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEnergy consultancy founded by Arushi Sharma Frank that helped design the Neighborhood Power Plan VPP proposal in 72 hours. Provided coaching on distributed energy resources and VPP design.
• LSU School of Social WorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate Professor Jen Scott collaborated on developing Communities Organizing for Power through Empathy (COPE), a mental health intervention training for lighthouse volunteers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sunrun: Largest US residential solar installer and battery storage provider. Relevant as a broad incumbent operating in the same distributed solar+battery space, though it is a for-profit retail installer rather than a nonprofit coalition model.
• Tesla Energy: Manufactures the Powerwall battery used in every Community Lighthouse and operates its own VPP and virtual utility products. Relevant as the underlying technology provider and broad incumbent in residential battery aggregation.
• Entergy New Orleans: The regulated monopoly utility whose settlement funds underwrite the Neighborhood Power Plan and which administers the VPP program. Operates the same grid infrastructure TNO's resilience hubs are designed to back up; a critical counterparty rather than a traditional competitor.

Emerging players

• BlocPower: Climate tech company that retrofits buildings with efficient electrification and aggregates distributed energy resources in underserved communities. Comparable mission of deploying clean energy infrastructure in low-income neighborhoods but uses a for-profit tech model rather than coalition organizing.
• Vote Solar: Nonprofit dedicated to solar policy advocacy at the state and utility level. Comparable to TNO's regulatory advocacy model pushing utility commissions and city councils toward distributed solar and VPP enablement.

Direct peers

• Solar United Neighbors: Nonprofit that organizes neighbors into solar co-ops and advocates for distributed solar policy. Comparable to TNO's neighborhood organizing approach to community solar and grassroots policy advocacy at the city council level.
• GRID Alternatives: Nonprofit that installs solar for low-income households and communities through volunteer crews and workforce training. Directly comparable to TNO's Community Solar and Lighthouse programs that prioritize equitable clean energy access through community-based deployment.
• Alliance for Affordable Energy: New Orleans-based energy policy nonprofit that has directly co-developed the VPP program with TNO. Operates in the same regulatory advocacy niche focused on Entergy oversight, ratepayer protection, and equitable clean energy access.
• Interfaith Power & Light: National faith-based climate and resilience network of 40+ state affiliates mobilizing congregations on clean energy and disaster preparedness. Highly comparable to TNO's coalition model of using religious institutions as infrastructure hosts and organizing hubs for climate action.

Others

• EnergyHub: Software platform that manages distributed energy resource aggregation and VPP dispatch for utilities. Already operates the controls layer for TNO's pilot VPP and the expanded Neighborhood Power Plan; an enabling technology partner rather than a direct peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TogetherNOLA
• Facebookfacebook.com/TogetherNOLA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/together-new-orleans

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Together New Orleans