What The Community Climate Collaborative does

The Community Climate Collaborative (C3) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit climate action organization founded in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, originally as the Charlottesville Climate Collaborative. It expanded to Richmond in 2023 and now operates across Central Virginia, serving four primary stakeholder groups: local governments, businesses, residents, and youth. The organization delivers a portfolio of free programs rather than a unified software product. Its flagship offerings include the Energy Resource Hub (a digital platform launched in February 2025 that connects homeowners, renters, and businesses with government rebates and incentives, co-built with Albemarle County, the City of Charlottesville, and LEAP), the Green Business Alliance (a 25-member corporate sustainability membership program that has driven 6,850 metric tons of CO2 reductions and 34% greenhouse gas cuts among founding members in two years), Energy Efficiency Grants (awards up to $5,000 per small business or nonprofit, with a 2026 relaunch totaling over $100,000), an HVAC + Solar Business Cohort, and youth engagement programs including the Green Teen Alliance and Climate Film Challenge. C3 also developed the Solar Climate Justice Scorecard, an open-source utility-scale solar evaluation tool cited by the Massachusetts Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

C3 does not develop proprietary AI or ML technology, and no AI capabilities are evidenced in the source data. The Energy Resource Hub is the most technology-intensive asset, functioning as a self-serve digital front door for rebate navigation and consultation scheduling. The organization's research and advocacy outputs include an Alternative Fuels Study for Charlottesville Area Transit (conducted with Kimley-Horn), a zoning reform coalition role (Homes for All Our Neighbors), and data center regulation work in Albemarle County.

C3's business model is nonprofit, with three documented revenue streams: individual donations (tax-deductible, including a recurring monthly donor program and 1% for the Planet membership), foundation and government grants (notably a $250,000 Coalition for Green Capital Municipal Investment Fund grant for Richmond, plus support from the Anonymous Foundation, City of Charlottesville Economic Development, and Albemarle County), and corporate sponsorship/membership fees via the Green Business Alliance. All community-facing services are free. The go-to-market is community-led grassroots organizing combined with direct municipal partnership, earned media (NBC29 Community Conversations, VPM NPR, CBS 19, Charlottesville Tomorrow), and coalition building across civic, business, youth, and nonprofit sectors. C3 has seven named management staff and is headquartered at 232 East High Street, Charlottesville, VA.

Name

The Community Climate Collaborative

Legal name

Community Climate Collaborative

Website

https://theclimatecollaborative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Community Climate Collaborative (C3) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that delivers free climate programs across Central Virginia, serving local governments, businesses, residents, and youth through initiatives like the Energy Resource Hub, Green Business Alliance, and energy efficiency grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: C3 receives tax-deductible donations from individuals who support climate action. The organization offers monthly donation options with perks from local businesses for recurring donors of $50+/month. The organization is a member of 1% for the Planet.
2. Foundation and Government Grants: C3 receives grant funding from foundations and government entities including the Coalition for Green Capital's Municipal Investment Fund ($250,000 grant), and has received grants from entities like the Anonymous Foundation, City of Charlottesville Economic Development, and Albemarle County.
3. Corporate Sponsorships (Green Business Alliance): C3 generates revenue through membership/sponsorship fees from businesses participating in the Green Business Alliance, where businesses commit to emissions reduction goals and receive coaching, data-crunching support, and sustainability consulting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

C3 is a community-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers cross-sector climate action programs free of charge to residents, businesses, local governments, youth, and nonprofit partners in Central Virginia. Its core offerings include the Green Business Alliance membership program for corporate emissions reduction, the Energy Efficiency Grants program (up to $5,000 per small business), free energy consultations and technical assistance, the HVAC + Solar Business Cohort, youth programs, and the Energy Resource Hub digital platform connecting community members to government rebates and incentives.

Product overview

C3 operates as a community-focused nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of climate action programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include: the Energy Resource Hub (a customer-facing platform for energy consultation and rebate navigation), the Green Business Alliance (corporate sustainability membership program), Energy Efficiency Grants (financial assistance for businesses), HVAC + Solar Business Cohort (technical assistance with mini-grants), and Youth Programs. C3 also provides free energy assessments, policy advocacy for zoning and transit, and publishes research through the Solar Climate Justice Scorecard. Programs serve the Charlottesville and Richmond areas in Virginia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Green Business Alliance (GBA) Membership program for businesses in Charlottesville and Richmond committed to managing energy use and reducing emissions. Members set a goal to reduce emissions by at least 30% in five years and receive coaching, data-crunching support, and sustainability certification. Founding members achieved 34% greenhouse gas reductions in two years, and the alliance has reduced 6,850 metric tons of carbon emissions cumulatively.
• Energy Efficiency Grants Program Grant program providing awards up to $5,000 for small businesses and nonprofits to implement energy-saving upgrades including insulation, LED lighting, HVAC, smart thermostats, and appliances. Eligible projects can stack Dominion Energy Small Business Improvement Program rebates, with combined awards covering up to 80% of upgrade costs for eligible measures.
• Energy Resource Hub Customer-facing online platform and consultation service that connects homeowners, renters, and businesses with personalized guidance on government rebates and incentives for heat pumps, insulation, solar, EV purchases, and energy efficiency upgrades. Provided in partnership with Albemarle County, City of Charlottesville, and Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP).
• Free Energy Consultations No-cost energy consultations provided by C3's energy experts who help identify the best ways to reduce power and gas bills for homeowners, renters, and businesses.
• HVAC + Solar Business Cohort Program combining one-on-one technical assistance with mini-grant funding for businesses to upgrade HVAC systems and install solar, including guidance on equipment planning and financial strategies.
• Youth Programs Programs engaging youth in climate action including climate action kits delivered to elementary schools, teen internships, Green Teen Alliance, and the annual Climate Film Challenge in partnership with Light House Studio.
• Solar Climate Justice Scorecard Open-source evaluation tool for assessing utility-scale solar projects through a climate and social justice lens, used by the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and cited by the Massachusetts Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Quantifiable outcome

• 34% greenhouse gas reductions achieved by founding Green Business Alliance members in just two years
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025LEAP is a key implementation partner for the Energy Resource Hub, working with C3, Albemarle County, and the City of Charlottesville to provide energy assessments and connect community members with efficiency programs. LEAP has been a long-standing partner providing technical expertise in energy efficiency.
• City of CharlottesvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC3 partners with the City of Charlottesville on multiple initiatives including the Energy Resource Hub, Green Business Alliance, climate action planning, and municipal sustainability programs. The City's Office of Sustainability collaborates closely with C3 on energy efficiency programs.
• Albemarle CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlbemarle County partners with C3 on the Energy Resource Hub, climate action funding ($300,000 allocated following C3 advocacy), solar ordinances, and data center regulations.
• City of Richmond Office of SustainabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC3 has expanded to Richmond and partners with the City of Richmond's Office of Sustainability on energy efficiency programs, Communities LEAP project, and the Municipal Investment Fund grant. C3 advocated for and helped establish Richmond's new energy efficiency program.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)coreTechnology or IntegrationNREL collaborates with C3 and the City of Richmond Office of Sustainability on the Communities LEAP (Local Energy Action Program) project, providing technical expertise for commercial building energy assessments.
• Homes for All Our NeighborscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC3 is a member of the Homes for All Our Neighbors coalition, a group of organizations fighting for equitable zoning reform in Richmond's Code Refresh process.
• Light House StudiosecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerC3 partnered with Light House Studio to create films and animations bringing awareness to climate change. The partnership launched an annual Climate Film Challenge for students and produced documentaries on topics like methane leaks and the Tenaska gas plant fight.
• Beck CohenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal sponsor that provided over 50% discount on heat pump installations for Energy Efficiency Grant recipients, supporting small business sustainability upgrades.
• City of Charlottesville Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner supporting Energy Efficiency Grants and the Better Business Challenge program for local businesses.
• Albemarle County Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner supporting energy efficiency and climate programs in the county.
• Community Investment CollaborativesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting small business development and Energy Efficiency Grants program.
• Charlottesville Regional Chamber of CommercesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber partner supporting business engagement in climate and sustainability programs.
• Dominion EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUtility partner whose Small Business Improvement Program rebates can be stacked with C3's Energy Efficiency Grants (combined awards up to 80% of upgrade costs for eligible measures).
• Kimley-HornsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting firm that conducted the Alternative Fuels Study for Charlottesville Area Transit, analyzing bus fuel options including CNG, battery electric, and hydrogen.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Solstice Initiative: Nonprofit focused on expanding equitable access to community solar and clean energy through state policy advocacy, community organizing, and program implementation. Highly comparable to C3's Solar Climate Justice Scorecard work and small-business solar cohort.
• Climate Neutral: Nonprofit certification and program operator that helps brands and businesses measure, reduce, and offset their carbon emissions. Closest analog to C3's Green Business Alliance in the business-emissions-engagement space, though more certification-driven than community-organizing-driven.
• Groundswell: Atlanta-based nonprofit building community-led clean energy programs, community solar, and energy equity initiatives. Operates the same community-organizing-meets-energy-efficiency model as C3, with comparable programmatic scope (residential, small business, local government).
• Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP): Virginia-based nonprofit providing free energy assessments, weatherization, and efficiency retrofits for low-income households. LEAP is a literal implementation partner of C3 on the Energy Resource Hub and serves the same Charlottesville/Albemarle region, making it the closest functional peer.

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Federation: Large national environmental nonprofit focused on conservation and climate action with significant advocacy capacity and policy engagement. Functions as an ecosystem peer: comparable mission orientation but vastly broader scope and resources than C3's community-implementation model.
• Sierra Club: One of the largest and oldest U.S. environmental advocacy organizations with active Virginia and Atlantic chapters doing climate, energy, and conservation campaigns. Operates in the same broad advocacy space as C3 but at national scale rather than community-implementation depth.

Others

• Virginia Conservation Network: Statewide coalition of 90+ environmental organizations in Virginia providing policy coordination, advocacy, and capacity-building. Functions as an umbrella/convener in the same policy space where C3 operates, making it an ecosystem peer rather than direct competitor.
• Coalition for Green Capital: National nonprofit that designs and deploys green-capital financing mechanisms for municipalities. Awarded C3's partner city of Richmond a $250K grant; comparable as a climate-finance intermediary supporting community-level climate investment.

Regional players

• Appalachian Voices: Regional environmental advocacy nonprofit operating across Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and West Virginia with a similar mix of community organizing, energy policy advocacy, and renewable energy promotion — relevant to C3's Virginia footprint and broader Appalachian-region climate work.
• ReImagine Appalachia: Regional coalition advocating for an equitable, sustainable economy across Appalachia, including clean energy deployment and just transition policies. Comparable to C3 in its community-led policy-advocacy orientation focused on the same geographic band.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/c3climate
• Facebookfacebook.com/c3climate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 The Community Climate Collaborative