Groundswell, Inc.

Introducing The Groundswell Way — a new podcast from Groundswell What does it truly take to build wholistic community resilience? In this new series, author, theologian, and Groundswell SVP host Matthew Wesley Williams explores how local communities across the Heartland, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast are cutting energy bills in half and co-creating the conditions that strengthen everyday resilience, while also providing trusted refuge when storms arise. Join us as we discuss community development for wholistic resilience, efforts that are people-powered, place-based, and grounded in shared values. Listen to the trailer and follow the podcast: https://lnkd.in/gByfNNQ8

ERI's IRFH-lings are out of this world! 🛸 IRFH — which stands for Indiana Resilience Funding Hub — is jointly administered by ERI and the Center for Rural Engagement. IRFH helps Hoosier local governments, community-based organizations, and small businesses pursue grant funding for climate, energy, and resilience projects. This summer, the IRFH-lings, a group of three McKinney Climate Fellows, have been busy creating outreach materials for public libraries that are being equipped with solar and storage systems to meet critical needs during power outages through Solar Opportunities Indiana. The IRFH team also participated in grant outreach to both potential and active partners across the state, connecting with organizations like the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission and Town of Spencer on new grant opportunities. Thank you, IRFH-lings, for helping us earthlings! 💚

“People are at the heart of this work,” shared one of our Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI) fellows after a summer supporting community resilience work across Indiana. The Institute equips emerging leaders with the tools, training, and real-world experience to help communities prepare for and respond to extreme weather. Learn more about ERI and how the program is empowering local leaders: https://lnkd.in/gxeVYsrk

As I've said before many times and on many occasions, people pay bills, not rates. Repairing rural housing is an investment in affordable energy infrastructure for everyone. To do it, we need to #RepealTheComplexityTax. To do it the right way, Southeastern states need to freeze residential electricity rates (as Georgia has) to chart a specific and time-bound pathway for how to keep growing and keep the lights on without breaking people’s backs. https://lnkd.in/eDW7rUnV

100+ families. $1M+ in home upgrades. One powerful truth: Everyone deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported in their own home. Through SOUL, we’re walking alongside seniors and hardworking families, reducing energy bills, fixing safety hazards, and restoring peace of mind. This is more than efficiency. It’s dignity. It’s resilience. And it’s only the beginning. 🔗  Explore how we’re honoring our neighbors and building lasting impact: groundswell.org/soul

People pay bills, not rates. Here are three ways we can keep growing and keep the lights on without breaking people’s backs with high electricity bills. https://lnkd.in/gnty733X

☀️ 🌿 Community Resilience Hubs were completely unknown to me until I interviewed for the McKinney Climate Fellowship. Through my internship, I was introduced to Resilience Hubs: trusted, community-run spaces that serve not only during emergencies but also throughout the year, providing resources, and services. Coming from Kerala, where floods and landslides have become increasingly common, I have witnessed firsthand how schools, libraries, religious centers, and even people's homes transform into trusted shelters during crises, and these spaces became informal resilience hubs when it was needed the most. Thus, making this internship focused on Resilience Hubs deeply personal. I have been fortunate to work with IU Environmental Resilience Institute in partnership with Groundswell, Inc., a nonprofit that focuses on building community power and clean energy. They are collectively working on implementing solar energy and battery backup systems for organizations that are already providing a multitude of services to the local community, these include community centers, churches, and libraries. Being part of this rural Indiana focused collaboration and making contributions toward it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. A highlight of the internship was learning about Groundswell’s research-oriented, community-centered approach, right from selecting hub locations to final implementation. What stood out to me the most were the insights shared by Tiffani Lawson and Aryana Sutton during one of our in-person trainings on community engagement by Groundswell. They emphasized that we should learn from people's trauma and introduced us to how their work is grounded in both people-centered and trauma-informed principles. It taught me how truly transformative it is when communities are not only heard but trusted to lead. This internship also helped me discover how I could contribute meaningfully. I was proud to apply my research and analytical skills to extract and analyze power outage data across Indiana, helping identify regions that are most affected and can be used to determine potential hub locations. I worked on the mapping team to compile local resource networks for the Resilience Hubs. I designed and developed a mapping protocol for the service area and community mapping of the hubs, and also curated a list of local solar energy providers and installers throughout the state. As the fellowship comes to an end, I realize that my work at ERI was not just about sustainability and climate resilience; it was a journey of self-discovery, purpose, and realization of how local action can make lasting impacts. Finally, a big thanks to CHRItters and IRFHlings and everyone at ERI for making this a wonderful experience. ☀️ 🌿

Last Call: Up to $50K in Energy Development Support! The ETIPP application deadline is July 27, don’t miss your chance to partner with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Groundswell to advance your community’s energy future. Eligible communities can receive up to $50K in technical assistance to tackle local energy challenges and build long-term resilience. Act now, this opportunity won’t come again this cycle. Learn more & apply: https://lnkd.in/gvXTC_BZ Be sure to list John Roberts (john.roberts@groundswell.org) as your Regional Partner contact.

57 Communities. One Goal: Local Energy Resilience. From microgrids in Nags Head, NC to vessel electrification in Alaska, ETIPP has already helped 57 communities take control of their energy future. Now it’s your turn. Apply by July 27 to receive up to $50K in technical assistance to strengthen resilience, reduce energy costs, tailored to your community’s needs. Learn more & apply: https://lnkd.in/gvXTC_BZ List John Roberts (john.roberts@groundswell.org) as your Regional Partner in the application.

Coastal & Island Communities: Ready to Build Resilience? ETIPP is now accepting applications through July 27 for up to $50K in technical assistance to help you strengthen energy resilience, lower costs, and achieve your energy goals. If you're a local government, Tribal organization, community-based nonprofit, academic institution, municipal utility, or electric co-op facing energy challenges, this program is for you. Eligible communities must be located in an ETIPP-supported region. Groundswell and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will provide expert guidance tailored to your community’s needs. Learn more & apply: https://lnkd.in/gvXTC_BZ List John Roberts (john.roberts@groundswell.org) as your Regional Partner contact in your application.