Mini-Grant Program Helps City Business Owners with their Energy Efficiency
As part of the 2020 Better Business Challenge, the Community Climate Collaborative is excited to once again partner with the City of Charlottesville’s Economic Development Office to offer Mini-Grants to income-qualifying business owners to implement energy savings projects (or other sustainability-focused projects). These grants are designed to enable participating City businesses to implement sustainability initiatives that both save money and reduce environmental impact in ways that may not be otherwise possible.
Last year, four local business owners received up to $500 in funds to complete energy efficiency actions through the Mini-Grant program (depending on the project).
LG’s Elixir
LG’s Elixir is a local start up selling a healthy “elixir” drink packed with immune and vitality boosting ingredients. The owner, Lesly Gourdet, received funds to purchase an Energy Star portable dishwasher, allowing staff to reuse glass bottles that customers bring in to recycle and save water by eliminating handwashing. Additionally he received funds to provide signage about the program to his customers.
Lesly wanted to “keep bottles out of the landfill and put them to use!” C3 worked with him on incentivizing customers to return their used glass bottles; in turn, he used the dishwasher to expedite the process of getting them back into use.
He advises future applicants to think about the Mini-Grant as an opportunity to give back while also growing their businesses.
Pie Guy
Keith Groomes is the owner of Pie Guy -- a popular food truck known for its yummy Australian-style savory pies. After an energy assessment from the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP), two projects were identified that could help the energy efficiency of his commercial kitchen space on East Jefferson Street.
First, the inefficient overhead fluorescent lighting could be replaced with more efficient LEDs. Second, LEAP discovered that his hood ventilation switch was running two fans in two separate rooms, bringing in excess air, running up the energy cost both with the summer heat and winter cold coming in. So, C3 helped Keith identify and hire a local electrician who de-coupled the switches so Kieth could run a single hood fan only when needed. Thereby saving energy. He was pleased and grateful to be a grant recipient.
Sealed with a Kiss
Susan Sorbello, the owner of Sealed with a Kiss received funds to purchase and install LED lighting for her downtown mall wedding shop. This reduced the utility costs by 10% for the salon! Photo shows a happy customer getting ready for her big day.
Jackson II Hair Salon (see first photo above)
Tee Tee and Gail Jackson are co-owners of this Cherry Avenue hair salon and second-time recipients of the Better Business Challenge Mini-Grant. The first year, they used the funds for an upgraded programmable thermostat and much-needed air filters to increase their indoor air quality, but there weren’t enough funds to take on replacing their fluorescent tube lighting.
They reapplied in 2019 and successfully worked with their landlord to replace inefficient fluorescents with LEDs. Their shop is brightly lit and ready to serve more clients!
How to Apply
C3 welcomes applications from now through November 15th. C3 will work with you to help you identify energy-savings or other projects that could reduce your environmental impact. The funds will be used for the purchase of goods and/or services to alleviate energy costs for income-qualifying business owners.
The first step is to sign up for the Better Business Challenge at www.cvillebizchallenge.org/signup (be sure to indicate you are applying for the Mini-Grant). Next, fill out the Mini-Grant application on your own or if you have questions about potential projects or the program, email Claire Habel, Commercial Program Manager, claire@theclimatecollaborative.org. Awards will be determined by the Better Business Challenge steering committee members who will consider the owner’s needs and the project’s economic and environmental impact. We hope to award businesses in early 2021.
With the help of the City of Charlottesville’s Economic Development Office, we’re thrilled to once again offer this opportunity to help local businesses save energy and future costs of operating their business.