2030 Climate Challenge
Launched on April 29, 2020, the 2030 Climate Challenge will award $10 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the buildings, industry, and/or transportation sectors in the U.S. by 2030.
Finalists
On February 9, 2021, five finalists were announced for the 2030 Climate Challenge. Selected from a pool of 68 applicants, these projects are focused on proven, data-driven solutions ready to serve as a model for change in communities across the country. One of the finalists will be selected as the recipient of the $10 million grant in the summer of 2021.
The finalists are now featured in our Bold Solutions Network, where we match donors with nonprofits and social enterprises whose solutions to significant social challenges were highly ranked after rigorous evaluation in one of our competitions.
The finalists are listed below in alphabetical order (follow links to their Bold Solutions Network profile pages for more information):
- Building with Biomass: Using Buildings to Sequester Carbon at Gigaton-Scale: The Carbon Leadership Forum at the University of Washington, in partnership with Endeavour Center, University of Colorado Boulder, and Building Transparency, proposes to convert buildings to carbon sinks by storing carbon in buildings using biogenic materials and reducing carbon emissions in all other building materials.
- Decarbonizing U.S. Industry with Renewable Thermal Energy: World Wildlife Fund, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, and David Gardiner and Associates will harness collective corporate demand through the Renewable Thermal Collaborative to drive investments in technology, markets, and policy to double industrial renewable thermal energy by 2025 and triple it by 2030, slashing industrial thermal emissions by 30% over the decade.
- First Statewide Virtual Power Plant: Equitable Transition to Clean Energy: Solar United Neighbors, in partnership with Liberty Homes, Clean Energy Works, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Resource Media proposes to push the pedal to the floor on an inclusive financing tool that enables home energy upgrades to reach mass scale by assuring all households can participate regardless of their income, credit score, or renter status. It will create the first demonstration for the nation of full statewide residential sector decarbonization and creation of a statewide virtual power plant—all through equitable energy transition.
- Scale Zero: Healthy, Zero-Emission, Affordable Housing for All: RMI, in partnership with Emerald Cities Collaborative, NYCEEC, Association for Energy Affordability, and Enterprise Community Partners, will decarbonize the nation’s building sector through a two-pronged campaign focused on policy and retrofits of multifamily, affordable housing in five states.
- Turning Point: Driving Southeast Transportation Electrification: The World Resources Institute, Electrification Coalition, EVHybridNoire, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy will drive Southeast transportation electrification, increasing Electric Vehicle market share to 50% and reducing transportation emissions by 50 million tons per annum by 2030.
About the 2030 Climate Challenge
Launched in early 2020 by an anonymous donor, the 2030 Climate Challenge will fund a $10 million project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the buildings, industry, and/or transportation sectors in the U.S. by 2030.
Over the next three months, the finalists will work with a team of technical experts to strengthen, revise, and re-submit their proposed solutions for the $10 million Challenge grant. One of the finalists will be selected as the recipient in the summer of 2021.
Donors interested in funding 2030 Climate Challenge projects should contact Dana Rice, our Vice President of Philanthropy.
