TASC awarded nearly $19,000 to fund energy improvements

The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s (CFGD) Grants to Green (G2G) grant program recently awarded $18,939 to TASC for energy improvement development projects.
TASC is one of five nonprofits that received funding from G2G this year. An energy improvement plan identified areas of improvement for its operations such as lighting upgrades, increased insulation, and HVAC system upgrades to save energy. Local contracting companies will do the construction work.
“We’re just very thankful for the support allowing us to increase our capabilities,” said Mary Ament, executive director for TASC. “This will allow us to direct more dollars towards our programs serving persons with disabilities in northeast Iowa instead of our utility costs. It will benefit us for years to come.”
The Foundation’s G2G grant program recently awarded more than $150,000 to local nonprofit organizations for similar projects. The grant program builds sustainability by helping these organizations become more efficient through construction/renovation and improving facility operations. The resulting cost savings are then used by the organizations to meet their missions in the community.
Grants to Green (G2G) is a grant program of CFGD and pays up to $50,000 for energy improvements to help a nonprofit save money on utility bills and strengthen its operations. G2G is a strategic partnership between CFGD and several organizations including Trailhead Energy; East Central Intergovernmental Association’s Petal Project; the Iowa Energy Center; and the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta.
Since Grants to Green (G2G) started in 2014, the program has awarded more than $700,000 to 23 nonprofits to fund energy improvement projects. A recent evaluation of the first round of G2G grantees revealed that by implementing the building upgrades recommended by Trailhead Energy, those six nonprofits combined saved $80,644 in energy costs in the first year after upgrades. This equated to a 17% reduction in their annual energy use, which is the equivalent of removing 217 passenger cars from the road for one year.
For more information on Grants to Green (G2G), visit www.dbqfoundation.org/G2G.