Sustainable Non-Profits Project - Overview

Southface Provides Technical and Planning Assistance to Non-Profits Looking to “Green” Facilities and Business Practices The Sustainable Non-Profits Project is a program of Southface Energy Institute undertaken with private funding from the Kendeda Fund. Its purpose is to help small, medium and large non-profit organizations in the 23-county Atlanta region to assess their facilities, identify energy-, water- and resource-efficiency upgrades and adopt best management practices in sustainability. Southface will provide consulting and educational services to qualifying organizations. The program originated from the recognition that non-profit staff members who are planning new buildings, major renovations and overall sustainability plans for their organizations often lack the expertise and available funds to evaluate opportunities for ecologically-, socially- and economically-sound decisions. Few non-profits have the in-house capacity to assess potential energy and water efficiency upgrades, to set environmental performance goals, to select skilled design and construction professionals that are committed to achieving these goals and to engage their staff in creating a plan for comprehensive organizational sustainability. Southface provides expert technical assistance, facilitation of planning, and education of staff members to assist non-profit organizations in need of this support. The funding covers assessments, goal-setting charrettes, green design guidance and staff trainings. The funds do not cover purchase of equipment or upgrades to buildings. For a full list of services, please see the Forms and Services page.
Counties served by the Sustainable Non-Profits Project include: Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Hall, Morgan, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding and Walton. The Sustainable Non-Profits Project is overseen by a committee of Southface staff with backgrounds in sustainable business planning, engineering, architecture and ecology. This committee makes recommendations regarding policies, programs and grants of the Sustainable Non-Profits Project. The Kendeda Sustainable Non-Profit Project Selection Committee reviews these recommendations and makes the final decision on grant recipients. Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate commitment to the Eligibility Requirements and capacity to influence successful, long-term change toward sustainability within and without their organizations. We are in the process of changing the application and adding program offerings. For further information on the Sustainable Non-Profits Project, eligibility requirements and the application, please check back on March 31. Applications will be due in late April.