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The Solar Foundation at a glanceMostly funded, not a grantmaker: see who funds it →

· Public charity

The Solar Foundation

To accelerate adoption of the world's most abundant energy source: the sun.

$394k
Granted FY2021
10
Grants FY2021
7
States reached
$104k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2021.

Science & Tech$2.3MEnvironment$812kPublic Benefit$649kCommunity Improvement$406kEmployment$93kEducation$56kHousing & Shelter$13k
02FY2021 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2021

  • Under $10k1 grant · $8k
  • $10k–50k6 grants · $160k
  • $50k–250k3 grants · $225k
$32,432
Median grant
7
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MAYAGUEZ$104,219
US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION$62,047
SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION INC$59,175
NORTH AMERICAN BOARD OF CERTIFIED ENERGY PRACTITIONERS INC$49,170
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION$32,432
Individual grant recipient$28,598
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES INSTITUTE$25,820
THE CADMUS GROUP LLC FKA MEISTER CONSULTING GROUP INC$13,488
ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE$10,977
THE REGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT$8,495
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–21) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 7%. 81% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 7%THE CADMUS GROUP LLC FKA MEISTER CONSULTING GROUP INC: $274k → 8%CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS INC: $39k → 16%ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE: $51k → 8%GRID ALTERNATIVES: $107k → 10%NORTH AMERICAN BOARD OF CERTIFIED ENERGY PRACTITIONERS INC: $86k → 7%SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION: $110k → 14%UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA: $74k → 10%NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY: $215k → 7%SOLAR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL: $48k → 15%BROOKS ENGINEERING: $59k → 22%THE REGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT: $66k → 9%URBAN INGENUITY: $13k → 8%THE CADMUS GROUP LLC FKA MEISTER CONSULTING GROUP INC: $268k → 8%MEISTER CONSULTANTS GROUP INC: $390k → 16%ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE: $38k → 8%GRID ALTERNATIVES: $30k → 10%NORTH AMERICAN BOARD OF CERTIFIED ENERGY PRACTITIONERS INC: $49k → 7%SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION INC: $92k → 14%UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA: $10k → 10%NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY: $189k → 7%SOLAR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL: $15k → 15%BROOKS ENGINEERING: $53k → 22%THE REGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT: $36k → 9%THE CADMUS GROUP LLC FKA MEISTER CONSULTING GROUP INC: $185k → 8%ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE: $27k → 8%NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WORKFORCE BOARDS: $74k → 14%NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY: $161k → 7%BROOKS ENGINEERING: $29k → 22%THE REGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT: $34k → 9%THE CADMUS GROUP LLC FKA MEISTER CONSULTING GROUP INC: $13k → 8%ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE: $20k → 8%SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION INC: $59k → 14%NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY: $41k → 7%THE REGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT: $27k → 9%ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE: $11k → 8%NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WORKFORCE BOARDS: $20k → 14%THE REGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT: $8k → 9%NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $168k → 14%NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES INSTITUTE: $129k → 14%NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES INSTITUTE: $115k → 14%NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES INSTITUTE: $104k → 14%NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $86k → 14%NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES INSTITUTE: $60k → 14%NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $58k → 14%NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $37k → 14%NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $32k → 14%NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES INSTITUTE: $26k → 14%AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE: $49k → 14%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

VT
NY
MA
CA
CO
MO
VA
MD
DC
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

95%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$4.1M · 16 repeat orgs$226k to everyone else

16 repeat relationships: 10 still active in FY2021, 6 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

16
4

Total granted

$4.1M
$226k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+53%
+58%

Still filing today

69%
25%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2021, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21
EducationEnvironmentCommunity ImprovementScience & TechPublic BenefitOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • AF
    ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY LLC
    4× · 2017–2020 · $607k · revenue +177%
  • NL
    NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES INSTITUTE INC
    5× · 2017–2021 · $435k · revenue +277%
  • SE
    SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION
    3× · 2017–2021 · $262k · revenue +163%

Funded once

  • NA
    NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIESgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $168k · revenue +58%
  • CE
    CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS INC
    one grant, 2017 · $39k
  • UI
    URBAN INGENUITY
    one grant, 2017 · $13k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners

Founded in 1889, the national association of regulatory utility commisioners (naruc) is a non-profit organization dedicated to representing the state public service commisions who regulate the utilities that provide essential services such…

—
2
National Association of Clean Water Agencies

Nacwa is the national voice of public clean water utilities, shaping water policy, convening a vibrant peer network, and empowering water leaders.

—
3
American Gas Association

American gas association's (the association) mission is to develop and advocate for informed, innovative, and durable policy that fulfills our nation's energy needs, environmental aspirations and economic potential. we are committed to…

—
4
American National Standards Institute

To enhance both the global competitiveness of u.s. business and the u.s. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity.

Public Benefit
5
National Center for Apec

Ncapec is the only u.s. business association focused exclusively on facilitating american private sector input to the apec process. programs typically feature discussions between business, government and academia on key trade and economic…

—
6
National Association for College Admission Counseling

Empowering college admission counseling professionals through education, advocacy, and community.

Education
7
National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors

Empowering financial professionals and consumers through world-class advocacy and education.

—
8
North American Electric Reliability Corp

The north american electric reliability corporation (nerc) is a not-for-profit international regulatory authority whose mission is to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid.

Community Improvement
9
National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships Inc

Advancing a national community to foster equity in dual and concurrent enrollment through accreditation, advocacy, research, and professional development.

Education
10
American Council of Engineering Companies

The business association and voice of america's engineering industry, representing thousands of independent u.s. engineering companies engaged in the development of transportation, water, and other public and commercial facilities.

—
11
National Electrical Contractors Association Inc

Neca is dedicated to enhancing the electrical contracting industry through continuing education, labor relations, current information and promotional activities and is working to promote higher standards, quality workmanship and training…

—
12
Nw Energy Coalition

The NW Energy Coalition is an alliance of over 100 environmental, civic, and human service organizations, utilities, and businesses in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, plus many individual members. The NW Energy…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is National Association of Counties Research Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Solar Energy International. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

12 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 12 of the 20 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
12/12
Grantees still filing
11/12
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

MEISTER CONSULTANTS GROUP INC: $1,131,336 · OtherMEISTER CONSULTANTS GROUP INCSOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION: $261,718 · OtherSOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATIONNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $214,248 · OtherNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES RESEARCH FOUNDATIONPSI CHI THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY IN PSYCOLOGY: $189,166 · OtherPSI CHI THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY IN PSYCOLOGYNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES: $168,020 · OtherNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIESIndividual grant recipient: $140,918 · OtherIndividual grant recipientGRID ALTERNATIVES: $136,429 · OtherGRID ALTERNATIVESUNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA: $84,415 · Other+3 more: $57,520 · OtherNATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES INSTITUTE INC: $435,075 · EducationNATIONAL LEAGUE OF…US Chamber of Commerce Foundation: $233,120 · EducationUS Chamber of Comm…AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES: $55,591 · EducationAMERICAN ASSOCIATI…ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY LLC: $607,114 · Science & TechALLIANCE FOR SU…REGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT: $171,317 · EnvironmentSOLAR ENERGY INTERNATIONAL: $68,573 · EnvironmentNORTH AMERICAN BOARD OF CERTIFIED ENERGY PRACTITIONERS INC: $134,727 · Community ImprovementNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WORKFORCE BOARDS: $93,290 · Community ImprovementELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC: $147,130 · Public Benefit
Other$2,383,770Education$723,786Science & Tech$607,114Environment$239,890Community Improvement$228,017Public Benefit$147,130

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY LLC: $607,114 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetNATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES INSTITUTE INC: $435,075 over 5y, 2.3% of budgetSOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION: $261,718 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetUS Chamber of Commerce Foundation: $233,120 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $214,248 over 4y, 1.2% of budgetREGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT: $171,317 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES: $168,020 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC: $147,130 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetNORTH AMERICAN BOARD OF CERTIFIED ENERGY PRACTITIONERS INC: $134,727 over 2y, 5.3% of budgetNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WORKFORCE BOARDS: $93,290 over 2y, 3.3% of budgetAMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES: $55,591 over 2y, 0.3% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a set of overlaps that mostly run through this funder rather than between each other.

Fidelity Investments …
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundMA2.5× affinity5 shared granteesties to 0 of 0Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization The Solar Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Solar Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24
no gov · 10%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    4report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    typical government reliance, FY20–24
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to The Solar Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Solar Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 20 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2021, released 2021. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Solar’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home