Bring solar to your community center. Zero down.
RE-volv covers the upfront cost. Your community center redirects energy savings back to programs that serve neighbors, families, and youth.
For 501(c)(3) community centers nationwide · Free assessment
Community centers carry their neighborhoods — energy costs make that harder.
Community centers are open long hours, run multiple programs simultaneously, and use a lot of energy doing it. When utility rates rise, programming gets cut. Solar would solve it permanently, but the upfront cost is out of reach.
RE-volv's recoverable grant program lets your community center go solar without the capital cost — and turns the savings into more programs.
Energy savings → more programs for the neighborhood
Designed specifically for 501(c)(3) community centers serving low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.
Zero Upfront Cost
RE-volv covers the entire installation cost. You pay a fixed monthly amount, typically 15-30% lower than your current utility bill from day one.
Community-Funded
Funded by climate-conscious individuals and foundations. As you make payments, the funds revolve to the next nonprofit's solar project.
Recoverable Grant
Through our recoverable grant, you get the financing benefits of a grant with the multiplier impact of a revolving fund. Learn more →
Operating solar in ~6 months
We handle the complexity. Your team focuses on the people you serve.
Apply
5-minute application. Tell us about your center, programs, and energy use.
Free Assessment
We review your building, site, and program needs.
Installation
Local installer handles the work, often coordinated around your program schedule.
Reinvest
Energy bills drop. Savings redirect to youth, family, and resident services.
From a partner organization
"Our community center serves thousands of families a year, and our utility bill was eating the resources we had for programs. RE-volv's recoverable grant covered the whole installation. The savings now fund our after-school program."
Common questions
Does our community center qualify?
Any 501(c)(3) community center in the U.S. that owns its building or has long-term site control qualifies for assessment. We work with centers serving neighborhoods of all sizes.
Can we keep operating during installation?
Yes. Installation work happens primarily on the roof or adjacent grounds and typically doesn't disrupt programs inside. Final electrical cutover requires one day of power outage, scheduled around your needs.
Can solar power our resilience programs (cooling/warming centers)?
With battery storage, yes — your community center can stay operational during grid outages. We can include storage in the project if it aligns with your resilience mission.
What about historic or shared buildings?
We work with shared/co-located buildings (you'd need governance approval from co-owners) and historic structures (with installer expertise in preservation).
Is this funded by donors? Will donors get credit?
RE-volv is funded by climate-conscious individuals, foundations, and impact investors. We provide your center with shareable materials so you can publicly thank the funding community.
How does this compare to applying for energy efficiency grants?
EE grants typically cover 25-50% of project cost — leaving you to fund the rest. Our recoverable grant covers 100% of the upfront cost. Many centers stack: EE grants for HVAC + RE-volv for solar.
Ready to bring solar to your community center?
Free assessment. Zero upfront. Redirect energy savings to your programs.
Questions? Contact our team → · Read the deep-dive guide →