Month: August 2025
Danske Bank Divests More than 85% of Fossil Fuel Companies Over Transition Plans
23 State Coalition Warns SBTi, Financial Firms Over Antitrust Risk from Net Zero Commitments
Inaugural HBCU Hoops Invitational Coming to Walt Disney World Resort in December
Link to download photos, b-roll & interviews at DisneyExperiences.com
Florida A&M, Bethune-Cookman, Hampton and Tuskegee universities among prominent programs participating in new college basketball tournament Dec. 4-7 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex; Format involves four men’s teams and four women’s teams; Tickets on sale now at HBCUhoops.org.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Several marquee Black college basketball programs are taking part in the first-ever HBCU Hoops Invitational at Walt Disney World Resort this winter. The men’s field for the Dec. 4-7 tourney features Florida A&M University, Tuskegee University, Florida Memorial University and Barber-Scotia College, while the women’s bracket includes Bethune-Cookman University, Hampton University, Edward Waters University and Cheyney University.
The Historically Black College and University (HBCU) men’s and women’s teams will compete inside the State Farm Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in a single-elimination format with the chance to claim the inaugural HBCU Hoops Invitational titles. Florida A&M, which recently hired former Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward as head coach, headlines the men’s field, having reached the NCAA Division I Tournament three times, while Cheyney University’s women’s team is the only HBCU school to ever reach the NCAA Division I Tournament Final Four (1982).
Beyond the court, the HBCU Hoops Invitational, which is run by HBCU Hoops Global, Inc., plans to support HBCU players, schools and students by hosting a college admissions fair at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, creating scholarships, providing academic assistance and identifying career development opportunities throughout the year.
“The HBCU Hoops Invitational is far more than a basketball tournament—it’s a powerful celebration of heritage, excellence and the limitless future of HBCU athletics,” said HBCU Hoops Global vice president Haywoode Workman, who spent nearly a decade playing in the NBA before becoming an NBA referee. “We are building a legacy that extends well beyond the court to open doors to academic achievement, career readiness and financial opportunity for our scholar-athletes.”
The new hoops tourney adds to an already bustling college basketball calendar at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosts the WBCA Showcase (Nov. 20-23) and the ESPN Events Invitational (Nov. 24-28) during the Thanksgiving holiday week, as well as several AAU boys’ and girls’ national basketball championships.
“We are excited about the opportunities to bring thrilling, family-friendly events to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and this HBCU Hoops Invitational adds to our lineup of high-caliber youth and college events,” said Jorge Senior, Disney’s Director of Sports Planning and Development. “If you’re a college basketball fan, there’s no better place to be during the holidays than at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.”
Tickets for the HBCU Hoops Invitational are on sale now at www.hbcuhoops.org.
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, located at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, is the home of Disney Soccer and Disney Spring Training and one of the premier sites for amateur sports in the nation. Designed to provide professional, amateur and youth athletes with championship-level experiences, the complex has accommodated 70 different sports featuring athletes from 70 different countries. The 220-acre facility features a 9,500-seat stadium; a state-of-the-art indoor arena in addition to two field houses for competitive cheerleading, gymnastics, dance, basketball, volleyball, eSports and other indoor sports; plus 12 baseball/softball fields and 17multi-purpose outdoor fields for soccer, football and field hockey. An on-site professional production center also produces content for the Disney family of networks for global distribution. For more information, visit www.disneysportsnews.com for news releases, photos and videos and www.espnwwos.com for upcoming events.
HBCU Hoops Global, Inc.
HBCU Hoops Global Inc. (HBCU HG) is a Tampa, Florida based 501(c)(3) that serves as an educational and philanthropic arm of the HBCU Hoops Invitational Tournament. The organization is committed to the elevation of HBCU sports, fostering educational aspirations through scholarships, student achievement, career development and success.
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SOURCE Walt Disney World Resort
Surviving the Lean Season
Published by Action Against Hunger.
What Is the Lean Season?
Stores from last year’s crops have nearly run out. The shelves on the market are nearly empty, and the few products left are expensive. Families are forced to make impossible choices—skip meals, sell off precious assets, or go into debt—just to survive. This is the reality of “lean season”, also known as “hunger season” or “pre-harvest season”.
Lean season is the period between planting and harvesting, when food availability is at its lowest. It is the furthest point from the previous year’s harvest, and the current crops need time to grow before the next harvest can arrive. Generally, it occurs between May and September and peaks around June but varies regionally. The length and severity of lean season can be impacted by weather, conflict, inflation, and other factors that influence farming cycles and food availability.
This agricultural gap is deadly and causes irreparable damage to the health of children every year. Climate change is making the situation worse. But there are practical, preventative measures we can take to ensure that every life is well nourished, no matter what the seasons bring.
The Human Toll: How Seasonal Hunger Impacts Families
When food isn’t available, families have to take desperate measures to survive. Families resort to eating unsafe foods, for example food contaminated with fungi or pests, because that is all that is available to them. Sometimes parents give up food so their children can eat, compromising their own health. In 2024, about 4.3 million people were at risk of severe hunger during the lean season and faced dire circumstances like these.
Malnutrition in children rises during the lean season. According to OCHA, 2.6 million children are expected to become acutely malnutrition during the 2025 lean season in Nigeria alone. Malnutrition is gravely serious, especially for children in their first 1,000 days of life (from conception to the second birthday), when their physical and cognitive development is most malleable. Even if treated, children can suffer with complications from being malnourished for life.
To survive one hunger season, families often make sacrifices that undermine their ability to avoid the next one. Sometimes, they sell livestock or other income-generating assets just to have enough money to eat. Parents seek out additional jobs, and sometimes children drop out of school to work or help around the household. Without education, the children have less chances of rising out of poverty in the future, and a cycle of poverty, hunger, and lack of education is perpetuated.
Climate Change: Worsening the Lean Season
Climate change is disrupting traditional farming cycles, making lean seasons longer and harsher. It has caused shifts in the timing of key events that guide planting and harvesting of crops such as flowering and insect emergence, both of which impact food quality and crop yields according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These changes can extend periods of food scarcity and create greater unpredictability for what was once a predictable seasonal gap. In Southern Africa, for example, OCHA warned that a changing El Niño pattern coupled with the worst dry spell in 100 years would cause the lean season to start as much as three months earlier than usual — time that some families cannot afford.
The World Bank warns that “About 80% of the global population most at risk from crop failures and hunger from climate change are in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, where farming families are disproportionally poor and vulnerable.” Despite contributing to climate change the least, vulnerable farming families are suffering the greatest consequences of prolonged agricultural gaps. To make matters worse, droughts, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. An extreme weather event can wipe away assets and damage soil fertility for years to come. Impoverished families have limited access to financial resources that can help them rebuild from climate shocks, so when the lean season comes again, they are left exposed.
How Action Against Hunger Responds
- Emergency intervention
Action Against Hunger is there to provide lifesaving assistance when hunger is at its worst. Children diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition receive essential therapeutic feeding treatment from our expert staff, and over 90% successfully recover to full nutritional health. Food is distributed to hungry families. Cash transfers are made, enabling parents to make the best financial choices for their households, whether that be to purchase food, water, medicine, or other essential items. Whatever a family’s most pressing needs are to get through lean season, Action Against Hunger is ready to do whatever it takes to support them.
- Prevention
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report concluded that climate change will increasingly add pressure on food production systems and undermine food security. For families already stricken by months of seasonal hunger, the threat is unfathomable. To help at-risk communities adapt, Action Against Hunger promotes climate-smart agriculture to increase crop yields despite difficult growing conditions. Farmer training programs prioritize agroecological principles that promote sustainable, eco-friendly farming methods that improve soil health and build long-term resilience. Climate-smart agriculture strengthens food security and boosts incomes, so families have more resources to get through the agricultural gap.
As climate disasters become increasingly frequent, early warning systems are playing a vital role in the fight against seasonal hunger. The systems integrate climate predictions, food price tracking, nutrition data, population movements, and market trends to forecast where and when food insecurity may spike—often months in advance. Action Against Hunger develops early warning systems and works with partners to pinpoint when and where to focus our resources during the lean season for greatest impact, saving both lives and livelihoods.
- A Gender Equitable Response
Women experience hunger at higher rates than men largely due to social and cultural barriers, and malnutrition is not the only threat. A 2022 study found that food insecurity is associated with more than double the odds of experiencing or perpetrating violence against women and girls. Action Against Hunger offers protection services and mental health support to victims of gender-based violence and builds a gender-equitable response to the challenges of lean season. Our livelihoods programs focus on women, uplifting them with skills like financial literacy and climate-smart farming which help them live a safe and dignified life.
While women are especially at risk during the lean season, they are also its most powerful changemakers. About 90% of the time, women are responsible for preparing and purchasing food for their families, and dietary choices are gravely important in times of food scarcity. Action Against Hunger equips women with knowledge on how to make the best nutritional choices in suboptimal conditions. In peer support groups, Action Against Hunger promotes good health, nutrition, hygiene, sanitation, and care practices for mothers, infants, and young children. Sanitation and hygiene practices are essential for fighting malnutrition during the lean season when hunger-causing illnesses like cholera and malaria spike.
Case study: Zambia
In 2024, Zambia was facing the worst drought in forty years due to a changing El Nino pattern. Total crop failure and the death of livestock that damaged the livelihoods of over 6.5 million people. Water sources dried up, and women faced long, dangerous journeys to obtain it elsewhere. The lean season began early and with brutal force. With over 2 million people facing crisis levels of hunger (IPC phase 3 or above), a national emergency was declared.
Action Against Hunger made a swift intervention. We expanded operations to nine districts in the worst-affected regions, taking a multi-sectoral approach that included nutrition and health, food security, WASH, and climate resilience. We collaborated closely with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to mitigate the spread of cholera, which was breaking out due to limited access to clean water, through WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) initiatives. Lifesaving food assistance was given to families grappling with the dual burden of cholera and food insecurity, helping to aid in disease management and malnutrition prevention. For long term impact, a climate-resilient farming program was launched. The Seeds of Hope Cowpea Project trained 1,285 farmers on agroecological techniques for cultivating drought-resistant cowpeas. This generated ZMW 650,000 in income from crop sales and a reduction of post-harvest losses to nearly zero. Armed with tools and knowledge in climate-smart agriculture, these farmers are now equipped to build a stronger food system in Zambia for the next time lean season strikes.
We cannot break seasonal patterns, but we can break the cycle of hunger and build resilience to seasonal food insecurity. Hunger during the lean season is preventable. With a combination of emergency interventions and long-term resilience-building projects, we can build a future where every life stays well-nourished, even during an agricultural gap.
***
Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.
CENTERSPACE ANNOUNCES SIXTH ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE REPORT
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Centerspace (NYSE: CSR) published its 2024 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report, and its inaugural Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) report, highlighting the company’s commitment to sustainable business practices in the multifamily industry. This is the Company’s sixth annual report following its 2019 formation of an Environmental, Social, and Governance Committee established to lead identification, implementation, and tracking the progress of various sustainability initiatives.
In 2024, Centerspace prepared its annual ESG report in alignment with GRI’s 2024 Universal Standards and Topic Standards and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Other key accomplishments include meeting four of five ESG goals two years ahead of schedule, completing an updated materiality assessment, raising its GRESB score from 63 to 70, and the graduation of the company’s inaugural Manager in Training class.
Centerspace is dedicated to continuous improvement in disclosure as well as climate risk mitigation. Its inaugural TCFD report serves as a foundation to manage climate risk and align with industry-standard reporting frameworks.
“These accomplishments showcase our commitment to ‘Better Every Days’ and position us to synthesize continued growth with care for our environment and community,” said Anne Olson, Centerspace President and CEO.
Centerspace is committed to exploring and implementing common-sense business practices that further its ability to operate in a responsible manner. This includes being good stewards of resources, pursuing opportunities to minimize consumption, managing and reducing waste, and conserving energy and water.
The full report can be accessed on the ESG Page of the Centerspace website at the link below:
About Centerspace
Centerspace is an owner and operator of apartment communities committed to providing great homes by focusing on integrity and serving others. Founded in 1970, Centerspace owns 73 apartment communities consisting of 13,773 homes located in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah. Centerspace was named a top workplace for the sixth consecutive year in 2025 by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. For more information, please visit www.centerspacehomes.com.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Josh Klaetsch, Investor Relations, at (952) 401-6600 or IR@centerspacehomes.com.
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SOURCE Centerspace
Institute of Museum and Library Services and Second Lady Usha Vance Promote Childhood Literacy
IMLS supports the Second Lady’s Nationwide Summer Reading Challenge
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Institute of Museum and Library Services proudly supports Second Lady Usha Vance‘s nationwide Summer Reading Challenge. The challenge encourages kindergarten through eighth-grade students to continue their intellectual and personal development throughout the summer by reading at least twelve books.
To participate, students and their parents should download the Summer Reading Challenge Log, after reading twelve books over the summer. Successful participants can submit their completed logs to read@mail.whitehouse.gov by September 5th to receive a personalized certificate, a small prize, and entrance into a raffle to visit the Nation’s Capital.
“Reading during summer reinforces the lessons that our students learned during the schoolyear while addressing the summer slide and fostering a lifelong love of books,” said IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling. “The Second Lady’s Summer Reading Challenge is an excellent way for young people to dive into reading.”
As the largest federal funder of museums and libraries, IMLS recognizes the critical role that public and school libraries play in ensuring that students have year-round access to books. For that reason, we are working with our partners in every State Library Administrative Agency to increase awareness of the Summer Reading Challenge.
“In every US state and territory, State Library Administrative Agencies partner with local libraries and community leaders to provide reading materials that support educational opportunities. By sharing the Summer Reading Challenge with their constituents, SLAAs can leverage their broad reach and ongoing alignment with literacy initiatives,” said Teri DeVoe, IMLS Associate Deputy Director.
To learn more about Second Lady Usha Vance’s Summer Reading Challenge, please visit www.imls.gov/our-work/partnerships/summer-reading-challenge.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Institute of Museum and Library Services
NCFL, PNC Grow Up Great Team Up To Pilot Outdoor Learning Program for Families
Originally published on PR Newswire
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 13, 2025 /3BL/ – Children and families in several cities have new opportunities to learn and play together this summer thanks to PNC Grow Up Great® and the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). Through PNC Grow Up Great, the company’s signature philanthropic initiative focused on early childhood education, the PNC Foundation recently awarded NCFL a $765,000 grant to pilot an updated version of NCFL’s Let’s Learn Together Outside (LLTO) program in select PNC markets over the next three years.
Let’s Learn Together Outside is a four-week, research-based family engagement program designed to take place in natural environments. LLTO supports families with strategies and activities focused on the importance of nature-based play and early literacy skills for children ages 3 to 5. NCFL supports implementation by providing local organizations with the training, program curricula and coaching to facilitate the program.
Let’s Learn Together Outside programming launched this summer in three cities: Louisville, Ky., with local partner Play Cousins Collective; Birmingham, Ala., with Birmingham Public Libraries; and Huntsville, Ala., with Village of Promise. Programming in Austin, Texas, is expected to launch in 2026 with selected community partners.
Outdoor learning and play are shown to have a variety of positive outcomes for children, including improved problem-solving skills, enhanced memory retention and better social skills. In addition, children who spend regular time outdoors demonstrate lower rates of obesity, improved motor skills and better physical coordination. By combining outdoor learning with early literacy, LLTO harnesses these benefits while also providing parenting adults with the resources they need to ensure their children are kindergarten-ready.
“Since the start of PNC Grow Up Great over 20 years ago, we’ve counted NCFL as one of our earliest collaborators in building brilliant futures for our youngest learners,” said Sally McCrady, chair and president, PNC Foundation. “We’re excited to see Let’s Learn Together Outside engage children and their families together in the wonder of outdoor learning, fostering deeper connections to nature and one another.”
“NCFL’s commitment to early learning extends beyond our work in collaboration with schools and early childcare settings,” said Felicia Cumings Smith, NCFL president and CEO. “We also believe that young children should have access to early literacy and learning opportunities that enable outdoor exploration.
“Through programs like Let’s Learn Together Outside, NCFL and PNC Grow Up Great are providing families with the tools to explore multigenerational learning at the park, in the backyard or on the playground. When parenting adults and children learn together, the whole family benefits.”
For more information about LLTO or any of NCFL’s family learning programming, visit familieslearning.org. For information on how to be part of LLTO programming in Kentucky or Alabama, contact the local partners listed above.
About the PNC Foundation
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The Foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, visit http://www.pncgrowupgreat.com.
About the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL)
NCFL is a national nonprofit that has worked for more than 35 years to eradicate poverty through education solutions for families. We believe education is a shared, nonpartisan responsibility and that collaboration among families, schools, and community members can lead to powerful learning experiences. NCFL’s vision is to establish coordinated and aligned family learning systems in 60 communities, built with and for families, to increase education and economic outcomes and create thriving communities. For more information on NCFL, visit familieslearning.org. To learn more about our vision or become a Family Learning Community™ partner, visit familieslearning.org/60×30.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Amy Foster Parish
Director, Communications
Cell: 703-472-5997
aparish@familieslearning.org
SOURCE National Center for Families Learning
Colossal launches first-of-its-kind “Style Icon” competition in support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation
Presented by Elton John, David Furnish, and Charlotte Tilbury
One trendsetter will attend Versace’s 2026 Show at Milan Fashion Week, be featured in Flaunt Magazine, and take home a $20,000 cash prize.
PHOENIX, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Colossal proudly announces the launch of the online Style Icon competition, presented by Elton John, David Furnish, and Charlotte Tilbury, in support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Trendsetters are invited to compete for the title of Style Icon – a first-of-its-kind fashion competition – at www.StyleIcon.org. This exclusive fundraising campaign (open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, excluding Quebec) welcomes designers, fashion visionaries, and style enthusiasts of all kinds to step into the spotlight for a chance to win:
- Tickets to Versace’s Show at Milan Fashion Week 2026,
- A feature in Flaunt Magazine,
- And a $20,000 cash prize.
The competition’s donation-based voting benefits the lifesaving work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation – turning personal expression into meaningful action. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is committed to overcoming the stigma, discrimination, and neglect that continue to stand in the way of ending AIDS.
“We’re calling on fashion’s boldest voices to step into the spotlight for our Style Icon competition, where showcasing your signature style supports the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s critical mission to save lives. This is more than a search for the next trendsetter—it’s an opportunity to prove that true style icons use their platform and influence to create meaningful change in the world.” –David Furnish
“Darlings, there is so much JOY to be found in glamour! When changemakers, beauty lovers, and fashion icons unite for a cause this powerful, we don’t just follow trends — we set them and spark transformation. I am so proud to champion this magical mission with the Elton John AIDS Foundation — and I can’t wait to see all the GORGEOUS, CONFIDENT style stars shining their light and making an impact!” –Charlotte Tilbury
The competition is presented by three iconic voices in fashion, culture, and advocacy: Elton John is a global music icon and one of the top-selling artists of all time, with over 300 million records sold worldwide. Known for his stand-out style, Elton John has utilized his platform to uplift rising stars in both music and fashion. In 1992, he founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation to end AIDS for everyone, everywhere. David Furnish is an acclaimed producer and director, CEO of Rocket Entertainment, and Chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Furnish has been featured as one of British GQ’s “Best Dressed Men in Britain” and once served as an ambassador for the British Fashion Council. Furnish’s advocacy work is extensive, leading global campaigns in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Charlotte Tilbury MBE is a multi-award-winning beauty entrepreneur and makeup artist who translated her artistry expertise into a global beauty empire, empowering everyone everywhere with the magic of confidence and joy.
Registration Is Now Open
Here’s how it works:
Apply: Trendsetters submit a photo and short application to spotlight their personal style.
Share: Competitors share their profile and encourage friends, family, and fans to vote.
Compete: The public votes for their favorite style icon, supporting the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Open to legal residents of the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18+. For more information and competition details, please visit: www.StyleIcon.org.
About Colossal:
Colossal is a nationally registered professional fundraiser that inspires people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Through online competitions like Style Icon, participants have the opportunity to make their mark while also making a big impact. Colossal competitions serve as fundraising campaigns for DTCare, a United States 501(c)(3) public charity organization, which then grants donation funds to specified charities at the completion of the competitions. Learn more at colossal.org. Who’s Next?
About Elton John AIDS Foundation:
The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in 1992 and is one of the leading independent AIDS organizations in the world. The Foundation’s mission is simple: an end to the AIDS epidemic. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is committed to overcoming the stigma, discrimination and neglect that keep us from ending AIDS. With the mobilization of our network of generous supporters and partners, we fund local experts across four continents to challenge discrimination, prevent infections and provide treatment, as well as informing government strategies to end AIDS.www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org. @ejaf on Instagram.
Colossal Media Contact:
Anne-Marie Pritchett
Communications Director
pr@colossal.org
602-633-4163
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SOURCE COLOSSAL
Connecticut Green Bank and GoodLeap Partner to Create an AI-Powered Virtual Power Plant Initiative to Unlock Savings for Homeowners and Enhance Grid Reliability
The partnership will aggregate solar and energy storage systems through the Energy Storage Solutions program to incentivize homeowners and reduce strain on the electrical grid
HARTFORD, Conn. and SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Connecticut Green Bank and GoodLeap, a leading finance and technology sustainable home solutions platform, today announced a strategic partnership to develop and operate Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) across Connecticut. This collaborative effort, enabled through the State’s Energy Storage Solutions program, will focus on deploying residential solar systems and battery energy storage to help lower energy costs, improve grid resilience, and advance Connecticut’s clean energy goals.
Enabled by GoodLeap’s AI-powered proprietary software, GoodGrid, the fastest growing VPP network in the US, and integrated with the utility’s Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS), the VPPs can aggregate thousands of residential solar and storage systems into coordinated networks to provide grid services, such as peak demand reduction, helping reduce strain on the electrical grid, potentially deferring distribution infrastructure investments for utilities, and will better position Connecticut to meet its clean energy deployment targets. This can help lower costs for all homeowners as more expensive sources of energy can be avoided during these peaks, and will increase access to distributed energy resources.
“Together with GoodLeap, we are working to ensure that Connecticut residents — especially those in vulnerable communities — benefit from clean, resilient, and affordable energy solutions,” said Bryan Garcia, President and CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank. “We saw GoodLeap leading on VPPs in other states around the country and felt that their technology, products and services were needed in Connecticut to help our families realize the benefits of these distributed energy resources. This initiative will bring new resources to homeowners and ratepayers while supporting our state’s climate and energy goals.”
Eligible Connecticut homeowners will receive monthly cash rewards through the GoodGrid cash rewards, advancing the goals of the Energy Storage Solutions program. The Green Bank will also support the partnership through technical assistance to streamline project development and interconnection, as well as stakeholder and community engagement to boost awareness and participation while ensuring equitable access.
“We are thrilled to work with the Connecticut Green Bank to scale residential clean energy and energy storage solutions across the state,” said Daniel Lotano, Chief Operating and Strategy Officer at GoodLeap. “Our technology has already helped tens of thousands of homeowners across the United States earn money for supporting a more reliable grid, and we’re glad to bring our AI powered VPP software and our deep residential customer expertise to Connecticut.”
Through this agreement, Connecticut Green Bank and GoodLeap will partner in ongoing collaboration on performance metrics, grid integration, and community impact reporting.
The Energy Storage Solutions program is overseen by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, is paid for by electric ratepayers, and is administered by the Connecticut Green Bank, Eversource, and UI. For more information on the Energy Storage Solutions program, visit https://energystoragect.com.
About the Connecticut Green Bank
The Connecticut Green Bank was established by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2011 as the nation’s first state-level green bank and has since supported the creation of nearly 30,000 green jobs in the state, while reducing the energy cost burden on over 77,000 families, businesses, and nonprofits. The Green Bank’s vision is a planet protected by the love of humanity and its mission is to confront climate change by increasing and accelerating investment into Connecticut’s green economy to create more resilient, healthier, and equitable communities. This is accomplished by leveraging limited public resources to scale-up and mobilize private capital investment into Connecticut. In 2017, the Connecticut Green Bank received the Innovations in American Government Award from the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation for their “Sparking the Green Bank Movement” entry. In 2021, the Green Bank’s model was expanded to include new areas of environmental infrastructure, related to climate adaptation and resiliency, land conservation, parks and recreation, agriculture, water, waste and recycling, and environmental markets, including carbon offsets and ecosystem services. To date, the Green Bank has mobilized nearly $3 billion into the State’s green economy. This has reduced the energy costs for thousands of families and businesses, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change and worsen public health.
About GoodLeap
GoodLeap is a technology company delivering best-in-class financing and software products for sustainable solutions, from solar panels and batteries to energy-efficient HVAC, heat pumps, roofing, windows, and more. Over 1 million homeowners have benefited from our simple, fast, and frictionless technology that makes the adoption of these products more affordable, accessible, and easier to understand. Thousands of professionals deploying home efficiency and solar solutions rely on GoodLeap’s proprietary, AI-powered applications and developer tools to drive more transparent customer communication, deeper business intelligence, and streamlined payment and operations. Our platform has led to more than $30 billion in financing for sustainable solutions since 2018. GoodLeap is also proud to support our award-winning nonprofit, GivePower, which is building and deploying life-saving water and clean electricity systems, changing the lives of more than 2 million people across Africa, Asia, and South America. To learn more about GoodLeap, visit, follow and connect with us at goodleap.com.
Media Contacts
Connecticut Green Bank
Rudy Sturk
rudy.sturk@ctgreenbank.com
GoodLeap
press@goodleap.com
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SOURCE GoodLeap, LLC.
