GoodUse: Stronger Communities through Nonprofit Sustainability and Savings
The Program
Catalyzed by the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and The Kendeda Fund, Southface Institute launched the GoodUse program to help nonprofits improve the efficiency of their facilities so they can redirect the cost savings to their core missions. By providing building grants for nonprofit organizations, GoodUse lowers utility bills, nonprofits’ second highest operating expense (Environmental and Energy Study Institute 2022).
Nonprofit sustainability upgrades, like efficient HVAC systems and LED lighting, create healthier, more comfortable spaces for staff, volunteers, and constituents. GoodUse empowers nonprofits to have a lasting impact on the environment and the communities they serve.
Building Grants for Nonprofits
Building Grants for Nonprofits
GoodUse provides matching grants for historic buildings and other existing building retrofits. Each of our nonprofit funding sources has its own eligibility and cost-sharing requirements. We ensure that nonprofits are matched with the funding source best suited to their needs and mission.
Kinds of Projects
Kinds of Projects
GoodUse boosts the sustainability of nonprofit organizations through foundation- and government-funded grants for HVAC systems, LED lighting, and other efficiency upgrades. When a nonprofit receives a GoodUse grant, our experts help identify high-impact improvements, support implementation, and ensure projects deliver results.
Impact at a Glance
Impact at a Glance
Since 2008, GoodUse (formerly Grants to Green) has helped 615+ communities across 33 states, reducing energy costs by an average of 30% per project. Cumulatively, GoodUse nonprofits save 21,445 metric tons of CO2e emissions annually—the same amount produced by 5,002 gas cars driven for a year.
Cumulative Annual Savings
“This project allowed us to reduce our operating expenses, so we’re now able to invest more in staff and provide the kind of programming relevant to our mission. We gained a variety of opportunities to educate our guests about high-performance energy systems and the responsible use of our common resources.“
“With the savings from this solar project, we are able to purchase more food for the community and continue to expand our services.“
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