OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

GRID Alternatives, America’s largest nonprofit solar developer, today announced the Wells Fargo Foundation has committed to a four-year, $2 million grant to expand low-income solar access. The grant builds on more than $4 million Wells Fargo has invested in GRID Alternatives since 2008, catalyzing the national expansion of GRID’s work bringing solar power and job training to disadvantaged communities.

The new grant will continue to seed GRID’s expansion into new areas of the country; support the development of new low-income solar business models, like the low-income community solar models GRID has pioneered in Colorado; and underwrite an expansion of GRID’s existing Solar Spring Break ® program into a National Collegiate Network connecting college students around the country with careers in the clean energy industry, with a focus on schools serving diverse populations.

“GRID Alternatives is focused on ensuring the benefits of solar energy are realized by all communities - a model we believe addresses critical environmental and social issues that are important to Wells Fargo,” said Mary Wenzel, Head of Environmental Affairs at Wells Fargo. “In addition to making solar energy available to low-income communities, GRID’s workforce development programs have trained thousands of veterans and other individuals to take advantage of employment opportunities in the rapidly expanding green economy.”

Wells Fargo made its first donation to support GRID’s work in California in 2008. In 2012 the company provided a five-year, $2 million grant to help GRID Alternatives expand service into Colorado, the New York tri-state region, the Mid-Atlantic, and Native American communities across the United States. Most recently in 2015, Wells Fargo and GRID Alternatives teamed up on the Troops to Solar initiative, providing solar workforce training to 1,000 veterans over three years. Wells Fargo employees also volunteer on GRID Alternatives installations across the country, logging nearly 4500 hours to-date.

“Wells Fargo has been a committed philanthropic supporter of GRID, and its previous grants have allowed us to extend solar’s economic and environmental benefits to thousands of Americans,” said Erica Mackie, CEO and co-founder of GRID Alternatives. “This renewed support will help us bring clean energy access to new markets, catalyze promising low-income solar innovations, and educate and inspire a new generation of clean energy leaders that reflect the diversity of our communities.”

About GRID Alternatives

GRID Alternatives is America’s largest nonprofit solar installer, bringing clean energy technology and job training to underserved communities through a network of community partners and philanthropic supporters. GRID has installed nearly 8,000 solar electric systems for low-income families and affordable housing providers with a combined installed capacity of more than 28.2MW, saving nearly $230 million in lifetime electricity costs, preventing 620,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and providing 30,000 people with solar training. GRID has eleven regional offices and affiliates serving California, Colorado, the Mid-Atlantic, the New York tri-state area, Tribal communities nationwide, Nicaragua and Nepal. For more information, visit www.gridalternatives.org

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,600 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 269,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 27 on Fortune’s 2016 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. In 2015, Wells Fargo donated $281.3 million to 16,300 nonprofits, ranking No. 3 on the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s rankings of the top corporate cash philanthropists. Wells Fargo team members volunteered 1.86 million hours in 2015, serving more than 40,000 nonprofits. Wells Fargo’s corporate social responsibility efforts are focused on three priorities: economic empowerment in underserved communities, environmental sustainability, and advancing diversity and social inclusion. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

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