Denver City Wire

Nearly $20,000 is Awarded to Local Nonprofits at Save Green Be Green

DENVER – For the first time at the annual Save Green Be Green (SGBG) Conference, a total of $19,500 was awarded to local nonprofits and faith organizations in a ‘Shark Tank’ like competition held at the New Hope Baptist Church on June 22. The following winning organizations will utilize the grant funds to execute their proposed projects, making significant strides in energy conservation and sustainability:

• 1st Place: We Don't Waste – $9,500
• 2nd Place: New Hope Baptist Church – $5,000
• 3rd Place (tie): Bluff Lake Nature Center – $2,500
• 3rd Place (tie): Congregation Rodef Shalom – $2,500

“We are feeding people and preventing food from going into landfills. We are grateful to SGBG and partners for this opportunity and prize that will allow us to build a new community kitchen with energy efficient appliances and feed our community.” – Jessica LeCortz, We Don’t Waste. Other projects pitched by local nonprofits included replacing light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs, energy efficient practices during construction planning phase, and funding the installing of heat pumps to support new HVAC units.

The annual SGBG conference, organized by HRCP’s Denver Office of Nonprofit Engagement (D-ONE), serves as a platform for nonprofits and faith-based organizations to gain invaluable insights on cost-effective facility planning while contributing to environmental preservation. This free event united over 50 Denver nonprofits, numerous City and County of Denver representatives, and various community partners from the private sector.

"We envision this annual conference as a means to deliver energy-efficient resources to underserved communities where free access to such programs is often limited," said Wil Alston, Director for HRCP's Office of Nonprofit Engagement. "Our primary goal is to enable local nonprofits to redirect their existing energy expenses back into their missions and communities. By providing aid, insights, and resources on money-saving facility planning, conservation efforts, and environmental management, the SGBG conference proved instrumental in empowering nonprofits and faith organizations to become effective stewards of the environment while optimizing their operational expenses.”

Video: https://youtu.be/klX8zoqXH08

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/4x16l6v2kn3oar21t1z67/h?rlkey=1njlxy0nb4n768ja870xsom2k&dl=0

About HRCP’s Office of Nonprofit Engagement: The Denver Office of Nonprofit Engagement/D-ONE was created in January 2004 to serve as a liaison between the City of Denver and its nonprofit sector. D-ONE is committed to increasing the capacity and sustainability of the nonprofit sector and achieves those objectives by delivering training & workshops, targeted programming, improving internal contracting processes, and by assisting nonprofits with funding and becoming smarter about the facilities they operate out of. 

About the Save Green Be Green Conference: 

The Save Green Be Green Conference, organized by the Denver Office of Nonprofit Engagement (D-ONE), focuses on promoting energy efficiency, cost savings, and environmental sustainability among nonprofits and faith organizations. The conference provides valuable resources, insights, and networking opportunities to empower participants in their sustainability efforts. 

HRCP’s Denver Office of Nonprofit Engagement in partnership with Councilwoman Jamie Torres - District 3, Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency , Energy Outreach Colorado, Xcel Energy, EPA Region 8, Waste Management, and GRID Alternatives.

Original source can be found here