Climate Resilience
The Center is leading the charge to help small businesses and underserved communities thrive in a green economy. We’re opening doors to sustainability, empowering businesses to play an active role in the clean energy transition and ensuring that no small business is left behind.
Our Strategies
Main Street Goes Green
Climate resilience starts on Main Street. Small, underserved businesses often face barriers to adopting sustainable practices, from high costs to limited access to financing. The Center designs strategies that connect small businesses to the funding they need to make energy upgrades and adopt eco-friendly practices. We’re developing the Main Street Climate Resiliency Toolbox to empower local businesses with practical tools and support as they make the shift toward a green economy. Working in partnership with cities, we’re ensuring these businesses can access the resources they need to fuel a thriving, sustainable local economy.
Climate-Ready Contracting Network
Our Contractors Accelerator for Climate Resilience opens doors for diverse-owned contracting businesses. From renewable energy to green infrastructure projects, we prepare small business owners to win contracts on large-scale climate initiatives. With the Justice40 Initiative as a guiding principle, we help ensure that local, diverse contractors are part of the solution, contributing to a pipeline of businesses ready to meet the demands of a clean energy economy.
Community Resilience
The Center partners with local governments and middle market firms to drive equitable access to climate-related resources. Each community—whether large, small, urban, or rural—has unique needs, so we tailor our strategies to meet them. Through initiatives like the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC)* and AmeriCorps, we advocate for policies and incentives that strengthen local systems, infrastructure, and leadership. We work with cities to develop targeted initiatives, such as rebate programs or green infrastructure incentives, that encourage small businesses to adopt sustainable practices. By helping communities leverage available resources, The Center supports climate goals while fostering equitable economic growth.
Climate Innovators
The Center is committed to advancing middle market businesses (MMBs) in the clean energy and climate technology sectors, focusing on those with revenue between $10–$50 million. Guided by the Justice40 framework, our Middle Market Business Program provides targeted procurement and supply chain support to help these companies develop inclusive strategies for federally funded clean energy projects. This approach enables MMBs to drive job creation, open contract opportunities, and support small business growth in underserved communities.
* The Center was one of 65 sites selected from over 500 applicants to host an Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) fellow. This new initiative connects organizations with skilled professionals to accelerate post-COVID economic recovery in under-resourced communities.
Partnerships in Action
City of Pasadena
In partnership with the City of Pasadena’s Economic Development Division, our ‘Small Business Green Survey Crawl’ identified the challenges local, underserved small businesses face in going green. From eco-friendly upgrades to energy-efficient practices, the survey’s findings are guiding the City as it helps small businesses adapt to a clean energy economy. This partnership serves as a model for other cities looking to support their small business communities in becoming climate-resilient.
In rural Cuyama Valley, The Center partners with Blue Sky Center, a place-based organization leading the way in water conservation, sustainable agriculture, and resilient infrastructure. The Center brings the tools and strategies to further develop Blue Sky’s pioneering work, creating a toolkit that other rural communities can use to build resilient, sustainable economies.
Our partnership with the City of San Fernando focuses on giving small businesses the tools and funding they need to make essential energy upgrades. These upgrades are crucial, as the city has faced increasingly intense heat waves due to rising temperatures. By helping local businesses access clean energy resources and implement climate resilience measures, The Center is building a stronger, more adaptable economy for San Fernando.
Featured Stories
California’s Small Businesses to Become Stronger, Greener With Inflow of Climate Resilience Funding
This story was written by Lila Brown for California Black Media and featured in the...
New Partnerships for Climate Resilience
The Center collaborates with the City of San Fernando to strategize on supporting small...
Strengthening Diversity in the Green Economy
The United States is leading a transformative shift towards an inclusive green climate...
Partner With Us
If you’re a city or middle market firm dedicated to inclusive growth, partner with The Center. Let’s explore how we can collaborate to build an inclusive and sustainable clean energy economy.
