How CollectiveSun Works with Faith Communities on their Journey to Solar

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Meet CollectiveSun
• The Journey to Solar
• Identify Resource Partners
• Inflation Reduction Act & Direct Pay
• Ways to Fund Your Solar Project

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TABLE OF Meet Your Speaker

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Nicole Withrow is the Director of Sales at CollectiveSun®, LLC. She has over 25 years of experience in sales management, contract administration and project fulfillment.

As the Director of Sales at CollectiveSun, Nicole Withrow exemplifies a genuine trailblazer in the clean energy sector. With an unwavering commitment to sustainability and a deep understanding of the solar industry, Nicole is a driving force in helping nonprofit organizations and communities achieve their clean energy goals.

She believes passionately that: “We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors – we borrow it from our children.”

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nwithrow@collectivesun.com

collectivesun.com

WHO IS COLLECTIVESUN?

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• We streamline the process to support houses of worship trying to go solar

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• We have supported over 200 nonprofit organizations on their solar journey

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• We have been the industry’s solar funding experts for over a decade

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• Active in 25 states & counting

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TEMPLE BETH DAVID

WESTWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS

NEW MILFORD UMC

NEW MILFORD, CONNECTICUT

GOOD SAMARITAN EPSICOPAL CHURCH

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

SUNBURY BIBLE CHURCH

NORTHUMBERLAND, PENNSYLVANIA

THE JOURNEY TO SOLAR

MAP OF OUR PROJECTS

THE JOURNEY TO SOLAR

• Establish your solar team
• Discuss the logistics of where a solar array could potentially be placed on your building/property
• Gather 12 months of electric bills
• Evaluate funding options for your solar system
• There is no right or wrong answer to this question and it is often easy for a congregation to identify culturally with one solution over the other
• Visit your utility’s website

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The next few items will fall to the congregation to handle in the scenario of purchasing the system directly, however with a lease or ppa the burden of most of the following tasks will be the responsibility of the lessor or ppa provider - those tasks include

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• Identify reputable local solar installers
• Perform due diligence or “vetting” of those installers (checking references, look for reviews on line)
• Engage in a competitive bidding process - if you are going the route of a direct purchase it’s important to look at multiple solar bids, three is the norm.
• Compare/evaluate your solar proposals

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RESOURCES & PARTNERS

• Direct Pay: What You Need to Know
• Domestic Content Bonus Adder: What You Need to Know
• Low Income Communities Bonus Adder: What You Need to Know
• Energy Communities Bonus Adder: What You Need to Know
• Direct Pay & the ITC Bonus Adders Updates: What you Need to Know

You can also view all of our webinar events and recaps here:: CollectiveSun Events!

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• CollectiveSun and Our partners at Interfaith Solar Campaign
• Your local chapter of Interfaith Power & Light
• Solar United Neighbors
• The White House Summary of Direct Pay
• Department of Energy
• Treasury Guidance
• IRS Elective Pay Overview

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Tax credits that can help make your project affordable.

With the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act – the most significant climate legislation in US history! – came the advent of Direct Pay, bringing long overdue access to solar tax benefits to nonprofits who qualify

WHAT IS DIRECT PAY?

The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act brings forth a groundbreaking provision known as "Elective Pay" or "Direct Pay," which has far-reaching benefits for tax-exempt and governmental entities. For the very first time, these organizations will have the opportunity to receive a payment equivalent to the full value of tax credits when they construct qualifying clean energy projects.

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Explore the webinar series below to learn more about tax benefits for nonprofits

Direct Pay: What You Need to Know

Domestic Content Bonus Adder: What You Need to Know

Low Income Communities Bonus Adder: What You Need to Know

Energy Communities Bonus Adder: What You Need to Know

Direct Pay & the ITC Bonus Adders Updates: What you Need to Know

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TIMING

EXCESSIVE BENEFIT

SOLUTIONS

Ways to fund your solar system

• Cash Reserves
• Donations & Grants
• Combinations of the above solutions
• Solar Leases & Power Purchase Agreements or PPA’s

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SOLUTIONS

• If you have cash reserves, intend to take out a loan for the purchase of the solar system, or have donation/grant funds –

And you feel comfortable with and have the bandwidth and internal resources to navigating the process of going solar as well as navigating the direct pay tax filing then a direct purchase and ownership of the solar system may be your option of choice

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• The DIY approach can be overwhelming, and for some, marred with obstacles that can put your project on the perpetual back burner - so be mindful of seeking resources and resource partners and really being diligent about moving through obstacles in the process.

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• If you have cash reserves, donations or grant funds – and you DO NOT feel comfortable with or have the bandwidth and internal resources to navigate the process of going solar and the direct pay tax filing – you may be more inclined to explore a solar lease for your congregation.

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• Lease & PPAs - Third Party Ownership - How do they compare? These two options are similar in that a third party owns, operates and maintains the solar equipment. That third party being the owner of the equipment will also be responsible for the tax filings associated with the purchase of the system. Upfront costs can vary depending on the project economics and provider. The big difference with a lease is that the congregation owns the energy generated by the solar system and if available in your region, retains any incentives like REC’s. With a PPA the third party owner also owns the energy which the congregation must purchase from them albeit at a lower rate than what you’re currently paying your utility. At CollectiveSun We refer to our SunForAll Solar lease as an Easy Button solution because it puts the project development and construction management on us, the lessor while removing the burden of tax filings and mitigating ownership risks associated with the long term ownership of a solar system. It also removes many of the obstacles experienced with the DIY approach by relying on the expertise of our team.

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I know that was a lot of information in a short period of time, for those that have specific questions for us please join Lee and I in the break out session or reach out to us or to our partners at Interfaith Solar Campaign. We’re here to help!!

SOLUTIONS

From CollectiveSun and the SunForAll Solar Fund

The SunForAll Solar Lease

• No fees, all construction management provided
• Lease rates are based on community impact, not credit score
• You own all of the energy generated by the solar system and retain valuable REC’s
• Full operations & maintenance are included

designed by nonprofit professionals, not banks

Solar for nonprofits is our passion. Ensuring that nonprofits and tax exempt organizations operate sustainably, both fiscally and environmentally, is fundamental to who we are. When organizations are able to tap the power of solar energy, they are freed up to focus on what they do best – providing essential programming and serving their communities.