In a step towards a more sustainable future, Go Green Granville recently launched the Go Green Granville Fund. This new grant program is designed to help local nonprofit organizations in Granville to install solar panels. The fund, which has $50,000 in initial funding, aims to increase energy efficiency and empower the community to combat global climate change.
The Go Green Granville initiative will cover up to 50% of the costs for installed roof or ground-mounted solar panels. The federal government also offers a “Residential Clean Energy Credit” tax incentive equal to 30% of the costs of new, qualified clean energy projects to help offset the price, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
The initial cost to install solar panels varies with each project, but typically costs an Ohio resident around $13,000 before incentives, including the federal tax credit, according to Energy Sage. And while the upfront costs may be steep in some installs, solar panels can help cut energy costs significantly over time.
“With the grant, the cost-benefit is a no-brainer,” said Tracee Laing, a representative from Go Green Granville.
Laing wants to make it easier for local organizations to take meaningful action against climate change. She hopes that the fund, when paired with the expertise of the Go Green Granville team, will provide the community with both the resources and knowledge to move towards a greener future.
The Go Green Granville fund intends to help a variety of local groups, while also targeting areas with the highest potential for possible impact. During the first phase of the fund, grants will be available to schools, non-profits and civic organizations.
“We’d like to start with projects that are visible to the community,” said Laing, “So that people can see the process.”
Solar panel installation can help residents and businesses save on energy costs,, Go Green Granville said in an announcement about the fund.
Read more: Granville Village Council approves revised regulations for installing solar panels
To fund the projects, Go Green Granville has collaborated with the Granville Community Foundation.
“We’re basically a banker for Go Green Granville,” said Bob Hays of the Granville Community Foundation. “Our foundation’s mission aligns perfectly with what they’re trying to do in the area, and we’re excited to provide our support.”
Once organizations apply for the fund, Go Green Granville will assess their property and solar needs, and the Granville Community Foundation will provide funding in the form of a grant.
“We just received our funds last week, so we’re looking forward to getting started,” said Hays.
To help locals navigate the solar installation process, Go Green Granville is hosting “Going Solar in 2025,” an event series with informational sessions that will cover topics such as how to assess a site for solar potential and installation costs.
“There are a lot of residents in Granville with perfect roofs for solar, who we are personally reaching out to,” said Laing. “We want people to be aware that solar energy can work for them.”
Go Green Granville hopes to grow the fund over time and broaden their influence.
“The ultimate goal is to move Granville away from dirty energy sources,” said Laing. “We want Granville to sign an opt-out form from the electric aggregation program that it currently uses.”
“We’re just getting off the ground, but we’re excited to see how things go,” said Hays.
This story was updated at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24 to clarify which organizations are eligible for the first phase of grant funds.
Selah Griffin writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.