Best Energy Efficiency Grants for Nonprofits in South Carolina

South Carolina agricultural producers, forest landowners, Tribes, and water management entities seeking on-farm energy efficiency and conservation improvements can access funding through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program. EQIP provides technical and financial assistance to integrate conservation practices that improve soil health, water and air quality, wildlife habitat, and resilience to drought and extreme weather.

Grants from South Carolina Department of Environmental Services help South Carolina nonprofits, local governments, businesses, and educational institutions implement diesel emissions reduction projects that improve air quality and public health. Funding supports cost-effective engine repowers, equipment and exhaust retrofits, and equipment replacements that advance energy efficiency and conservation goals.

With a mission to support environmental programs, American Honda Motor provides South Carolina nonprofits and schools with US $25,000 - US $100,000 for decarbonization, clean energy, and efficient use of natural resources projects. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations and school districts serving South Carolina communities where Honda associates live and work may apply for energy efficiency and related initiatives.

Nonprofit sponsors and affordable housing developers in South Carolina can apply for the South Carolina Housing Trust Fund’s Critical Home Repair Program, with awards of US $5,000 - US $30,000 for essential interior and exterior home repairs. Projects that improve major systems or add accessibility features may also enhance residential energy efficiency and conservation.

Local governments, nonprofit service providers, and community-based organizations in South Carolina can apply for the Southeast Equitable Energy through Community-Driven Solutions (SEEDS) program, with awards of US $10,000 - US $15,000 for targeted outreach and case management. Funding supports low-income households in accessing energy efficiency, weatherization, and home repair programs.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving South Carolina and other Southern states can seek support for programs addressing poverty relief, children and families, education, medical assistance, disaster relief, veterans, animal welfare, and conservation. Focused on relieving hardship, the Robinson Foundation invites established charities to propose single-year projects with tangible, meaningful impact, which may include energy efficiency or conservation-related efforts.

Nonprofit charities managing humanitarian, educational, environmental, or arts projects in South Carolina can seek philanthropic support that promotes sustainable development and community benefit. La Roche supports accredited charities through its Corporate Donations and Philanthropy program, with local affiliate offices funding organizations whose programs are based and operated within the same country as the affiliate.

South Carolina nonprofit organizations planning solar energy or energy efficiency projects can access funding through Hammond Climate Solutions Foundation’s Solar Moonshot Program, with awards up to US $25,000. Projects serving youth, schools, or Communities of Concern, and those with additional funding and near-term installation plans, may be especially competitive; houses of worship are currently ineligible.

Organizations and stakeholders involved in energy infrastructure and grid planning in South Carolina can provide input to shape future funding and policy for large-scale electricity demand and grid expansion. Grants from National Energy Technology Laboratory help energy efficiency and conservation stakeholders nationwide share feedback on transmission capacity, congestion, and interconnection challenges affecting data centers and other major loads.

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BlackRock Future Builders

BlackRock Future Builders is a $100 million philanthropic initiative funded by The BlackRock Foundation to expand economic opportunity and power the next generation of America’s skilled trades workers. Through this Request for Proposals (RFP) process, The Foundation seeks to support U.S. nonprofit organizations (i.e., registered 501(c)3 organizations) delivering or supporting high‑quality skilled trades training.

This competitive grant opportunity operates in parallel to other BlackRock Future Builders partnerships and is intended to surface additional, regionally grounded solutions across the skilled trades ecosystem. Organizations may propose direct worker training programs or capacity‑building efforts that enable systems to function more effectively and at greater scale. This first round RFP will be administered by Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit that transforms U.S. education and workforce systems.

Focus Areas and Solutions

Applicants may propose worker training or capacity‑building solutions aligned to skilled trades workforce development.

• Worker training interventions may include direct service proposals such as pre-apprenticeship or career navigation programs, workforce training programs, apprenticeship programs, or wraparound participant supports that are supportive of training persistence and completion.
• Capacity-building interventions are organizational and system-focused, rather than in direct service of participants, and may include, but are not limited to, proposals such as ecosystem-building, demonstration projects, technology or tool adoptions, or research, among others.

Industrial and technology-focused organizations in South Carolina developing thermal or electric energy storage solutions for industrial facilities can access funding through the U.S. Department of Energy. The Industrial Energy Storage Systems Prize offers up to US $700,000 across three competitive phases to design, prototype, and validate cost-effective industrial energy efficiency and storage technologies.

Low-income households needing home energy-efficiency upgrades in South Carolina can access weatherization services through the Weatherization Assistance Program, administered locally. Grants from the U.S. Department of Energy help eligible residents reduce energy use and costs; South Carolina nonprofits involved in housing or energy assistance may connect clients to state-designated weatherization providers.

Organizations scaling ARPA-E-funded energy technologies that originated under a prior ARPA-E award and meet specific patent and reporting requirements can seek large-scale R&D support in South Carolina and nationwide. The U.S. Department of Energy provides US $5,000,000 - US $20,000,000 for applied research and development to advance high-risk, potentially transformative energy efficiency and related technologies toward market disruption.

Nonprofit visual arts institutions in South Carolina and across the U.S. can receive up to US $20,000 for energy efficiency, clean energy, and sustainability projects through the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative’s Catalyst Grants. Helen Frankenthaler Foundation supports first-step upgrades like LED lighting, insulation, solar panels, audits, and innovative building redesigns that reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

Helen Frankenthaler Foundation

The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation supports the artist’s legacy through a variety of initiatives, including exhibitions, loans of artworks, research and publications, conservation, grants, educational programs for the public and the scholarly community, and the publishing of a catalogue raisonné. It is dedicated to promoting greater public interest in and understanding of the visual arts.

Established and endowed by the artist during her lifetime (1928-2011), the Foundation became active in 2013, on the closing of Frankenthaler’s estate. As the principal beneficiary of Frankenthaler’s estate, the Foundation maintains an extensive collection of her work in a variety of mediums, as well as her collection of works by other artists and original papers and materials pertaining to her life and work.

Frankenthaler Climate Initiative

The Frankenthaler Climate Initiative (FCI) is a pioneering grantmaking program established by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation. Since its inception in 2021, FCI has distinguished itself as the foremost private national initiative in the United States dedicated to combating climate change specifically within the visual arts sector.

FCI provides visual arts institutions with up to $100,000 to undertake ambitious sustainability and energy efficiency initiatives that directly address carbon reduction and energy efficiency. The scope of its support is broad, encompassing everything from modest, rapid-response projects to comprehensive efficiency audits and feasibility studies, and extending to financial contributions for significant infrastructural renovations and strategic planning for new buildings and major initiatives.

Building on the core values of the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, the initiative aligns a commitment to environmental stewardship with a belief in the vital importance of the visual arts and arts education. Through strategic funding and partnerships focused on tangible infrastructure, FCI aims to catalyze a sector-wide shift toward zero carbon operations, promoting a future where the visual arts thrive—while contributing to a more sustainable and ecologically conscious world.

Who We Fund

FCI funds nonprofit institutions in the United States and its territories whose primary focus rests in the visual arts. The visual arts includes but is not limited to painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and installations in clay, glass, metal, wood, fiber, paper, film, and mixed media.

Most of our grantees are art museums, nonprofit galleries, archives, noncollecting institutions, art schools, university museums, and artist-endowed foundations.

What We Fund

FCI funds energy efficiency and clean energy generation projects.

FCI meets arts institutions at every stage of the work, through four kinds of grants:

• Catalyst — first actions and stand-alone projects with a quick turnaround
• Scoping — energy audits and assessments that establish a baseline
• Technical Assistance — detailed planning for technically demanding projects
• Implementation — comprehensive capital work addressing a building's environmental impact at multiple levels

Technical Assistance Grants

Technical Assistance grants support projects that have finished initial assessments, and need procurement and financing support for an identified efficiency project. This may include providing designs, specifications, or fees for working with energy services companies (ESCOs) for project support. These grants also support more complex studies or analysis required for pursuing major implementation projects. At the conclusion of a Technical Assistance grant, the applicant should be sufficiently informed to implement a project.

Focused on energy efficiency and clean energy, Helen Frankenthaler Foundation invites South Carolina visual arts museums and cultural institutions to apply for implementation funding. Eligible U.S.-based museums, cultural institutions, and visual arts schools can receive up to US $100,000 for capital projects that cut building energy use and reduce emissions, supporting broader energy efficiency goals.

Visual arts museums and cultural institutions in South Carolina and across the U.S. can apply for Helen Frankenthaler Foundation’s Frankenthaler Climate Initiative scoping grants, awarding up to US $25,000 for energy assessments and planning. Funding supports audits and consulting to identify efficiency upgrades, clean energy options, and strategies to reduce emissions and fossil fuel use.

The Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund provides grants to support communities in the U.S. and Canada where the company operates. Focused on affordable housing, education, environmental stewardship, and more, the fund emphasizes projects that meet local needs and demonstrate community support. Eligible organizations include nonprofits and educational institutions. Applications are accepted year-round with a deadline for 2025 on September 30. National initiatives related to working forests are funded by invitation only.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and accredited schools working on energy efficiency and conservation projects in South Carolina may be eligible for support, particularly where Saint-Gobain employees live and work. With a mission to strengthen STEM education, sustainable construction, workforce development, and affordable housing, Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation provides direct grants and potential long-term partnerships with employee volunteer engagement.

South Carolina energy efficiency and conservation nonprofits can access funding through the Laird Norton Family Foundation for programs reducing carbon and greenhouse gases and promoting sustainable energy use. U.S.-based organizations working on energy efficiency, conservation, and related environmental stewardship may be considered under its broader national grantmaking priorities.

Nonprofit and community organizations in South Carolina running arts, education, environment, or health and wellness projects or events can apply for Stantec’s Community Engagement Grant. Funding can support short-term or ongoing community initiatives or events, with preference for work near Stantec office locations, including energy efficiency and conservation efforts.

The Goodyear Community Support Grant aims to empower nonprofit organizations that align with Goodyear's community engagement focus areas. With a strong commitment to safe, smart, and sustainable initiatives, Goodyear supports programs fostering safe mobility, inspiring students through education, and addressing environmental and societal needs. This grant serves as a catalyst for positive change, helping communities thrive by focusing on volunteerism and impactful partnerships.

Nonprofit organizations and eligible public entities in South Carolina can seek support for energy efficiency and conservation projects, broader environmental programs, education, and poverty solutions. Entergy Charitable Foundation prioritizes communities within its service areas, backing initiatives like energy management, renewable energy, environmental education, and community resilience that help create and sustain thriving communities.

The TJX Foundation Grants support nonprofit organizations located within 15 miles of a TJX store that align with their community mission. Eligible areas include basic needs, education for at-risk youth, workforce training, and safety from domestic violence. Organizations must be a registered 501(c)(3) for at least 12 months and have a nondiscrimination policy. Applications are invited through a Letter of Inquiry, with funding decisions based on community impact.

The Kroger Foundation is dedicated to uplifting communities through significant charitable contributions, having donated over $1.9 billion in the past six years. Their focus on combating hunger through the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative exemplifies their commitment to social impact. Annually, they provide over $300 million to nonprofit organizations aligned with their mission, promoting health, education, and disaster relief while fostering diversity and inclusion. This initiative reflects Kroger's belief that strong communities are a shared responsibility.

The Gupta Family Foundation Grant aims to empower disadvantaged individuals by providing financial support to organizations that foster self-reliance. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, the foundation offers grants ranging from $5,000 to over $250,000, prioritizing smaller organizations with a strong commitment to their missions. Eligibility typically includes US-based IRS 501(c)(3) entities, with operations extending to countries like India and Kenya. The foundation emphasizes mission alignment and effective resource allocation to ensure maximum impact.

The Costco Wholesale Charitable Contributions program prioritizes support for children, education, and health services within local communities. Nonprofit organizations seeking assistance must be 501(c)(3) certified and focus on monetary requests. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, factoring in community needs and collaboration. However, Costco limits grants to 10% of the program budget and typically restricts organizations to one request per fiscal year. They do not fund individuals or direct aid for various specific purposes.