When Leonard Hampton came to GRID Alternatives, he was looking for more than a job. He was looking for a chance to reinvent himself. After years of facing barriers to opportunity, Leonard wanted a new direction.

Whenever I have the chance to join a team of volunteers and the GRID Alternatives Colorado construction team on a residential solar installation, I always leave feeling like I picked the right job when I joined the nonprofit on Earth Day 2024

When I joined GRID Alternatives, I figured that I should learn at least a little about solar power...

When I joined GRID Alternatives, I figured that I should learn at least a little about solar power...

Clean energy is more about stewarding the land, the people, and the opportunity beneath the light.

Sycamore & Oak, a community-led development rising on the historic grounds of the former St. Elizabeths East Campus, is part business hub, part cultural anchor, and entirely a love letter to the Congress Heights neighborhood. Where a site long marked by disinvestment once stood, a future-focused hub for Black-owned businesses, entrepreneurship, and community benefit is now taking shape.

At GRID Alternatives, we believe in the power of service to community, to country, and to an abundant, clean energy future. Our AmeriCorps members embody the very best of national service: pride in our country and neighborhoods, a willingness to roll up their sleeves, and a deep commitment to building a better future through hands-on learning, training, and hard

By Erica Mackie, Co-Founder and Co-CEO

At GRID Alternatives, we believe a clean energy future must be built on real skills, real jobs, and real opportunity. Our AmeriCorps members and Installation Basics Training (IBT) graduates gain hands-on experience installing solar panels, wiring energy storage, and building EV charging infrastructure.

Over 30 years later, Operation Dignity now provides low-barrier sheltering, street outreach, permanent housing, and services to those experiencing homelessness. GRID Alternatives has collaborated with Operation Dignity to help them transition to clean energy.

The San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum (SDCDM), nestled in the heart of Escondido, has long been a hub for interactive learning and creativity. But in June 2024, the museum took a significant step toward sustainability by installing a new rooftop solar system that will transform its operations for years to come.