(NEW YORK)– December 12, 2019Blue State, a full-service creative agency for progressive organizations, is partnering with GRID Alternatives, a national nonprofit leader in making clean energy technology and jobs accessible to underserved communities, to develop a climate justice digital tool to help increase access to low-carbon equity programs in California. 

Blue State’s work with GRID is part of a broader statewide effort to ensure that low-income households throughout California have robust and equal access to clean transportation, solar power, and similar technologies that help in the dual effort to fight climate change and economic inequality. The goal of the engagement is to create a new platform that provides streamlined access for low-income consumers to upgrade existing vehicles and apply and qualify for zero- and near-zero-emission cars and other clean mobility options. 

GRID is working with local outreach partners, including SEIU, the Native American Environmental Protection Coalition, Blue Lake Rancheria, and Liberty Hill, to increase awareness of, and access to, clean energy alternatives and incentives for California residents in low-income and disadvantaged communities. This initiative is designed to be a template for future programs to increase access to clean energy resources in the future, specifically energy-efficient and water-efficient housing upgrades for low-income communities. 

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“GRID Alternatives is thrilled to partner with Blue State on this important project,” said GRID Alternatives Chief Strategy Officer Zach Franklin. “Our work together is the first of many steps toward making it easier for all California residents to access clean transportation alternatives and clean energy equity programs.” 

After the California Air Resources Board tapped GRID Alternatives in 2018 to administer a new clean transportation project for low-income residents, GRID selected Blue State as a partner to build the technology platform and advise on the grassroots outreach strategy to introduce the program to local communities. 

“We’re honored that GRID selected us as a partner to help reach and engage underserved Californians and introduce technology that not only fights the climate crisis but supports climate justice,” said Blue State Creative Director Laura Kunkel. “With our roots in campaigns and organizing and our people-centric approach, we’ve learned you can’t design a tool without putting the community at the center of every single decision for every feature and every process—and that’s exactly what we’re doing with GRID.”

About Blue State

Blue State is the creative and tech agency for brands and causes looking to inspire people to take action. With clients including the Obama Foundation, Google, UNICEF, MIT, and Ford Motor Company, Blue State cultivates communities, builds platforms, and transforms how organizations engage their most important people. Led by some of the most creative and analytical minds from the political, nonprofit, and brand worlds, Blue State is a part of WPP and has more than 200 employees across six offices.

About GRID Alternatives

GRID Alternatives is a national leader in making clean, renewable energy accessible to low-income communities and communities of color. Using a unique, people-first model, GRID develops and implements renewable energy projects that serve qualifying households and affordable housing providers, while providing hands-on job training. GRID has installed solar for more than 15,000 families to-date, helped households and housing providers save $375 million in lifetime electricity costs, and engaged over 40,000 people in solar education and training. GRID has seven offices in California, and administers two of the state’s low-income solar incentive programs.