Green Economy Fund Awardees

To-date CHPE’s Green Economy Fund (the “GEF”) has awarded $1.75 million to organizations across New York State that prepare disadvantaged New Yorkers for careers in the green economy.

 

The most recent awardees, and recipients of the GEF’s third round of funding are as follows:

 

• Green City Force (serving NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) and low-income housing residents in NYC) operates the Green City Force Service Corps program that provides green economy career training for young adults (ages 18–24) living in public housing. The program recruits year-round and includes skilled training, industry certifications, a monthly stipend and MetroCard, and career and other support services. Visit their website to learn more about the eligibility requirements and application process.
• Social Enterprise and Training Center, Inc. (SEAT Center) (serving New York State’s Capital Region) runs the “Build Up!” program that provides training for disadvantaged young adults in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, as well as heat pump installation. The program offers certifications, hands-on experience, and job placements. Visit their website for more information, including how to apply.

 

Earlier in 2025, the GEF awarded funds to the following recipients (in alphabetical order):

• BronxWorks, Inc. (serving The Bronx) helps individuals and families improve their economic and social well-being by providing a range of services including feeding, sheltering, teaching, and supporting residents from toddlers to seniors. The BronxWorks Workforce Development Department serves people that are unemployed, looking for their first job or who need help improving their careers. For more information on their job training opportunities, visit their website, email workforce@bronxworks.org or call 718.993.8880.

• Communities for Local Power (serving the Mid-Hudson Region) helps communities transition to a locally-based, clean energy economy, supporting community and municipal engagement in decision-making, policy, and practice to mitigate climate change and increase resilience. Workforce opportunities include the Empower Kingston Green Jobs program that provides paid hands-on training and apprenticeships in clean energy and sustainable building systems.

• The Door – A Center for Alternatives, Inc. (serving The Bronx and Manhattan) provides a wide range of free programs and services to meet the needs of New York City people ages 12 to 24. Their programs include career and education support, health services, legal assistance, arts and recreation, and housing support. The Solar One Green Building Operations & Maintenance Training Program offers hands-on training and certifications in the field of Green Energy Construction followed by a paid internship in the field. More information is made available by completing this form.

• The East River Development Alliance Inc. (Urban Upbound)(serving Queens) provides underserved youth and adults the tools and resources needed to achieve economic prosperity and self-sufficiency. Urban Upbound’s Employment Services team provides job readiness training and one-on-one counseling to help community members gain and retain meaningful employment in high-growth sectors. For more information on employment services visit their website.

• The Osborne Association (serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Buffalo, Manhattan, Newburgh, Troy, & Westchester) serves individuals, families, and communities affected by the criminal legal system. Their extensive programming includes a resource library with services such as healthy relationship courses, substance use disorder treatment, job training, mentoring, and reentry planning. Osborne’s Green Workforce Development Program provides formerly incarcerated and underserved individuals with training, job placement, and support services for careers in the green economy. To find out more, visit their website and sign up for more information.

• The Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce (serving Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton and northern Warren Counties in New York State, as well as the Akwesasne Territory and parts of southern Quebec) offers economic development efforts including on-the-job training, workforce recruitment, and support services to community members in a variety of roles including green transportation.

• The Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex Board of Cooperative Educational Services (WSWHE BOCES) (serving the Capital Region) reaches 31 school districts in a five-county region in New York State, providing a range of educational programs and services including career and technical education, adult education, and support services. The Employment Training for Adults program prepares people to successfully plug into a new career path or advance more rapidly in a career that’s already underway. Program offerings include training in green energy-related skills and technologies in Automotive Technology, HVAC/Refrigeration, and Construction Trades. For more information, visit their website.

Previous GEF grants included funding to the following awardees (in alphabetical order):

• Building Works is a free pre-apprenticeship training program that connects graduates to apprenticeships in the NYC District Council of Carpenters. New training classes are made available every 1-2 months, to learn more about applying visit their website and email questions to buildingworks@nycdcctc.org.

• Non-Traditional Employment for Women (NEW) is a nonprofit organization offering free training for women to start careers in trades, utilities and facilities maintenance. Workers interested in joining the program may enroll now by visiting new-nyc.org/enroll or emailing info@new-nyc.org.

• Pathways to Apprenticeship (P2A) provides free, pre-apprenticeship training in the trades and links graduates to interviews with many of the Building Trade unions including the Laborers, the Ironworkers, the Plumbers, Painters, Electricians and more. If you are interested in applying, please visit their website and sign up for e-mail updates, call them at (917)983-8830 or send an e-mail to info@P2Atrades.org.

• Stacks + Jules provides free, high-quality work-based learning on the implementation and maintenance of Building Automation Systems (BAS). For more information on upcoming classes please visit their website.