This document summarizes a webinar on funding and developing energy improvement projects. It includes presentations from the Natural Capital Investment Fund, Self-Help Credit Union, and Elevate Energy on their programs and financing options for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. It also describes an energy project at the First State Capitol Building in West Virginia that received financing, including new windows, repairs, a cool roof, HVAC upgrades, LED lighting, and solar PV. The document concludes with contact information for follow up questions.

1. Turning Technical
Assistance into Action
Funding and project development
strategies for energy improvement
March 22, 2017
Lissa McCracken
Facilitator
ESRC

2. ESRC Serves EPA Regions 3 &4
The ESRC serves 13 states and Washington D.C.
Region 3 - Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania,
D.C., Delaware and Maryland
Region 4 - Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina and Tennessee

3. P2Rx – Regional Centers
The P2Rx network of regional centers includes:
NEWMOA (Northeast) P2RIC (Plains)
ESRC (Southeast) P2P (Mountain)
GLRPPR (Great Lakes) WSPPN (Pacific Southwest)
ZWN (Southeast) PPRC (Northwest)
www.P2Rx.org

4. 2:00-2:05 Welcome & Overview
2:05-2:15 Hannah Vargason
Natural Capital Investment Fund
2:15-2:25 Melissa Malkin-Weber
Self-Help Credit Union
2:25-2:35 Abigail Corso
Elevate Energy
2:35-2:45 Mary Ellen Cassidy
First State Capitol Building
2:45-2:55 Summary & Questions
2:55-3:00 Wrap-Up & Adjourn
Agenda

5. Investing with Impact
Conservation as a community economic
development strategy
Renewables
AgricultureLogging
AdaptivereuseEnergyEfficiency

6. About NCIF
FireFly Cheese: insulation & solar
$30 million nonprofit,
community loan fund
Lend to small businesses,
nonprofits and local
governments
Provide patient & flexible
capital
Provide technical
assistance
Triple bottom-line focus:
1X Economic growth
2X Job creation/retention
3X Environmental
stewardship

7. US Treasury Certified CDFI
Community Development Financial Institution

8. Our Model
The Custard Stand: energy efficient, whole-building rehab
Technical Assistance
Flexible Finance
Leverage

9. Barriers /
Opportunities
Clarion Hotel: Energy efficienct lighting, HVAC & solar
Low Energy Prices
Eroding Profits
Policies/Politics
(Un)skilled Labor
Access to Capital
Technical Expertise

10. WV Energy Audit Program
NCIF can help you offset the cost of an energy audit; we can provide 75% cost-
share up to $3,750 for small businesses and farms
 On-site, comprehensive energy audit:
$1,250 out of pocket cost
($5,000 total cost)
 Desktop (REAP-ready) energy audit:
$625 out of pocket cost ($2,500 total)
 Investment-grade assessments
 Certified Energy Manger prepared
 Process
 Intro call
 Assessment design
 Site visit or online data collection
 Report delivery & project planning
 Project development & funding
Rates/terms vary, based on
individual borrower and project characteristics.

11. NCIF Loans
We provide flexible and affordable loans to businesses that have difficulty
accessing traditional financing at terms that work for them.
 Interest rates reflect risk
 Currently between 4 – 9 percent
 Can be fixed or variable (i.e. “Prime
plus”)
 Terms
 Working capital up to 5 years
 Equipment up to 10 years
 Real estate up to 20 years
 Flexible provisions may include
 Interest-only periods
 Seasonal payments
 Participation loans with banks/other
revolving loan funds
 Less restrictive loan-to-value
requirements
Rates/terms vary, based on
individual borrower and project characteristics.

12. Approaching a Lender
Here’s what borrowers need:
 Business plan
 Tax returns (past 3 years)
 Business financial statements
 Personal financial statements
 List of possible collateral items
Here’s what lenders will ask:
 How will the loan proceeds be used?
 Who are your suppliers / customers?
 What other business debt do you
have, and who are your creditors?
 Who’s on your management team?
The better prepared you are, the quicker
they can respond to your request.

13. Why make energy improvements?
When you conserve energy, you can:
Improve your bottom line
Reduce maintenance cost & time
Increase productivity & product quality
Enhance worker health & safety
Boost building/asset value
Offset tax liability
Defend against increasing prices
Further customer loyalty
Ease stress on the grid
Benefit the community & the
environment

14. Paying for improvements
Federal incentives
USDA Rural Energy for America Program
• 25% cost-share grant
• Lighting, HVAC, equipment, solar, ect.
• Mar 31 & Oct 31 deadlines
EQIP ON-Farm Energy Initiative
• CAP payments for lighting, ventilation,
heating and cooling
• Mix-match with REAP up to 75% of the
total project amount
Business Energy Investment Tax Credit
• 30% for solar/small wind
• 10% for geothermal/CHP
• Use 1 year back, 20 years forward
Accelerated & bonus depreciation for solar

15. Paying for improvements
State/local incentives
Mon Power/Potomac Edison Lighting
Incentive Program: 5 cents per kWh
saved
APCO Program
• 5 cents per kWh saved
• $150,000 per year, up to 50
percent of project costs
Commercial Solar Property Tax
Exemption
Property Assessed Clean Energy
(PACE) Financing – finance energy
improvements on your tax bill. Coming
soon!

16. NCIF Energy Portfolio
Geothermal Biofuels Landfill to Gas
EE Rehab. Solar EE Equipment

17. Get In Touch
Visit us on the web
ncifund.org
facebook.com/ncifund
twitter.com/ncifund
twitter.com/hannahvargason
Contact Us
Hannah Vargason
Business Development & Energy
Project Manager
hvargason@conservationfund.org
304-870-2238

18. FINANCING YOUR ENERGY
UPGRADES
EPA WEBINAR
MARCH 22, 2017

19. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org
WHO IS SELF-HELP ?
9
Community Development
Financial Institution
(CDFI)
Our mission:
Provide ownership
and economic
opportunity for all,
especially people of
color, women, rural
residents, and low-
wealth families and
communities.

20. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org
PROJECTS WE FUND
10
• Businesses
• Cooperatives
• Renewable Energy
• Real Estate
• Religious Institutions
• Nonprofit Facilities
• Multi-Family

21. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org 11
Commercial, nonprofit and coop loans
• Sustainable food systems
• Clean energy
• Mission-aligned charter schools
• Affordable housing
Maps: Wikimedia Commons
Small business loans
Chicago
&
North Carolina
Lending Geography

22. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org 12
• Renewable energy
• Energy upgrades
• Business space up-fit
• Equipment purchase
• New and used vehicles
• Working capital
SMALL BUSINESS LOAN EXAMPLES

23. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org 13
Businesses Loan
Paths
 Small Loans (< $10,000)
-Interest rates reflect personal credit
-Fast process -- like a personal loan
-Starting small can help grow
capacity
 Start-up businesses can show
-Secondary source of income
- Personal credit history and tax
returns
 Two-year track record
- Best interest rates

24. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org
COLLATERAL
14
 Loans can be secured with
• Real estate
• Vehicle
• Equipment
• Cash deposits
 SBA and USDA loan guarantees can assist
 Small unsecured loans for qualified borrowers

25. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org
ENERGY EFFICIENCY SCENARIO
 Utility rebate will reimburse part
of the cost after installation
 Borrower’s spouse will co-sign and
has secondary source of income.
 Borrowers have minimal personal
and business debt.
 Borrowers have decent credit.
 Borrowers qualify for unsecured
simple loan.
Lighting Upgrade Example - $7,000 Project Cost
15

26. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org
ENERGY EFFICIENCY SCENARIO
16
Renovation Loan Example
Acquisition $2,000,000
Rehab $1,000,000
• General construction-$700K
• Energy Efficiency measures-$300K
 Efficient HVAC
 LED lights
 Wireless thermostats
Equipment $ 825,000
 Efficient coolers & freezers
 Efficient hoods
Solar Array $ 500,000
Contingency $ 150,000
Soft Costs $ 175,000
Total $4,000,000

27. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org
SELF-HELP BORROWER EXAMPLE
The Mayton Inn benefits from:
• Very efficient HVAC system
• LED lighting
• Solar hot water & electric
• Tablet control of room lights &
temperature
“We wanted Mayton Inn to use the most current technologies
available; our 504 loan from Self-Help made it possible”
–Deanna Crossman
Cary, North Carolina

28. Creating and Protecting Ownership and Economic Opportunity | www.self-help.org 18
@SelfHelpGreen
Melissa Malkin-Weber
919-956-4406
MelissaMW@Self-Help.org
Center for Community Self-Help

29. ©2014 Elevate Energy
Elevate Energy
Small Business Energy Efficiency
Program
March 22, 2017

30. Our Mission
We promote smarter energy use for all.
We ensure the benefits of energy efficiency
reach those who need them most.
We give people the resources they need to make
informed energy choices.
We design and implement efficiency programs
that lower costs, and protect the environment.

31. What motivates building owners and operators?
Positive Cash Flow
Work environment
Saving time
Low or no hassle

32. What challenges small business owners?
Customer Intake
Building
Assessment
Closing the Deal Construction
QA/QC
Inspection &
Project
Wrap-up
On-going
Monitoring
Benchmarking
Building
Assessment
Benchmarking Construction
On-going
Monitoring
Challenge 6
Over-whelmed
by bidding
process
Challenge 2
Unsure of
current energy
use
Challenge 4
Lack of capital
Challenge 5
Hesitant to
invest in
ECMs
Challenge 3
Unsure of
needed ECMS
Challenge 9
Unsure if
savings
materialized
Challenge 7
Unsure of
contractor
work quality
Challenge 8
Lack of time to
apply for
incentives
Challenge 1
Unsure of how
to start retrofit
process
Despite the need and potential cost savings, owners are not always
engaged in energy and water efficiency

33. Customer service is the key to engaging building
owners in energy and water efficiency projects.
Customer Intake
Building
Assessment
Closing the Deal Construction
QA/QC
Inspection &
Project
Wrap-up
On-going
Monitoring
Benchmarking
Building
Assessment
Benchmarking Construction
On-going
Monitoring
Challenge 6
Over-whelmed
by bidding
process
Challenge 2
Unsure of
current energy
use
Challenge 4
Lack of capital
Challenge 5
Hesitant to
invest in
ECMs
Challenge 3
Unsure of
needed ECMS
Challenge 9
Unsure if
savings
materialized
Challenge 7
Unsure of
contractor
work quality
Challenge 8
Lack of time to
apply for
incentives
Challenge 1
Unsure of how
to start retrofit
process
Customer
Construction Manager
Contractors
Energy AnalystAdmin
• Streamlined process to help owners access all services
• High quality customer service through a single point of contact
• Strong construction management with 100% QA of jobs
• Robust data to support energy savings and monitor post-retrofit results

34. Final thoughts on engaging small business owners
• Program design should address the motivators and the
challenges owners are facing.
• Use trusted messengers to engage owners- other owners,
associations, lenders.
• Make it easy for the owner to get the work done.
• Focus on quality.
• Gather feedback early and often through interviews and
questionnaires.
• Be there when something goes wrong!

35. Thank You
Abigail Corso, P.E. LEED AP O+M
Elevate Energy
Abigail.Corso@elevateenergy.org
773.321.2663

36. West Virginia
First State Capitol
Bldg (Wheeling)
• New energy efficient &
historically accurate
windows
• Repair/re-stucco exterior
• New cool roof
• Upgrades to HVAC
• New energy efficient / LED
lighting
• Solar PV

37. Summary & Questions
NCIF: Hannah Vargason
hvargason@conservationfund.org
304.870.2238
Self-Help: Melissa Malkin-Weber
MelissaMW@Self-Help.org
919.956.4406
Elevate Energy: Abigail Corso
Abigail.Corso@elevateenergy.org
773.321.2663

38. Turning Technical
Assistance into Action
Funding and project development
strategies for energy improvement
March 22, 2017
Lissa McCracken
Administrator, ESRC
Executive Director, KPPC
esrconline.org