Grants of $10,000 – $25,000 Will Be Awarded to Non-Profits in Pioneer Member’s Territories

Rocklin, CA — Pioneer Community Energy (Pioneer) – a locally owned not-for-profit electricity provider headquartered in Rocklin, California – is now accepting applications for its first ever Community Benefits Grant. In partnership with Calpine Community Energy, this funding opportunity supports local non-profit organizations in the Placer County, El Dorado County, Grass Valley, and Nevada City communities. 

Grants ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 will be awarded. The deadline to submit applications is July 15, 2025, with recipients being notified by December 2025.

“As a local, not-for-profit energy provider, community reinvestment is very important to Pioneer,” said Pioneer Board Chair and Auburn City Councilmember Alice Dowdin Calvillo. “In addition to ensuring that we are providing competitive rates and saving customers money, we value partners like Calpine Community Energy that bring additional funding opportunities to meet the unique needs of the communities we serve.”

The Community Benefits Grant is open to organizations and projects focused on: 1) research and/or planning for wildfire mitigation, 2) education related to energy or biomass, 3) support for economically disadvantaged groups or individuals, and 4) workforce development.

“Year after year, the Community Benefits Grant program continues to develop long-term partnerships with community-based organizations doing amazing work,” said Josh Brock, Vice President of Commercial Operations for Calpine Community Energy. “We’re honored to not only support our CCA partners like Pioneer Community Energy, but also the communities they serve by sponsoring this program.”            

Webinar:

Pioneer will host a webinar to share grant details and answer questions for interested non-profits on Wednesday, June 18 from 1:30 pm to 2 pm (PST). Register for the webinar through the events page on the Pioneer website or through this link:  https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pNSaY0hXStyLzSr3HYeF2Q

Information and Application

Additional information and the Community Benefit Grant Application can be found on the Pioneer website: Pioneer Community Energy | Community Benefit Grant Program.

Pioneer reinvests in the communities it serves through a variety of programs that provide customers with access to cost-saving rebates and incentives. Since its beginning in 2018, Pioneer has saved customers more than $108 million, with an additional $31 million in savings for 2025. Additional information can be found at www.pioneercommunityenergy.org.

For full press release, click here.