Press Release: Honnold Foundation and Sunrun Launch Community Fund

The fund will provide solar grants to nonprofit organizations led by Black, Indigenous and People of Color in the most polluted cities in America.

SAN FRANCISCO, September 10, 2020 — Honnold Foundation, a solar energy access nonprofit founded in 2012 by prominent rock climber, Alex Honnold, and Sunrun, a leading provider of residential solar, battery storage and energy services have joined forces to launch a new grant program. The Community Fund will fund solar for community-based nonprofits with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) leadership in the most polluted regions in the United States. The Honnold Foundation builds on the success of a recent funding round supporting global solar energy access initiatives, and will be responsible for administering the fund, and selecting and supporting grantees. Sunrun is donating solar equipment and making a monetary contribution for use in Community Fund solar power installations.

The Community Fund’s goal is to reduce carbon emissions in pollution-impacted communities, and reduce the utility bills of nonprofits providing essential services to their neighbors. The Honnold Foundation is seeking nonprofit organizations providing a wide range of community services, including shelters, food banks and arts or education centers to deploy its grants. To qualify, organizations must be BIPOC-led, have 501c3 status, and operate with an annual budget under $1.5M. The Honnold Foundation will engage in a rigorous review process to ensure partner organizations are enriching the communities they serve. Also, to ensure these systems will build equity for its intended recipients, the Honnold Foundation will prioritize organizations that own their buildings or have longer-term leases and clear intentions to stay in the space.

In addition to the Community Fund, Sunrun is partnering with the Honnold Foundation on solar panel donations to a series of installations for nonprofit organizations in West Virginia. Together with Solar Holler, the groups will be funding a 122.2kW solar system for Coalfield Development’s West Edge community facility, which supports a comprehensive solar job training program for former coal miners.

“Installing solar for nonprofits enables them to do more of the impactful work that they’re already doing, and it’s better for the environment,” said Alex Honnold, Founder of the Honnold Foundation. “We’re honored to be partnering with Sunrun to double the impact of the Community Fund, and help these nonprofits switch to renewables.”

“We are inspired by Alex Honnold’s long-standing commitment to solar energy and we look forward to our work with the Honnold Foundation on pushing this country towards a more equitable future,” said Lynn Jurich, CEO of Sunrun. “Sunrun’s mission is to create a planet run by the sun and this is only possible when we include everyone.”

The fund is welcoming applicants from, but not limited to, the following metropolitan areas: Dallas - Fort Worth, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, Washington, D.C, Baltimore, Maryland, New York City, New York, Newark, New Jersey, Houston, Texas, Chicago, Illinois, Memphis, Tennessee, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Shreveport - Bossier City, Louisiana, Detroit, Michigan. Organizations can apply to the fund here.

About the Honnold Foundation

The Honnold Foundation (HF) promotes solar energy for a more equitable world. Founded in 2012 by professional rock climber Alex Honnold, we believe that energy should be clean, affordable, and accessible for everyone. HF provides funding, project management, and a storytelling spotlight to nonprofit partners worldwide, who are using solar energy to create opportunity, increase social equity, and build more resilient communities. To learn more, visit www.honnoldfoundation.org.

About Sunrun

Sunrun Inc. (Nasdaq: RUN) is the nation’s leading home solar, battery storage, and energy services company. Founded in 2007, Sunrun pioneered home solar service plans to make local clean energy more accessible to everyone for little to no upfront cost. Sunrun’s innovative home battery solution, Brightbox, brings families affordable, resilient, and reliable energy. The company can also manage and share stored solar energy from the batteries to provide benefits to households, utilities, and the electric grid while reducing our reliance on polluting energy sources. For more information, please visit www.sunrun.com.

Media Contacts

Dory Trimble, Executive Director

press@honnoldfoundation.org

978-480-0745

Andrew Newbold

Director of Communications

press@sunrun.com

816-516-5809

Black Lives Matter

The Honnold Foundation’s energy access work grows from our commitment to justice. We know opportunities are not equal for everyone, but we believe that with sufficient work, a more just and equitable world is possible. We have to start with the fundamentals. Energy access is fundamental. So is the ability to live without fear of being killed by police.

Black lives matter. So, for the month of June, we're asking you to consider making a gift to one of the following Black-led organizations. To support their work is to invest in dismantling systemic racism in America.

Equal Justice Initiative

Black Visions Collective

Movement for Black Lives

Black Youth Project 100

We continue to support our nonprofit solar energy partners worldwide. We continue to seek new partners whose leaders come from the communities they serve, because we know they’re uniquely equipped to address local needs. We are committed to continuing our work within HF— to ensure justice and equity in our grant-making, in our hiring and managing, and in communicating with our stakeholders. And we know that there is still much to be done.

Black lives matter, today and every day. Until our society reflects that fundamental truth, we’ll keep working.

- Dory Trimble, Executive Director

Meet our New Partners

By Dory Trimble, Executive Director

We’re delighted to announce the eight exceptional organizations that will be joining the Honnold Foundation partner slate this year. We received 712 applications from 91 countries on every continent except Antarctica— and from that group, our Grant Advisory Committee and internal review team selected the following organizations. 

To highlight a few:

• In Cambodia, we’re supporting the dedicated physicians and midwives of The Lake Clinic as they provide solar-powered health services to remote villages by boat;

• In the USA, we’re working alongside the team at Coalfield Development to transition Appalachian towns to a solar-powered future;

• In Indonesia, we’re funding KOPPESDA, who encourage rural farmers to pay for their solar home systems with bamboo poles or coconut oil instead of cash;

• In Ecuador, we’re supporting Kara Solar and the solar-powered canoes they’re using to transform water transportation on the Amazon River.

And in Brazil, Guatemala, the Solomon Islands, and Mexico, our other new partners are developing their own solar powered community initiatives, providing access to water, food, and power where before there was none.

Each of these organizations works in different ways, but they’re united by a common vision: a world where solar power can improve people’s lives, reduce environmental impact, and increase their community’s ability to weather change.

Now, we’re all experiencing an unprecedented change. In the face of the pandemic, the Honnold Foundation has watched our existing partners rise to the challenge. We’ve been awed by their resilience, creativity, and perseverance. Our commitment to their work has only deepened over time, even as some solar installations are put on hold to protect the communities they serve. 

Our work continues. Our partners are not doing less during this crisis, they’re doing more. Your support matters now more than ever. I encourage you to meet our new partners, consider the essential roles they play in their communities, and join us in supporting their work. Together, we can build a brighter world.

Meet our Spring 2020 Core Grant Recipients

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This year, the Honnold Foundation is committed to giving away US$1M. We can’t do it without your help. If you’re inspired by these partners, and want to join us in advancing their work, we invite you to make a gift today.

Become a Honnold Foundation Partner

By Dory Trimble, Executive Director

In 2012, Alex Honnold was living in a van he couldn’t stand up in. He was a sponsored athlete, sure, and to rock climbers he was well known — but to most of the world, Alex was still just another guy who happened to be very good at a sport not many people cared about. And that year, on the drive back from a day of climbing in Colorado’s Eldorado Canyon, he decided to start giving away one third of his income to support solar energy access worldwide.

Since then, a lot has changed. The Honnold Foundation continues to fund solar energy access initiatives all over the world, and Alex continues to guide the organization with his now-famous candor, clarity, and commitment to taking action. In the past seven years, we’ve supported frontline solar energy access work in Malawi, Zambia, Ethiopia, and Angola; we’ve provided grants to fund residential solar installations in suburban Sacramento and for chapter houses in the Navajo Nation. In 2019, we made our first ever multi-year grant commitment to our partners at GRID Alternatives, and we supported the North End Woodward Community Coalition’s vision for a solar-powered Detroit.

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GRID Alternatives volunteers hard at work on a solar install for a homeowner on the Navajo Nation. Photo: Irene Yee

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Rev. Joan Ross (Director of NEWCC,) Betty (homeowner and solar install beneficiary,) Alex Honnold, and Dory Trimble look on as the first solar panels are mounted on Betty’s roof. Photo: Mandy Moran

In 2020, we’re taking one more step toward a brighter world. All of us at HF are delighted to announce the launch of our first ever open call for grant proposals. Starting on January 13, 2020, we’re inviting community-based organizations engaging in solar energy access work all over the world to tell us about their impact and their aspirations. Our unrestricted grants will generally range in size from $10,000 to $100,000, and are designed to support precedent-setting solar energy projects that reduce environmental impact and improve human lives.

No matter who you are, or where you live, we believe that energy should be clean, affordable, accessible, and easy to use. We hope you’ll join us in spreading the word about this open call for proposals, and we can’t wait to meet the communities and solar leaders whose work we’ll be supporting this year.

Learn more about our open call for grant proposals here, or join our mailing list to get reminders about the application process. If you have questions about the open call, or would like to make a press inquiry, you can contact the team at grants@honnoldfoundation.org.

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Solar Energy and Social Justice

By Emily Peterson, Summer Intern 2019

Are you interested in an internship with the Honnold Foundation? We offer remote and office-based internships on a semester schedule. Follow us on social media or join the mailing list to be the first to hear about new opportunities.

At the Honnold Foundation, we believe the people most affected by climate change are those already disadvantaged in some way because of factors like race, income, and gender. Increasing energy access using solar can help change the trajectory of climate change worldwide while increasing resiliency and power on a community level. 

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The community of Adjuntas celebrating a solar-powered future for Puerto Rico. Photo by Ruben Salgado Escudero

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Typically, regions that have boomed economically have done so at a high environmental cost: burning coal to power factories, clearcutting forests and draining wetlands to build homes and shopping centers, and using gasoline to fuel cars. In areas that have not undergone this economic boom, an opportunity exists to change the parallel relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation. In Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, the Honnold Foundation is partnering with Casa Pueblo, a community-based organization focused on environmental conservation and sustainable development, to create a community-owned solar microgrid.

Powered by solar energy since 1999, Casa Pueblo understands the power of solar to drive economic and environmental change. In Adjuntas, businesses typically spend about a third of their operational costs on energy. “Energy independence means that people will be able to produce their own energy for their own productive activities… instead of paying someone else” says Arturo Massol-Deyá, Associate Director of Casa Pueblo. “And when they’re doing that, we’re promoting economic activation. Now we can talk about dealing with poverty levels in the area… And the beauty of this is that instead of us generating greenhouse gases and hurting nature that eventually pays back with hurricanes or droughts or other issues related to climate change, now we can reduce our ecological footprint.” 

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A volunteer installer at work on a GRID Alternatives project in the Navajo Nation. Photo by Irene Yee.

For longtime Honnold Foundation partner GRID Alternatives, solar education also has measurable social justice implications. In addition to installing solar on homes to reduce energy costs and dependence on electric utilities, the organization teaches community members how to install and repair solar panels themselves. A similar model is in the works with a new Foundation partner, the North End Woodward Community Coalition (NEWCC) in Detroit. Long after the initial solar panels are installed, members of these communities have technical skills that can continue to make their neighborhoods more self-sufficient and environmentally resilient. 

At the Honnold Foundation, we believe that solar energy can create a more equitable world– by increasing the economic resiliency of marginalized communities, supporting education and health for communities of color, and creating inexpensive power for homes who wouldn’t be able to pay for electricity otherwise. Increasing solar energy access is a powerful tool to address both environmental and social justice issues, and the Honnold Foundation partners with organizations who utilize solar to its full potential.  

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Alex's Holiday Reading List

Books about the environment, energy access, the economy, and outdoor exploration have all influenced the creation of the Honnold Foundation, and the evolution of Alex's approach to the world. For Alex and the rest of the HF team, one of the best ways to spend a mandatory rest day is sitting down with a good book.

“I read all these books during my Free Solo movie tour,” Alex says about his newest book recommendations. “So at least being a movie star is good for something! I'm getting an education!”

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Homo Deus, by Yuval Noah Harari

Alex says: “Brad Gobright recommended this to me a long time ago and I finally read it while flying too much for Free Solo screenings. I didn't really love it— it felt too futuristic and speculative. Too far out and unfounded. But gives you things to think about for sure.”

IndieBound | Amazon

The Long Walk, by Sławomir Rawicz

Alex says: “This is an epic story about a Polish POW escaping a Russian labor camp during World War II. I thought this was amazing as I read it until I mentioned it to Jimmy Chin, who told me that it was all fake. Sadly, after researching it a bit, i discovered that Jimmy was right. I wouldn't encourage anyone to read it, since it's fake…”

IndieBound | Amazon

21 Lessons for the 21st Century, by Yuval Noah Harari

Alex says: “I liked this book much more than Homo Deus. In fact, it felt like it was the book that I was expecting from Homo Deus. It seemed more relevant and more important for my own life. I rather enjoyed it.”

IndieBound | Amazon

The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander

Alex says: “This book was given to me by a friend whose copy had tons of underlined and highlighted passages. It made an already incredibly powerful book even more meaningful.  This book fundamentally changed the way I think about crime and incarceration in the United States. I'd strongly encourage every US citizen to read it.”

IndieBound | Amazon

Are Prisons Obsolete, by Angela Davis

Alex says: “Short answer: yes. This was a good follow up to The New Jim Crow and posed more questions about the United States justice system. Or lack thereof.”

IndieBound | Amazon

Karakoram, by Steve Swenson

Alex says: “Steve is one of the kindest men in climbing, and it was a pleasure to read his book about 30 years or so of climbing experience in the Karakoram. His expeditions and climbs are inspiring in their own right, but the life he's lived outside of climbing is maybe more impressive. And I'm hoping to climb in Pakistan this year so this was a great primer.”

IndieBound | Amazon

Measure What Matters, by John Doerr

Alex says: “This was given to me at a business event. I found it not super useful for my personal life— it probably means more to someone starting a tech company. It's all about Objectives and Key Results, which help organizations like Google align around goals. But for an individual, I think it's probably easier to just write a to do list in a journal.”

IndieBound | Amazon

Winners Take All, by Anand Giridharadas

Alex says: “This was given to me at an event by someone who thought it would be important for me to read. It was his library book, so I plowed through it in three days to make sure he could return it on time. As he predicted, it was thought provoking and relevant for me. Definitely worth a read for anyone in a position of privilege. “

IndieBound | Amazon

Prisoners of Geography, by Tim Marshall 

Alex says: “Geography determines much about global politics, and this book helps untangle the mess. I really enjoyed it and felt like I learned a lot. Made me want to learn more about geopolitics.”

IndieBound | Amazon

Factfulness, by Hans Rosling

Alex says: “I think this is a pretty darn good book. My biggest take away is probably to think about the world in terms of 4 levels of development, instead of trying to break it down into west/global south or developed/developing or whatever else. It has plenty of good ideas that are well presented.”

IndieBound | Amazon

Energy and Civilization: A History, by Vaclav Smil

Alex says: “This seems like it should be extremely boring since it's basically a textbook about energy use through the ages. But it's actually surprisingly readable and interesting. It's the first Smil book that I've read, I doubt it will be the last.”

IndieBound | Amazon

Want more?

If you’ve already powered through this reading list and are hungry for more, never fear! Alex and the HF team have plenty more recommendations for you. Or, if there’s a recommendation you’re dying to share with Alex, pass it along! If he likes it enough, your title might make its way onto the next book list.

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Alex's Reading List

Books about the environment, energy access, the economy, and the way we eat have all influenced the creation of the Honnold Foundation, and the evolution of Alex's approach to the world. Here at HF, we're strong believers in the power of a good book-- and so we've selected 23 of Alex's favorites (and some color commentary) to give you a peek behind the scenes.

"If you look at all the books together," Alex says, "it gives a pretty good sense of how my brain works now.”

Looking for more recommendations? We’re adding new titles all the time! Click here to explore fresh picks from Alex’s Book List.

Climate & Environment

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The World Without Us, By Alan Weisman

Alex says: "I think about this book a lot. It’s interesting to imagine how the world would heal without us..."

IndieBound | Amazon

The Sixth Extinction, By Elizabeth Kolbert

Alex says: "Very depressing. Educational, but depressing."

IndieBound | Amazon 

Overview: A New Perspective Of Earth, By Benjamin Grant

Alex says: "I loved this book, and follow @dailyoverview on Instagram. It helps give a global perspective."

IndieBound | Amazon

The Rambunctious Garden: Saving Nature In A Post-Wild World, By Emma Marris

Alex says: "I actually think of this book more than I expected to when I first read it - the idea of our random extra spaces (think highway medians) being nature really sunk in.

IndieBound | Amazon

Money and How We Spend It

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This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs Climate, By Naomi Klein

Alex says: "Depressing. Good, but grim. Kind of like the economic version of The Sixth Extinction."

IndieBound | Amazon

The Better World Shopping Guide: How Every Dollar Can Make A Difference, By Ellis Jones

Alex says: "My sister bought this for me and signed it with the inscription: For Alex - In case you ever start giving a shit. Love, Stasia.” It was the beginning of a long process in which I’ve given more and more shits.

IndieBound | Amazon

Built To Last: Successful Habits Of Visionary Companies, By Jim Collins

Alex says: "I read Jim’s books because I once saw a quote where Tommy Caldwell said that Jim was his favorite author. That was before I knew Tommy really well so I couldn’t ask him about it - all I could do was read all the books. It's also worth saying that Jim Collins, besides being the best selling business author of all time or something like that, has also free soloed The Naked Edge (5 pitch 5.11c). Whoa!""

IndieBound | Amazon

Let My People Go Surfing: The Education Of A Reluctant Businessman, By Yvon Chouinard

Alex says: "I have a ton of respect for Yvon both as a climber and a businessman. He’s definitely lived his life correctly."

IndieBound | Amazon

What We Eat

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In Defence Of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, By Michael Pollan

Alex says: “Eat real food, mostly plants, not too much.” I think of that all the time. Words to live by."

IndieBound | Amazon

 Eat And Run: My Unlikely Journey To Ultramarathon Greatness, By Scott Jurek

Alex says: “I’m good friends with Scott and his wife so I’m biased, but I found this book to be an inspiring tale of veganhood. Scott’s the man!”

IndieBound | Amazon

Eating Animals, By Jonathan Safran Foer

Alex says: “This book made me care more about animal rights than anything else I’ve read. I’d already been vegetarian for years when I read it, but it made me appreciate the suffering of animals a lot more.”

IndieBound | Amazon

The Dorito Effect: Surprising New Truth About Food And Flavor, By Mark Schatzker

Alex says: "I remember nothing about this. Maybe the book is as empty as a Dorito..."

IndieBound | Amazon

 

ADVENTURE & EXPLORATION

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Barbarian Days, By William Finnegan

Alex says: "A true surfing lifer! Makes me hope that I can have that kind of love for climbing my whole life. This book was Jimmy Chin’s - I borrowed it in Antarctica after I finished all of mine... the beauty of real, paper books."

IndieBound | Amazon

With Bare Hands: The True Store Of Alain Robert, The Real-Life Spiderman, By Alain Robert

Alex says: "This book was either translated to English by Google or by someone who didn’t actually speak English. But thankfully I speak French, so it made some sense anyway. But the climbing is amazing."

IndieBound | Amazon

To Be Brave, By Royal Robbins

Alex says: "Royal is a total legend and I bought this book at a talk that he gave. It’s too bad that he didn’t have enough time to write more of his story before he died."

Amazon

The Endurance: Shackelton’s Legendary Antartic Expedition, By Caroline Alexander

Alex says: "This is possibly the greatest adventure tale of all time. Must read!"

IndieBound | Amazon

No Picnic On Mt. Kenya, By Felice Benuzzi

Alex says: "I read this right before climbing Mt Kenya. It was the proper primer. Made me grateful that I didn’t have to escape from a POW camp before undertaking my climb..."

IndieBound | Amazon

Queen Maud Land Antartica, By Ivar Tollefsen

Alex says: "I read this in Antarctica and we referenced the photos all the time for beta and route descriptions. It’s a great, readable account of the first climbing trip to Queen Maud Land."

Amazon

Everything Else

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Lighting The World, By Jim Rogers And Stephen P. Williams

Alex says: "A good reminder that there are 1 billion people on earth without access to power and that we should be doing something about it. Which is a big part of why I started the Honnold Foundation."

IndieBound | Amazon

Letter To A Christian Nation, By Sam Harris

Alex says: "I loved this book - I wish I could give a copy to everyone in America. It’s freakin’ genius. I read it in a sitting. Two different times."

IndieBound | Amazon

Weep Not Child, By Ngugi Wa Thiong’o

Alex says: "I rarely read fiction. When I do, I make sure it’s depressing African fiction while on an expedition in Africa. But it was quite moving."

IndieBound | Amazon

Rules For A Knight, By Ethan Hawke

Alex says: "Conrad Anker gave me this book and it’s freakin’ great. I’ve read it several times and given a few copies to friends. It makes me want to be a better knight."

IndieBound | Amazon

Astrophysics For People In A Hurry, By Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Alex says: "Fun, easy reading that reminds us of our place in the universe."

IndieBound | Amazon

Want More?

Download Alex's complete reading list, including 80 additional titles not listed here.

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