Since May of 2022 the EMPOWER Coalition has worked together to support neighbors in three collaborating priority neighborhoods in Alachua County whose residents have high energy burdens (Springhill and Sugarhill, Greater Duval, and SWAG). EMPOWER focuses on lowering energy bills, providing opportunities for access to solar benefits, and enhancing resilience.
Bringing together County and City governments, educational institutions, private sector, local non-profit and neighborhood associations, EMPOWER has hosted informational and capacity building meetings for residents to learn about how they can increase their neighborhood resilience through home repairs, energy efficiency and weatherization and prepare them to participate in decision-making about these improvements.
EMPOWER Coalition Pilot Project 2026
EMPOWER Coalition partners worked with representatives from the three priority neighborhoods throughout 2024-2026 to develop a process and criteria for evaluating and selecting homes in these neighborhoods that needed weatherization/repairs. Small grants were used to carry out improvements of these selected homes. These activities provided the groundwork for the creation of an EMPOWER Community Improvement Fund (CIF).
The CIF was officially established in late 2025 through a grant to Alachua County to install solar panels on a county-owned building, in exchange for a commitment to contribute funds from the building’s energy savings to the CIF for 30 years. This money will be used for additional home energy efficiency improvements and repairs in the Duval, Springhill/Sugarhill, and SWAG neighborhoods.
A CIF Board, composed of representatives of priority neighborhoods and non-profit partners, will act as an advisory board to make decisions about allocation of CIF funds.
The EMPOWER Coalition and partners will continue to work on increasing CIF revenues to provide greater access to home energy efficiency improvements.
EMPOWER COALITION TEAM MEMBERS
- Alachua County NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Committee (ECJC)
- Cultural Arts Coalition
- Community Weatherization Coalition/Rebuilding Together North Central Florida (CWC/RTNCF)
- Greater Duval Neighborhood Association (GDNA)
- Springhill/Sugarhill Neighborhood Associations
- Southwest Advocacy Group (SWAG)
- Alachua County Board of County Commissioners
- Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area and Gainesville Housing & Community Development Departments
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