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NW Energy Coalition 

Description

The NW Energy Coalition is a 30-year-old alliance of more than 100 organizations, businesses and utilities serving British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.            

The Coalition’s successful advocacy for clean and affordable energy in the Northwest:

  • Saves money for people and businesses
  • Helps local economies
  • Cuts climate change emissions
  • Protects human health
  • Protects fish and wildlife
Our work focuses on four main areas:
  • Low-income weatherization and bill assistance
  • Fish and wildlife protection and restoration
  • Renewable energy development
  • Energy efficiency development
Mission Statement
The NW Energy Coalition builds solutions for a clean and affordable energy future through unparalleled policy expertise and by bringing together diverse voices to enhance Northwest renewable energy and energy efficiency development, consumer protection, low-income energy assistance, and fish and wildlife restoration.               

The Coalition is an alliance of more than 110 groups in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and British Columbia. Through engaging diverse voices and unparalleled policy expertise the Coalition has achieved success for over 30 years.
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NW Energy Coalition
811 1st Avenue Suite 305 
Seattle 
WA
98104 
206.621.0094 

Sara Patton 
Executive Director 

Programs

NW Energy Coalition Programs

  • Policy and technical expertise: We understand complex energy issues and translate that understanding into successful advocacy.
  • Broad membership: Our allies, including public-interest, business and utility leaders, mobilize their individual members to achieve a clean and affordable energy future.
  • Track record of success: For more than 30 years the Coalition’s conflict-resolution skills and success in building mutual support among our members have yielded significant accomplishments.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Recent Successes:
  • Secured funding for low-income weatherization, so fewer families must choose between heating their homes and buying food. Coalition lobbying and advocacy achieved $5 million in annual funding from the Bonneville Power Administration to weatherize low-income residents’ homes.  
  • Saved people in Washington and Oregon from coal plant pollution and slashed greenhouse gas emissions. In 2010 and 2011, Coalition experts crafted the content and led the community to broker the agreements that will put an end to coal burning at the last coal-fired power plants in Washington and Oregon.
  • Coalition experts negotiated with utilities over the past 10 years to stimulate investment in renewable energy. The result was $7.9 billion dollars of investment in renewable energy in Washington state alone.
Your donation will support our ongoing efforts to build:
  • Renewable energy
  • Energy efficiency
  • Low-income weatherization and bill assistance
  • Fish and wildlife protection and restoration
One issue we currently are working on:
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), which provides power to much of the Northwest, is considering investment cuts that would slice regional energy efficiency in half. Now is the time to insist that BPA fully fund energy efficiency, the highest priority resource for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving money for consumers and businesses.

Evaluation

The NW Energy Coalition is a broad alliance of groups working in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana and British Columbia. Through energy policy expertise and a diverse membership base, they work to develop and implement a shared vision of a clean energy future.

Collaboration
Collaboration is key to the NW Energy Coalition’s entire model. The Coalition has more than 110 organizational members in four states and British Columbia. Member organizations include environmental organizations, low-income/consumer-protection groups, communities of faith, labor unions, clean energy businesses and utilities. In Seattle and King County, important members and allies include Climate Solutions, Earth Ministry, Northwest SEED, Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light and Washington Environmental Council, among others.

Financial Health
The Coalition is primarily funded through foundation grants and utility dues. In order to strengthen their long-term sustainability, they recently adopted a new fundraising plan to further diversify their funding sources, including a major donor campaign and opportunities for sponsorships. Their initial results are showing some clear successes in this new approach.

Additionally, for 15 years the Coalition Executive Board has adopted budgets with a goal of contributing $20,000 per year to reserves. Current reserves amount to around 60% of the Coalition’s annual budget.

Best Practices
The Coalition’s work covers several elements of a healthy community. Through their broad coalition membership and diverse voices at the table they are able to work to increase clean energy while ensuring that low-income families don’t have to choose whether to heat or eat, as they also support the clean energy industries and green jobs. As a national leader in this work, they are focused on a regional level, having found that to be the most effective way of achieving impact.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2013 $5,000.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

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