irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $14KTHE RENEWABLES FUND - THE RENEWABLES FUND FINANCES GLOBAL SOUTH SOLAR PROJECTS USING CAPITAL RAISED THROUGH THE RENEWABLES.ORG ONLINE PLATFORM. THE FUND BORROWS AT 0% INTEREST FROM NONPROFIT "INVESTORS," WHO LEND FUNDS TO BE DEPLOYED INTO SOLAR DEVELOPMENT AND ARE REPAID AS PROJECTS RETURN CAPITAL. DEPOSITS INTO THE FUND OCCUR IN TWO FORMS: NON-WITHDRAWABLE DONATIONS, AND 0% INTEREST "INVESTMENTS" THAT CAN BE WITHDRAWN BY LENDERS AS PROJECTS PAY BACK. THIS STRUCTURE ALLOWS THE FUND TO CHANNEL BOTH PHILANTHROPIC AND RECOVERABLE CAPITAL INTO HIGH-IMPACT SOLAR EXPANSION.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Auto-Redeploy
Feature allowing investors to automatically reinvest repayments above $25 into new solar projects without manual intervention
Donor Accounts
Enables tax-deductible contributions or use of Donor Advised Funds to support solar projects in the Global South
The Renewables Fund
A financing vehicle that pools capital from nonprofit investors and lends at 0% interest to vetted solar developers in the Global South; repaid over five years as projects generate revenue
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Solar Energy Access in Underserved Communities 2 activities
- Developing and financing high-impact solar installations in underserved communitiesDevelops and finances solar energy projects in high-impact areas of the Global South, focusing on reducing energy costs and expanding access to clean power in underserved communities. Projects include installations at tea plantations, universities, and industrial facilities in India, Botswana, and other countries.
- Measuring and reporting carbon impact of funded solar projectsCalculates and reports the carbon avoidance and energy generation impact of funded solar projects using data on wattage, local peak sun hours, grid carbon intensity, and investment duration. Communicates impact to investors through a dashboard that tracks carbon reductions and repayment status.
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Climate Change Research and Advocacy Funding 1 activity
- Funding solar energy projects in the Global South through recoverable investmentsFunds solar energy projects in the Global South using nonprofit investments structured as 0% interest, recoverable loans that are repaid monthly over five years. 100% of invested funds are directed toward financing solar installations on commercial sites such as universities, factories, and warehouses.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$294K
Contributions & grants$291K99%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$3K1%
Other revenue$3
expenses
Total expenses$110K
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead30%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$33K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$291K
Cash$122K
Investments$0
Liabilities$106K
Net assets$184K
Liquid reserves13.3 mo
1 years on record · 2024–2024
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LASSOR FEASLEY | CEO AND BOARD MEMBER | 15 | $17K |
| SCOTT SCHWARTZ | CTO | 10 | $17K |
board members · 1
- PREMAL SHAH — CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 10
Who they work with
- 1,398 Renewables.org investors Partner — Group of individual investors funding solar projects through nonprofit investments
- Global South Partner — Geographic focus for solar project investments
- Grassroots Energy Cooperative Partner — Collaborates on community solar project development and outreach in rural areas.
- Kiva.org Network — Cofounder Premal Shah is a pioneer of tech-enabled social entrepreneurship and co-founded Kiva.org, a microfinance nonprofit.
- Legends Solar Partner — Former solar crowdfunding startup founded by cofounder Lassor Feasley that helped inspire Renewables.org.
- OpenWeather Partner — Collaborates with OpenWeather to obtain solar irradiation data for project sites.
- RENEWABLES.ORG Partner — Online platform used to raise capital for solar projects in the Global South.
- Renewables.org Network — RENEWABLES GLOBAL INC operates under the Renewables.org platform to facilitate nonprofit solar investments.
- Solar United Neighbors Network — Member of national network advancing community solar through collective advocacy and shared resources.
- Solar developers in the Global South Partner — Vetted solar developers who receive loans to deploy solar projects in the Global South.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Blended Finance with 0% Interest Investment Modelmethodology: blended_financeBy combining philanthropic donations with recoverable 0% interest investments, the organization finances high-impact solar projects in the Global South, enabling capital reuse and long-term scalability while prioritizing carbon impact over financial return.
- Equitable Siting for Community-Driven Renewable Developmentmethodology: equitable_sitingBy locating solar installations in low-income and historically marginalized communities, the organization ensures equitable access to renewable energy benefits and fosters community-driven development, reinforcing climate justice alongside emissions reduction.
- Impact Multiplier Framework for Climate Impact Amplificationmethodology: impact-multiplierBy directing solar investments to the Global South, the organization maximizes carbon avoidance per dollar through a confluence of lower construction costs, higher solar irradiance, and carbon-intensive grids, producing disproportionately high emissions reductions compared to equivalent investments in the U.S.