1.5°Climate Strategies Group Projects - Member View

| Coordination, Collaboration, and Technical Assistance

Mothers Out Front

$40,000 Raised | $5,000 Match Remaining

Founded in Massachusetts, Mothers Out Front mobilizes moms and caregivers nationwide through three strategic campaigns for climate justice. Moms v. Methane organizes communities to stop new gas projects and advance clean heat solutions. Sustainable Schools, Resilient Communities helps families decarbonize schools and create safe, healthy spaces for children. Make Polluters Pay holds the fossil fuel industry accountable for its damage. Together, these campaigns train and equip moms to win state and local victories that accelerate the clean energy transition and ensure all children can thrive in a healthy climate.

Geography: California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Jenny Zimmer, Co-Executive Director

Presentation Date: 11/04/2025

| Battleground States & Districts

| Federal Climate Action

Utah Clean Energy

$165,100 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

For 25 years, Utah Clean Energy has advanced Utah’s clean energy future through education, collaboration, and innovative policy engagement—helping bring gigawatts of solar and wind power online. Now, the organization is turning its expertise to the next frontier: next-generation geothermal energy. Utah is uniquely positioned to lead. With the nation’s first utility-scale next-gen geothermal project and a groundbreaking national research lab, the state offers a powerful foundation for expanding this transformative technology. Yet its potential remains widely underrecognized. In partnership with industry, communities, and decision-makers, Utah Clean Energy will raise awareness of next-gen geothermal through strategic outreach, education, and collaborative initiatives—helping make geothermal a cornerstone of a carbon-free energy future in Utah and beyond.

Geography: Utah

Funding Type: c3

Presenter(s): Sarah Wright, CEO | Logan Mitchell, Climate Scientist and Energy Analyst

Presentation Date: 10/14/2025

NY Renews

$97,295 Raised | $1,353 Match Remaining

NY Renews is a multi-sector, multiracial, and intergenerational climate, jobs, and justice coalition of 400 organizations creating a path to a 100% clean energy economy in NY. As the main force behind the passage of NYS’s historic climate law in 2019, NY Renews is the leading coalition working to ensure the mandates and goals of the law are adequately funded and fully realized. Their 2025 and 2026 plans include: (1) watchdogging NY’s Climate Law at a time when the governor is failing to lead on climate; (2) ensuring that the state's proposed cap-and-invest program remains the primary vessel to fund the climate law; and (3) building the capacity of the communities they represent to strengthen the movement, deepen alignment, and lead on climate justice.

Geography: New York

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Morgan Stockman, Development Director

Presentation Date: 09/25/2025

| Coordination, Collaboration, and Technical Assistance

Project InnerSpace

$100,000 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

Next generation geothermal is a zero-carbon source of electricity and heat/cooling that is at a critical inflection point to unlock massive decarbonization benefits in the US. According to the International Energy Agency, new geothermal technologies have the potential to meet all electricity and heat demand in Africa, China, Europe, Southeast Asia and the United States combined. Despite this, geothermal has been absent from major conversations about decarbonization in the US. Project InnerSpace is facilitating the rapid transfer of resources, technologies, and know-how from the oil and gas industry toward geothermal energy production through state specific research papers and innovations like GeoMap.

Geography: National

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Ryan Williams, Director of Development | Jackson Grimes, Director of Global Engagement

Presentation Date: 09/09/2025

| Federal Climate Action

Greenlight America

$107,600 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

Greenlight is mobilizing grassroots power to win local clean energy fights where projects are most at risk of being blocked. With our Clean Energy Mobilization Hub, we equip supporters to show up in permitting battles, ensuring solar, wind, and storage get built on time to meet the urgent climate window. Partnering with Protect Our Winters (POW), we’re expanding campaigns in the Mountain West—especially Colorado and Nevada—through joint phonebanking and organizing, advancing projects with more than 600MW potential. Together, we’re making sure clean energy doesn’t lose by forfeit and building durable climate wins in critical geographies.

Geography: National

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Matt Traldi, Founder and CEO

Presentation Date: 08/26/2025

Protect Our Winters

$100,000 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

POW’s mission is to lead the outdoor movement for climate action. We are organizing the Outdoor State to be the most powerful voice for climate in the U.S. Building on our national momentum, we are rolling out a local engagement strategy anchored by a new clean energy campaign designed to activate all levels of the POW community and accelerate decarbonization across the country. POW is committed to breaking local development logjams by educating communities and organizing targeted, on-the-ground advocacy campaigns that drive specific clean energy projects forward. We are shifting the cultural, societal and structural norms to ensure prioritization of local clean energy development.

Geography: Colorado

Funding Type: c3

Presenter(s): Lindsey Halvorson, Director of Advocacy and Campaigns

Presentation Date: 08/26/2025

Clean and Prosperous California

$47,000 Raised

California faces severe climate impacts and risks falling behind on its climate targets while withstanding federal challenges. Cap-and-trade’s contribution is unique—no other policy delivers cheaper reductions, generates revenue, and drives innovation. But cap-and-trade isn’t a blunt tool running on autopilot; it has dozens of features that need thoughtful stewardship. We do not have time for wrong answers to fundamentally economic questions like how cap-and-trade can meet aggressive targets, protect consumers from price increases, and decarbonize industry. Economists are often disconnected from policy, leaving crucial insights untapped to society’s detriment. CapCA provides an unparalleled strategic platform for economic expertise to inform policy, address people’s needs, and meet climate goals.

Geography: California

Funding Type: c4

Presenter(s): Clayton Munnings, Executive Director

Presentation Date: 06/03/2025

Resources Legacy Fund

$82,000 Raised

California is at a crossroads in the climate fight. As a clean energy pioneer, the state made history in 2012 by launching its cap-and-trade program. With the program set to expire in 2030, the oil industry is doing everything it can to weaken the reauthorization progress. Meanwhile, frontline communities continue to bear the brunt of pollution and climate-driven disasters. As the legislature works to extend the program through 2045, environmental justice advocates are mobilizing to ensure that equity, not industry influence, shapes California’s clean energy future. Funds raised will support additional resources for a communications campaign led by environmental justice advocates.

Geography: California

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Alfredo Gonzalez, California Director of Resources Legacy Fund | Katie Valenzuela, Policy Consultant of Central Valley Air Quality Coalition | Mike Roth, Principal of Paschal Roth Public Affairs | Anthony Matthews, Portfolio Director of Paschal Roth Public Affairs

Presentation Date: 05/15/2025

California Environmental Voters

$83,210 Raised

EnviroVoters is seeking support to pass a number of urgent climate bills that would make Big Oil pay for the damage their pollution has caused, including disasters like the LA wildfires. These bills shift financial responsibility from frontline communities to corporate polluters and mark a bold step toward long overdue climate justice. This is part of our larger effort to build momentum for polluters pay efforts including insurance affordability and cap and invest. With a proven track record, including the success of SB 253, EnviroVoters brings deep policy expertise, strong coalitions, and a clear strategy to win.

Geography: California

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Mary Creasman, CEO

Presentation Date: 04/25/2025

Extreme Weather Survivors

$121,405 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

Extreme Weather Survivors (EWS) is a national network of people directly impacted by wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and other climate-fueled disasters—92 million Americans each year. Despite this escalating crisis, climate change remains dangerously underestimated by the public and under-prioritized by policymakers. EWS is changing that. Their work expands the reach of the climate movement by engaging people far beyond its traditional base and by ensuring those with lived experience help shape the policies that affect their communities. By empowering survivors as trusted messengers through trauma-informed support and advocacy training, EWS is building a powerful force for change—one that shifts public perception, drives bold policy, and brings new voices into the climate movement. EWS is seeking support for their work to make polluters pay in California.

Geography: California

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Sierra Kos, Co-Founder and Co-Director | Chris Kocher, Co-Founder and Co-Director

Presentation Date: 04/25/2025

Stopping Bad Bills in Texas

$128,300 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

Legislation has been introduced in Texas that would thwart renewable energy and promote fossil fuel development in a state where the impacts could not be more consequential. In recent years, the plummeting costs of wind and solar have allowed renewables to compete with fossil fuels in a state that is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the country – and Texas now generates more renewable energy than any other state by a long shot. The Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance and Texas Consumer Association are leading efforts to block the ideological attacks on renewable energy and move forward bills that will help consumers and increase grid reliability.

Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance (TAEBA) is the Texas chapter of Advanced Energy United is deeply involved in efforts to stop bad anti-renewable bills while also promoting transmission expansion and energy waste reduction.
Texas Consumer Association and the Consumer Fund of Texas are consistently providing focused research and advocacy showing how anti-renewable bills would hurt Texas consumers. Two new studies are in the works to come out in the next few weeks; TCA will use support here to make sure people see the research and understand the negative impacts.

Geography: Texas

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Sandie Haverlah, ED of Texas Consumer Association | Trish Demeter, Managing Director of Advanced Energy United

Presentation Date: 04/11/2025

Welcoming Neighbors Network

$92,700 Raised

WNN members North Carolina Housing Table and Texans for Housing are advancing pro-housing, pro-climate land use reforms in their deep-red state legislatures. By building unique, bipartisan, strange bedfellow coalitions around these reforms, they have a clear opportunity to achieve climate-friendly reforms where other environmental policies are dead on arrival. These policies would shift housing growth toward existing, walkable, transit-connected communities, reducing per capita emissions and fighting suburban sprawl. Through community organizing, coalition-building, and direct advocacy, the NC Housing Table and Texans for Housing are overcoming the power of NIMBYism and achieving groundbreaking pro-climate progress in unlikely places.

Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Henry Honorof, Director of the Coordinating Team | Denzel Burnside, Head of NC Housing Table | Felicity Maxwell, ED of Texans for Housing

Presentation Date: 03/25/2025

AK PIRG

$34,083 Raised

Facing a severe natural gas shortfall, Alaska is making immediate decisions on LNG import contracts for the next 30 years. A lack of institutional leadership and predatory delay from Alaska's public utilities and state agencies have created the current crisis. While LNG imports are a necessary bridge as renewables are built, they are not a long-term solution. AK PIRG staunchly opposes expensive, long-term LNG obligations and is working extensively at the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to keep the lights on in the short term and protect consumers from being locked into LNG and rising market prices in the long term.

Geography: Alaska

Funding Type: c3

Presenter(s): Natalie Kiley-Bergen, Energy Lead

Presentation Date: 03/07/2025

Renewable Energy Alaska Project

$34,083 Raised

Renewable Energy Alaska Project is Alaska’s leading clean energy education and advocacy group. REAP is currently pushing legislation that would require the state’s four largest utilities to diversify their generation portfolio away from a heavy reliance on natural gas. Those utilities are now preparing to import extremely expensive LNG, as local gas supplies begin to run short. Working with its statewide coalition, REAP is advocating for a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requiring that 55% of the electricity on the state’s largest electric grid come from renewable sources by 2035, a transition that would save consumers over $1 billion by 2040.

Geography: Alaska

Funding Type: c3

Presenter(s): Chris Rose, Executive Director

Presentation Date: 03/07/2025

Climate Hawai'i

$12,668 Raised

Climate Hawai‘i leverages transformative collaboration to accelerate Hawaii's equitable transition to a resilient, prosperous, climate safe future. Given the critical juncture in the islands’ journey to achieve its “first in the nation” 100% renewable energy law, Climate Hawai‘i seeks to develop a shared understanding of the state’s potential pathways toward a low-cost, low-carbon future among communities and key decision leaders. We believe an expert analysis of the most feasible plans—and an understanding of what it will take to achieve them—will help Hawai‘i become a scalable model and living laboratory for others seeking to reach ambitious climate goals.

Geography: Hawaii

Funding Type: c3

Presenter(s): Chris Benjamin, Chair

Presentation Date: 03/07/2025

| Coordination, Collaboration, and Technical Assistance

Semilla Action

$50,000 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

Semilla Action is leading the Clear Horizons Campaign where we have an opportunity to make tremendous progress for climate action by passing the Clear Horizons Act (Senate Bill 4), the Community Benefits Fund Act (Senate Bills 48 & 49), and the Innovations in Government Act (Senate Bill 83). These bills take an intersectional approach to not only codifying emissions reductions targets into state law through the Clear Horizons Act, but simultaneously pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into communities for just transition and clean energy projects that will directly reduce emissions in the Community Benefits Fund.

Geography: New Mexico

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Berenice Estrada, Political Director | Aaron Lee, Land and Food Sovereignty Manager

Presentation Date: 02/14/2025

| Racial Equity Investments

New Mexico Legislation

Org Details

Conservation Voters New Mexico

$50,000 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

In New Mexico, we have the opportunity to pass a climate package that would codify net zero emissions by 2050, allocate $340 million for climate action, and $10 million for state agency capacity for compliance and enforcement. With a unified coalition, Clear Horizons NM, a partnership of 30 environmental and social justice organizations, Governor Lujan Grisham’s public support during her 2025 State of the State, and a pro-climate legislature, we are positioned to pass this slate of climate legislation through both chambers, but we need additional resources for grassroots advocacy, communications, and lobbying to get them over the finish line.

Geography: New Mexico

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Demis Foster, CEO | Justin Garoutte, Climate and Energy Advocate

Presentation Date: 02/14/2025

New Mexico Legislation

Org Details

Chesapeake Climate Action Network

$110,500 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund (CCAN AF) is committed to advancing public policies that fight climate change across their region and beyond. Their Maryland team is working diligently to maintain Maryland's leadership as a national champion maintaining a steady pace in greenhouse gas emissions reductions, clean energy investments, and dedicated climate funding. Right now, CCAN AF is leading the advocacy for a state policy initiative: the Abundant, Affordable Clean Energy Act. This bill codifies clean energy solutions that will help ease Maryland's resource adequacy concerns and proposes ratepayer protections that will lower utility bills.

Geography: Maryland

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Brittany Baker, Maryland Director

Presentation Date: 01/30/2025

Southwest Energy Efficiency Project

$103,853 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

SWEEP works to achieve a healthy, equitable, and low carbon future in the Southwest United States. A priority campaign for the organization in 2025 is securing a fully decarbonized electric grid in Colorado as quickly as possible. Locking in statute a “100% clean energy by 2040” policy for all Colorado utilities would establish a much-needed beachhead of climate leadership in the Interior West, pushing back against federal headwinds and generating momentum for the state’s next governor in 2026. To overcome utility opposition and ensure success, SWEEP needs additional resources for advocacy and paid communications.

Geography: Colorado

Funding Type: c3

Presenter(s): Elise Jones, Executive Director | Justin Brant, Utility Program Director

Presentation Date: 01/30/2025

Permit Power

$120,000 Raised

Permit Power is working to make clean energy more affordable and accessible by addressing bureaucratic barriers that make rooftop solar 7-8 times more expensive in the U.S. compared to other developed countries. These obstacles include lengthy, complex local permitting processes and utility interconnection delays. Building on successful legislation in California and Maryland, which established pathways for instant online permits for rooftop solar and home battery installations, Permit Power is advocating for related legislation in seven states in 2025. This presentation will explore how changing policy design and strategic messaging can offer a pathway to success in the very different States of New Jersey and Texas.

Geography: New Jersey, Texas

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Nicholas Josefowitz, CEO & Co-Founder | Doug O'Malley, Executive Director of Environment New Jersey | Hannah Birnbaum, Chief of Advocacy

Presentation Date: 01/14/2025

New Jersey Legislation

Texas Legislation

Org Details

New York League of Conservation Voters

$100,000 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

NYLCV fights climate change, protects clean air and water, and safeguards open space through advocacy and political action. NYLCV is a nonpartisan organization that is pragmatic and has a track record of achieving results both locally and statewide that have advanced New York’s clean energy economy. NYLCV will coordinate a coalition to advance New York’s Cap and Invest (NYCI) program. We will advocate for a robust program that cuts emissions, returns revenue back to New Yorkers, and benefits environmental justice areas. Near-term, we will wrap up polling and launch a campaign focused on first demonstrating public support for NYCI to the Governor and mobilizing supportive state legislators. The second phase will include a scalable digital campaign to win over persuadable New Yorkers.

Geography: New York

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Julie Tighe, President

Presentation Date: 11/19/2024

Presentation

Pitch Deck

Meeting Notes

National Caucus of Environmental Legislators

$50,000 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

Ten years ago, zero states had truly bold climate policies. Today, nearly half have 100% clean energy, carbon neutrality, or cap and invest laws. This was made possible primarily by strategic peer-to-peer organizing between state legislators around the country, driven by key champions through the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, a network of 1,200 legislators across 50 states. For over 25 years, NCEL’s proven model of legislators empowering legislators has enabled a myriad of environmental victories, including the boldest climate laws. Funds raised will support a tactical pivot to overcome federal opposition and push the boundaries of state climate action.

Geography: Washington, DC

Funding Type: c3

Presenter(s): Dylan McDowell, Executive Director | Chris Lee, Board President, Hawaii State Senator

Presentation Date: 11/19/2024

Clean and Prosperous Washington

$100,000 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

Clean & Prosperous Washington brings a perspective grounded in business to driving down greenhouse gas emissions while working to improve health and job outcomes to propel a stronger, more globally competitive economy. The Clean & Prosperous coalition has proven effective in winning passage of the cap-and-invest Climate Commitment Act (CCA) in Olympia, successfully defending the law from a ballot initiative challenge, and guiding the implementation of the CCA as the cornerstone of an entire suite of environmental laws, including the Clean Fuel Standard and the HEAL Act—Healthy Environment for All. Clean & Prosperous is now building momentum in other states to pursue cap-and-invest programs of their own.

Geography: Washington

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Isaac Kastama, Lobbying and Advocacy | Reuven Carlyle, Board Member and former WA State Senator

Presentation Date: 11/19/2024

Investing in Elections for Climate

Project Narrative

Presentation

Meeting Notes

Climate Cabinet

$100,000 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

Climate Cabinet helps state and local candidates run, win, and legislate on climate. In 2024, they supported over 170 top priority climate champions running with the highest "ROI" on climate. So far, 52% of those candidates have been victorious in their tough election battles this year. Now, Climate Cabinet will connect winning candidates with experts across the field to advance a range of climate policies in states across the country. This project is focused on raising funds to hire lobbyists to strategically support Climate Policy action efforts in key States.

Geography: National

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Caroline Spears, Executive Director | Dave Weiskopf, Senior Policy Director

Presentation Date: 11/12/2024

Investing in Elections for Climate

The States Project

$50,000 Raised | Fundraising Goal Achieved!

The States Project (TSP) wins and defends governing majorities in states across the country and provides state lawmakers with tools, resources, and training to advance policies that improve their constituents' lives. To prepare for the Trump Administration's radical Project 2025 undoing of government protections, including climate and environmental, TSP is looking to rapidly scale up their lawmaker engagement and policy programs to prepare more states to protect their communities. They will bring their wealth of experience in helping lawmakers coalesce around shared policy values while simultaneously providing policy ideas, research, and messaging guidance to ensure that lawmakers are prepared to make good clean air, water, and energy policies into winning issues that they can successfully deliver to constituents across the country.

Geography: National

Funding Type: c4c3

Presenter(s): Daniel Squadron, Executive Director | Zeeshan Ott, Senior Director, Programs

Presentation Date: 11/12/2024