The National Association Blacks and Solar 2026 board meeting focused on strategic planning and funding opportunities, with discussions centered on leveraging personal connections in the sports and entertainment industry to advance the organization’s goals. The group explored potential collaborations in renewable energy technologies, battery storage solutions, and carbon capture projects, while addressing the need to create a clear business structure and strategy for NABS. The conversation ended with plans for regular follow-up meetings and discussions about workforce development programs, union requirements, and the importance of proper project documentation for accessing available capital.

The meeting began with technical difficulties as participants joined through different platforms, with Ronald and Charles discussing the minutes from the previous board meeting which Tony approved. Ronald expressed concern about Will Shirley’s unavailability, prompting Tony to offer to contact him directly, while Charles suggested reaching out to the mayor’s office in Jackson, Mississippi. The meeting was delayed as they waited for additional board members to join, including Nathaniel, and Ronald requested everyone to mute their microphones to address feedback issues.

The National Association Blacks and Solar 2026 board meeting was called to order by Ronald, who confirmed the attendance of Charles, Richard Corley, Tony, Debra, and noted the absence of Will Shirley and Dexter Cummings. The board approved the minutes from the previous meeting, and Ronald provided a recap of the strategic focus on solar industry opportunities, funding updates, and potential collaborations. Ronald mentioned ongoing efforts to engage professional athletes and African American-owned firms, sharing links to resources on wealthy African Americans in Washington D.C. and North Carolina. He also planned to distribute the IRS 501c3 letter and requested Nathan to provide updates on the 990 filing deadline and banking report.

The board meeting discussed strategies for leveraging contacts in the sports and entertainment industry to support NABS initiatives, with a focus on partnerships with Purdue University for electric battery technology and carbon capture solutions. Dexter shared insights on carbon capture projects in the Caribbean and emphasized the need to align solutions with financing opportunities, while Debra highlighted her experience with carbon capture technologies and construction projects. The meeting also introduced Richard Corley, who provided context on his father’s involvement with the National Association of Black Realtors, underscoring the potential for replicating successful development models in different regions.

The meeting focused on leveraging personal connections to advance the organization’s goals, particularly in the realms of development and international projects. Ronald highlighted the importance of utilizing existing relationships with influential figures like Don Peebles and Kathy Hughes’ son to promote the organization’s solutions, including workforce development and energy solutions in Africa. Richard emphasized the need to present a clear product or agreement to potential partners and stakeholders, while Dexter agreed on the importance of reaching out to decision-makers. The group discussed the potential for NABS to benefit individual companies and members financially, with a focus on making the organization more profitable.

The team discussed strategies for presenting solutions to Don Peebles, focusing on infrastructure, affordable housing, and sustainability. Dexter emphasized the need to structure a business model that would benefit developers and de-risk their investments. He highlighted opportunities in the energy sector and the built environment, suggesting that capital could be a key factor in attracting developers. The group also touched on potential collaborations in Africa and other regions, acknowledging the importance of understanding risk tolerance among potential partners.

The group discussed the need to develop a clear structure and strategy for their organization, with Dexter emphasizing the importance of focusing on solutions and attracting capital. Debra highlighted the opportunity presented by the electric optimizer technology, which could provide a competitive edge similar to early solar adoption. Nathan shared his experience with securing co-development agreements and the challenges of attaching community service grants to these projects. The discussion concluded with a call to revisit the organization’s mission and goals to create a clear path forward.

Nathan emphasized the need to integrate opportunities and attach funding requirements to deals, aiming to allocate around $750,000 over three years to support organizations like NABS. He highlighted the importance of prioritizing deals and having more conversations about the legalities of co-development agreements. Dexter suggested listing current opportunities and structuring deals to mitigate risks, while also discussing the broader ecosystem of capital and opportunities available. Both agreed on the need to leverage existing contracts and relationships to attract capital and address critical needs, without expecting changes from the federal government.

The meeting focused on NABS’ evolution into a platform for renewable energy technologies and projects, with Tony highlighting his access to over $10 billion in capital, including $3.6 billion for affordable housing and $3 billion for renewable energy projects in the U.S. The group discussed the need for a separate for-profit entity to facilitate transactions and access capital, as NABS’ 501c3 status limits its ability to push forward large-scale initiatives. Tony emphasized that the missing piece is proper project documentation and data rooms to unlock the available capital, and he offered to share detailed parameters and criteria for the funds.

The group discussed creating a model to evaluate and prepare projects for financial due diligence, with Dexter proposing a repository entity to receive and assess projects. Tony expressed skepticism about the need for such a model, citing his experience in handling similar projects. The conversation shifted to addressing the specific needs of Tony, with Ronald mentioning that Dr. Nima would send over information about his investors and potential partnerships. The group agreed on the importance of establishing a clear model and business structure to support their efforts, with Debra suggesting a hybrid for-profit and non-profit approach to maximize funding opportunities.

The group discussed focusing on battery storage and energy arbitrage in renewable energy projects, as 85% of profits come from batteries. Tony shared that he sits on the board of a black-owned union with the first Department of Labor certified apprenticeship program for battery installation, storage, and O&M in the U.S. Ronald suggested creating a position paper and setting up meetings to advance this strategy. The group also discussed potential partnerships with African nations through the Foundation for Democracy in Africa, and Tony mentioned a company that has raised over $450 million for battery manufacturing plants. The conversation ended with an invitation for Brother Banks to share information about his project in South Carolina.

The group discussed setting up regular meetings and agreed to meet again on February 24th at 10 AM. They celebrated Nathan’s upcoming $3 million loan closing and discussed the need to create pathways for training and hiring graduates of renewable energy programs. Tony emphasized the importance of obtaining detailed information about renewable energy projects before considering them. The group also touched on the challenges faced by graduates of apprenticeship programs who cannot get jobs due to union requirements. Ronald shared information about Cherie Brooks’ successful workforce development program and the need to address the issue of union hiring practices.

Next steps

• Tony: Send out the parameters and criteria for the $3.6B affordable/obtainable housing fund, $3B renewable energy fund, and details on the emerging green banks partnership to all board members.
• Ronald: Send Dr. Nima’s investor presentation and partnership agreements for the battery companies to Tony and all board members.
• Ronald: Send out a copy of the 501c3 IRS determination letter to all board members.
• Tony: Put contact information in the chat for all board members.
• Ronald: Schedule and send out details for the next board meeting (proposed for February 24th at 10 AM).
• All board members: Send affordable housing/obtainable housing and renewable energy projects (with pro formas, land control, etc.) to Tony for review and potential underwriting.
• Dexter: Review the funding parameters/criteria when received from Tony and develop a preliminary model/repository for project evaluation and data room preparation.
• Tony, Dexter, Nathan, Debra, Richard: Coordinate directly (via group text/phone) to discuss project structuring, data room creation, and next steps for project submission and review.
• Ronald: Share contact information for the head of the Maryland Green Bank with Tony and relevant parties for potential collaboration.
• All board members: Attend the next scheduled meeting on February 24th at 10 AM to report on progress and new information.
• Ronald: Send out the meeting transcript/recap to all board members after the meeting.
• Tony: Reach out to Cherie Brooks (Power 52) to discuss workforce development and job placement for battery storage and renewable energy projects.
• Dexter: Put phone number in the chat for group coordination.
• Ronald: Attempt to contact Will Shirley (and update group if successful). [Note: This was mentioned earlier in the meeting, but as it was not explicitly revisited, it may be considered complete or superseded by other actions; included for completeness.]