EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & PROJECT RATIONALE
Positive Change Purchasing Cooperative LLC (PCPC) has moved its business focus and mission from transportation to solar and renewal energy through the HBSLF HBCU Solar Initiative, a new model for the organization. The HBSLF HBCU Solar initiative is a purchasing cooperative, which is located in the Baltimore, Maryland and Washington D.C. metropolitan market area and beyond. Business growth has been focused on putting together research data on the solar industry and community advocacy and engagement . An the distribution of this information and data through our online podcast ” Solar Now and The Future with its Economic Impact On Black America” . Which we have been able to provide at very low cost, which will contribute to its capacity to generate savings for its future members. The selling points for vendors in working with the Positive Change Purchasing Cooperative LLC are the following:
(A.) Serves as a blueprint for self- reliance and economic self-reliance for the solar and renewal energy companies both large and small along with increasing market share for African American Solar Design, Installation and workforce development companies.
(B.) To address the economic effect of high energy cost for HBCUS
(C.) To utilize Black American owned farm lands and HBCU campuses to develop capacity and initiatives f or solar installation projects to bring down unemployment and under employment of young black men and women nationally.
(D.) Educating the black community locally and nationally about the economic impacts of climate change and the need for environmental education in the black community through black talk radio program such as “Solar Now and The Future With Its Economic Impact On Black America”.
(E.) Their are very few African American owned solar design, installation and workforce development companies. That are doing business and make up the solar and renewal energy industry, along with governmental funding resources that are so very badly needed for financing training for African American youth in this country and abroad in the solar and renewal energy fields. Additionally, all PCPC financial business services and public transactions to its members’ venders will do business via the internet through the PCPC website. Businesses will be able.
(F.) To create capacity for the utilization of renewable energy for Black American owned farms, institutions, hospitals, municipalities, and universities by training young people locally and nationally from the Diaspora, and visiting students and athletes.
(G.) To target the 106 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) to become North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) continuing education certificate training providers through their continuing education and workforce development programs working in conjunction with African American Solar and workforce development companies to provide online training in their local area market places for interested candidates.
(H.) To encourage HBCUs with workforce development programs to work in conjunction with local solar companies in their market places to help them develop apprenticeship training programs for individuals successful in completing the NABCEP continuing education or work development training programs.
(I.) To encourage HBCUs with Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) to help identify students majoring in business administration at HBCUs to assist local solar companies in writing proposals targeting local and federal grants to develop training programs, reducing the time and resources needed for smaller solar companies in their market place to complete the application process for grants.
(J.) To encourage HBCUs to enter into more public/private partnerships with solar companies and private investment companies to set up more solar farms on African-American owned farm lands and HBCU campuses nationally.
(K.) To encourage HBCUs with schools of business, communication, and engineering to develop better working relations with local solar companies in the area to develop local advertising programs to target the African American community to get the word out on programs such as the Energy Smart DC Solar Advantage Plus Program.
(L.) To leverage current Department of Energy grants to certify under and unemployed youth.
(M.) To join The National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA CLUSA), which represents a cross-sector co-op community of 29,000 businesses that control over $3 trillion in assets. CLUSA unites co-ops by promoting the cooperative business model, driving cross-sector collaboration, and being a national voice for cooperatives.
(N.) To apply with U.S Department of Treasury to become CDFI certified as Community Development Venture Capital Fund, which includes both for profit and non-profit organizations that provide equity and debt, with equity features for businesses in distressed communities. CDFI is a financial institution that specializes in serving low-income individuals and communities.