Energy Programs Office launches TASER pilot to help nonprofits plan energy and resilience projects

The Energy Programs Office and its contractor team announced a new pilot, TASER (Technical Assistance for Community Energy and Resilience), intended to help Pennsylvania nonprofits and community-based organizations design and prepare competitive funding applications for energy-efficiency, affordability and resilience projects.

Colleen (Energy Programs Office official) said the eight-month cohort program will provide free, one-on-one technical assistance and monthly group sessions to support “identifying funding opportunities, strengthening project readiness, developing project plans, and preparing competitive grant applications.” She added the pilot is intended to help organizations move projects from planning to funding-ready stages.

Amy Fasio, senior consultant at Strategic Consulting Partners, said the pilot will combine individualized navigators with peer learning and toolkits. “We’re going to have a small number of community organizations that are a part of it,” she said, noting the team expects to work with about five organizations in the initial cohort and hopes to repeat the program in future rounds.

Michelle Rogers, senior consultant with Hagerty Consulting and a TA navigator for the pilot, described the program structure: two sessions per month for eight months — one hour of scheduled one-on-one consultation and about 90 minutes for a monthly cohort workshop — plus homework and between-session support. Rogers said participants should expect roughly 20 hours of in-session time and an additional 5–7 hours per month on project work; organizers require about 80% attendance and ask each organization to send two representatives: a primary decision-maker and a secondary participant.

The program focuses on projects that improve community resilience or lower energy use, including examples such as nature-based stormwater solutions, distributed energy (solar, microgrids), emergency communications for resilience, building retrofits and communitywide home-energy audits that lead to weatherization. Colleen said organizers will prioritize proposals serving low-income or low-wealth communities and generally expect lead applicants to be 501(c)(3) nonprofits or community-based organizations serving Pennsylvania communities; municipal governments may partner but cannot be the lead applicant.

Jenny (project manager, Strategic Consulting Partners) walked participants through the interest form and materials to prepare, advising that someone with decision-making authority complete the application and that applicants have documents such as an operating budget, project description, and tax/unique entity identifiers available. The interest form is live now and will close July 21 at 5:00 p.m.; organizers expect to notify applicants the week of Aug. 3 and hold a kickoff session Aug. 26, with a midpoint session in December and a closing session in March.

On scope, speakers clarified TASER provides technical assistance for planning and application development but does not provide implementation funding or pay for activities such as energy audits. “TASER funds technical assistance for project planning but not implementation,” Colleen said; presenters said implementation funding could be considered in future rounds but is not part of this pilot.

Organizers asked attendees to share the opportunity widely. For questions or to contact the team, the session listed energy@youstrategicconsultant.com as the program email. The presentation concluded with a recorded Q&A covering eligibility, cohort size, and partner roles; the team encouraged nonprofits at multiple stages of project readiness to apply.

Next steps: the interest form is open until July 21 at 5:00 p.m.; selected participants will be notified the week of Aug. 3 and the eight-month pilot will begin with the Aug. 26 kickoff session.