Seeds for the Sol (SFTS) was founded in 2013 as a community-driven nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to renewable energy while reducing economic barriers for households. Its mission centered on helping communities transition to clean energy while supporting local economic development, job creation, and long-term energy resilience
During this early phase, the organization operated entirely through volunteer leadership, supported by community donations and mission-driven lenders.
From 2013 to 2020, SFTS focused primarily on residential solar access. We created a community-supported financing mechanism—originally called the Slow Revolving Fund and now the Pay As You Save (PAYS) Fund—to provide 0% interest loans to homeowners unable to secure traditional financing.
THIS MODEL:
- Closed the gap between incentives and final project costs
- Paid installers directly upon completion
- Structured repayments based on projected energy savings
- Minimized risk of default for participating households
Remarkably, during these formative years, SFTS operated entirely through volunteer leadership. The Board of Directors and Executive Director carried the organization forward with no paid staff, supported by community members who provided both donations and mission-aligned loans to capitalize the fund.
As the climate crisis intensified and the need for equitable access to energy solutions grew, SFTS expanded its work beyond solar to include energy efficiency upgrades such as heat pumps, weatherization, and other high-impact measures.
A key milestone in this growth was a series of partnerships with Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO) beginning in 2018. Through these collaborations, SFTS successfully piloted programs ranging from solar installations for Habitat for Humanity homes to innovative community partner funding models and no-cost heat pump initiatives. These efforts demonstrated the organization’s ability to deliver results while reaching underserved households.
As demand increased among lower-income households, SFTS also became a stabilizing force for local contractors, helping maintain steady project pipelines and supporting job creation in Oregon’s clean energy economy.
In 2023, Seeds for the Sol launched the Bridge Fund, a close-loop fund designed to provide rapid financing to contractors helping offset delays in incentive payments provided by Energy Trust of Oregon for energy efficiency upgrades and reduce administrative burdens—making it feasible for contractors to serve lower-income clients.
It addresses a critical and unintended market failure: lower-income households were being excluded from energy efficiency upgrade opportunities because many larger contractors chose not to participate in income-qualified programs due to reimbursement timelines and administrative requirements. It opened the door for interested smaller contractors by addressing cash-flow constraints caused by incentive reimbursement timelines.
The initiative has seen large demand for its services. It has also attracted support from community members and local partners, including the City of Corvallis, through loans and donations. Since then, SFTS has experienced rapid growth—expanding from serving 2 to 7 counties and increasing no-cost upgrades from 85 in 2023 to 168 in 2025.
The goal for 2026 is to reach 200 upgrades. There are many other potential areas of expansion such as multi-family units and community solar.
Through these evolving programs, Seeds for the Sol has built a model that connects community investment, contractor partnerships, and public incentives to expand equitable access to energy efficiency and renewable energy. Today, the organization continues to scale its impact—helping households reduce energy costs, improving home comfort, and ensuring that the benefits of the clean energy transition are accessible to everyone.
To date, SFTS has supported over 1,000 households and reduced more than 800 tons of CO₂, with its cumulative impact accelerating significantly in recent years.
