Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in with your own details when you adopt this sample in Supreme Plan AI.
Executive Summary
Bright Commons Solar and Energy Savings for Nonprofit Facilities is a nonprofit in Colorado that helps other nonprofits cut their energy bills. We give community clinics, food banks, shelters and housing providers a free energy audit, a ranked list of upgrades, help finding utility, state and federal incentives and project management from bid to commissioning, and we pay for the equipment on a small number of pilot projects. We also run a paid Solar Installation Apprenticeship for people from the communities these nonprofits serve. Our services to nonprofits are free for audits and clinics, with a small fee on larger projects.
Utilities are a quiet drain on nonprofit budgets, and every dollar spent on electricity is a dollar not spent on meals, care or housing. Most small nonprofits have no one who can compare solar bids, read an interconnection agreement or tell whether an upgrade will really pay. Commercial solar companies sell to clients who can use tax credits and sign long contracts, and they rarely give small nonprofits unbiased advice.
An important change shapes this plan. Federal tax credits for solar projects that begin construction after July 4, 2026 generally must be in service by December 31, 2027 to qualify, so for projects in our grant period we do not count on a federal credit. We start with efficiency, which cuts energy use at once, and we recommend solar only when the numbers work without a federal credit. We will tell a nonprofit plainly when solar does not make sense.
With this grant we will complete 2 grant-supported client projects and site assessments for at least 8 nonprofits in Year 1, run 2 apprenticeship cohorts of 5 and hold monthly energy clinics. Our goals are that clients' measured energy costs fall by the amount the audit predicted (we will report actual 12-month bills, not projections) and that at least 65% of apprentices are working in solar or electrical work or in further training within 12 months. We do not promise savings, incentives or timelines.
Our Year 1 budget: about $670,000, growing to about $981,000 by Year 5. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus. We have 7 paid staff in Year 1 and 10 by Year 5. Energy office and utility program contracts, client cost shares, project fees and gifts add support, so grants fall from about 78% of our income in Year 1 to about 50% in Year 5.
We are asking the Colorado Nonprofit Sustainability Fund for $125,000 for one Solar Project Manager, equipment for two client projects (purchased from vendors and installed in the client's name, never given as cash) and part of the apprentice wage budget. Contracts, client cost shares, other grants and gifts cover the rest.
I am Marcus Delacroix, the Executive Director, a licensed professional engineer with a background in solar development and state energy programs. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.
Company Description
Bright Commons Solar and Energy Savings for Nonprofit Facilities is a nonprofit organization in Colorado. We are a 501(c)(3) public charity (or a program of one, through a fiscal sponsor), governed by a volunteer board of directors. We will provide our IRS determination letter, board list and most recent financial statements with this proposal.
Our mission. To help nonprofits serving vulnerable communities spend less on energy and more on their missions, and to train the next generation of solar workers from those communities.
What we believe. The best energy dollar is the one not spent, so efficiency comes first. Advice should be unbiased: we do not sell equipment or take fees from contractors. Solar is a good investment for some buildings and a poor one for others, and we say which. Workers should be employees, paid fairly and trained safely.
How we started. Bright Commons began when a utility engineer and a nonprofit finance director surveyed 85 small nonprofits and found that most had thought about solar and given up because of complexity and cost. They did three free audits for community health clinics, two of which became funded projects, and one saved a nonprofit from a proposal that would have cost more than it saved.
What we offer:
- Free energy audits and site assessments. A review of 12 months of bills, the building's systems, roof and electrical service, with a ranked list of upgrades.
- Efficiency first. Help with lighting, controls, heating and cooling and building envelope upgrades, which reduce energy use and the size of any solar system.
- Solar project management. For buildings where solar makes sense, we write the specification, collect at least three bids from licensed contractors, review them, help the nonprofit choose, review the utility interconnection process and oversee installation and commissioning. The nonprofit signs its own contract.
- Incentive navigation. We help clients find and apply for utility rebates, state programs and USDA rural energy programs where they apply, and we flag federal credit eligibility and deadlines so the client's tax advisor can confirm them.
- Pilot project equipment. On a small number of projects each year, we buy equipment from vendors in the client's name and a licensed electrical contractor installs it. We never give cash to a client for equipment.
- Solar Installation Apprenticeship. A paid 16-week program. Apprentices are our employees, working about 22 hours a week on project sites under licensed electricians while they prepare for OSHA 10 and the NABCEP PV Associate exam.
- Monthly energy clinics for any nonprofit, at no charge.
Who we serve. Colorado nonprofits with a community service mission that control their building, spend at least about $12,000 a year on electricity and have operating budgets under $5 million, with priority for organizations serving low-income households and rural communities. Apprentices are adults 18 and older, with priority for residents of communities most affected by energy costs, veterans and the unemployed.
What we do not do. We do not install systems ourselves. We do not give legal or tax advice. We do not guarantee savings, incentive approval or utility timelines.
How we are run. A ten-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes two professional engineers, a nonprofit finance director, a community health clinic CEO, a housing authority director, a state energy office representative as a non-voting advisor, a solar industry professional, a workforce specialist, an attorney and a certified public accountant.
Where things stand today. We have a pipeline of 14 client conversations, letters of support from three clients and a state agency and a list of pre-qualified contractors. Before we begin, our attorney will review our contractor standards and client agreements.
Problem & Opportunity
Colorado has thousands of small and mid-size nonprofits, many in older buildings with high energy costs and no capital for upgrades. Utility bills are often among their largest expenses after payroll.
Solar can cut those bills, and nonprofits face particular obstacles. They do not pay federal income tax, so tax credits were useless to them until direct payment ("elective pay") was created in 2022 for tax-exempt organizations. That helps only when the rules, timing and paperwork are right. Recent law changes have shortened the window: for solar projects that begin construction after July 4, 2026, the federal credit generally requires the system to be in service by the end of 2027, and equipment sourcing rules have tightened. A nonprofit that is not ready cannot count on it.
Even without a credit, a well-designed project may pay off, particularly after efficiency upgrades. But small nonprofits do not have staff to prepare a specification, compare bids, read an interconnection agreement or oversee an installer, and utility interconnection queues can add months. A poor proposal can cost more than it saves.
The workforce is a second problem. Colorado needs more qualified solar installers, and many entry-level workers from communities with high energy costs have no clear way in. Union and college programs can be hard to reach for people who need to earn while they learn.
We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. We know that efficiency upgrades reliably cut energy use, that solar economics depend on the building, the rate and the incentives, and that federal rules have changed and may change again. We will use the most recent numbers from the state energy office and utilities in our final application and will not overstate them. We do not know how many clients will find solar worthwhile without a credit, so our plan leads with efficiency.
Products & Services
Bright Commons will give nonprofits unbiased energy audits and project management, pay for equipment on a few pilot projects and train paid apprentices.
How it works, step by step:
1. Intake and site visit. A nonprofit applies or is referred. A Solar Project Manager visits, reviews 12 months of bills and assesses the roof, electrical service and building systems.
2. Audit. The Energy Efficiency Advisor completes an energy audit and ranks upgrades by cost and payback. We say clearly when solar is not worth doing.
3. Incentives. We identify utility rebates, state programs and USDA rural energy programs and prepare applications. We flag federal credit eligibility and deadlines and ask the client's tax advisor to confirm. We do not include a federal credit in our savings estimates for projects in our grant period.
4. Specification and bids. For solar, we write a specification and collect at least three bids from licensed electrical contractors. We review them for price and technical quality and give the nonprofit a written recommendation. The nonprofit chooses and signs its own contract, and its attorney reviews it.
5. Equipment on pilot projects. When we fund equipment, we purchase it from a vendor in the client's name and the contractor installs it. We require a warranty of at least 25 years on panels and 10 years on inverters.
6. Installation oversight. We visit the site before work, at rough-in, at final inspection and at commissioning, and we confirm the utility's permission to operate before the system is energized.
7. Follow-up. We help set up monitoring and review actual bills at 12 months, and we publish results whether or not they match the projection.
8. Apprenticeship. Each 16-week cohort of 5 apprentices works about 22 hours a week as our employees on active project sites under licensed electricians, completes OSHA 10 safety training in the first week and prepares for the NABCEP PV Associate exam. We help graduates apply to contractors and electrical programs.
9. Clinics. Monthly free clinics help any nonprofit read its bills and plan.
What this grant will pay for. One Solar Project Manager, equipment for two client projects and part of the apprentice wage budget. The rest comes from energy office and utility contracts, client cost shares, project fees, other grants and gifts.
Market Analysis
Who benefits: nonprofits with high energy costs and limited capacity, clients and communities served by those nonprofits, and apprentices who gain a career path.
Our primary group is Colorado nonprofits with operating budgets under $5 million that control a building and spend at least about $12,000 a year on electricity. We will use the most recent numbers from the state in our final application. In a survey of small nonprofits before we started, most had considered solar and given up because of cost or complexity.
How we sized our plan. In Year 1, we complete 2 pilot projects with equipment we purchase (average equipment cost about $40,000 for a 12 to 18 kW rooftop system; we pay about $30,000 on average and incentives and the client's contribution cover the rest), assessments for at least 8 nonprofits and 6 efficiency audits. We plan apprenticeship cohorts of 5 twice a year, or 10 apprentices. Our pipeline already has 14 client conversations.
We do not promise any particular project. Timelines depend on the building, the utility and the contractor, and interconnection can take many months.
Demand data. Our apprenticeship pilot had 38 applicants for 12 places, and three nonprofits have asked for audits.
Competitive Landscape
Other options for Colorado nonprofits, and how we relate to them.
- The state energy office and utility programs. They provide programs and incentives, and some technical help. We help nonprofits use them and complete applications.
- Commercial solar developers. They serve clients who can use credits and sign long contracts, and they may be the right choice for a larger nonprofit. We help a nonprofit compare their offers.
- Energy service companies and consultants. They serve paying clients. We serve small nonprofits for free and have no equipment to sell.
- Other nonprofit solar groups. Some install solar for low-income homeowners and run training programs. We partner with them on workforce and refer homeowners.
- Union and college electrical programs. They offer deeper, longer training. We are an entry point and send graduates to them.
What makes us different.
- Unbiased advice with no equipment to sell and no fees from contractors.
- Efficiency first, then solar only when the numbers work.
- Project management from audit to commissioning.
- Real results: 12-month bills, published whether they match the projection.
- Paid apprentices who are employees.
What we do not claim. We are small. Large companies and agencies have more staff and reach. We plan to earn trust one nonprofit at a time.
Marketing & Sales Strategy
How we will reach nonprofits, contractors and apprentices.
Nonprofits. We will work through nonprofit associations, community foundations, health centers, housing authorities and coalitions. Our monthly clinic is the easiest first step, and a nonprofit can ask a question without a commitment.
Contractors. We will keep a list of pre-qualified contractors with a current Colorado electrical license, liability and workers' compensation insurance, at least three completed solar projects with references and a commitment to supervise our apprentices. We update the list each year.
Utilities and agencies. We will work with the state energy office and local utilities on program rules and share aggregate results.
Apprentices. We will recruit through workforce centers, community colleges, veterans' organizations and community groups, and attend job fairs.
Funders. We will report results as totals twice a year and in an annual report and invite funders to project ribbon cuttings and graduations. We will not use clients' names or photographs without permission.
Earned revenue. We charge a fee of about 6% of total project cost on projects over $150,000, disclosed up front, and we reinvest it in the program.
Operations Plan
How the program will be carried out.
Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 2: Attorney review of contractor standards and client agreements, hire the Solar Project Manager, finalize two pilot projects and place equipment orders with vendors in the clients' names.
- Month 3: Begin the first apprenticeship cohort of 5 and installation on the first pilot project.
- Months 4 to 8: Site assessments and audits, bids for pipeline projects, monthly clinics and the second apprenticeship cohort.
- Months 9 to 12: Commission the pilot projects, graduations, 12-month bill reviews for earlier clients, year-end report to funders and planning for Year 2.
Project pipeline. A Solar Project Manager manages four to six active projects. A straightforward project takes 9 to 14 months from first assessment to commissioning, and longer where utility interconnection queues are long.
Equipment. When we fund equipment, we buy it from a qualified vendor in the client's name and a licensed electrical contractor installs it. We never transfer cash to a client. The plan budgets $60,000 for two projects in Year 1, with incentives and the client's contribution covering about $20,000 of the $80,000 equipment cost.
Apprentice wages and controls. Apprentices are our employees. Each works about 22 hours a week for 16 weeks at $16.50 an hour, about $5,800 in wages plus about 20% for payroll taxes and construction-class workers' compensation, or about $7,000. Two cohorts of 5 cost about $70,000 in Year 1. Exam and course fees of about $365 each (NABCEP PV Associate exam and OSHA 10 course) are paid directly to the providers. Apprentices work only under direct supervision of licensed electricians and never work on live circuits before supervised training.
Safety. All apprentices and staff on site wear protective equipment, follow fall protection and arc flash rules and comply with OSHA 10 requirements.
Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Solar Development Director, a Solar Project Manager, an Energy Efficiency Advisor, a Community Nonprofit Outreach Coordinator, a Solar Apprenticeship Coordinator and a part-time Program Coordinator. We add a second Solar Project Manager in Year 2, a second Energy Efficiency Advisor in Year 4 and a second Apprenticeship Coordinator in Year 5.
Confidentiality. Client bills, building data and contract terms are confidential, shared only with permission and reported to funders as totals.
Insurance. We carry general liability, professional liability for engineering advice, directors and officers and workers' compensation insurance, and we require every contractor to carry at least $1 million per occurrence and name us as an additional insured. Insurance is about $16,000 a year in Year 1.
Management & Organization
The people who will carry out the program.
Marcus Delacroix, Executive Director. A licensed professional engineer with six years in solar development and three years running a state energy program. He leads fundraising, partnerships, engineering oversight and hiring, reports to the board and is the main contact for funders and utilities. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)
Solar Development Director. Manages the project pipeline, contractor standards and interconnection. We will seek a NABCEP-certified professional.
Solar Project Managers. Manage four to six projects each, from assessment to commissioning.
Energy Efficiency Advisor. Completes audits, ranks upgrades and runs the monthly clinic. We will seek a Certified Energy Auditor.
Community Nonprofit Outreach Coordinator. Recruits and serves nonprofit clients and tracks results.
Solar Apprenticeship Coordinator. Recruits applicants, runs the curriculum with licensed electricians, approves hours and tracks outcomes for 12 months.
Program Coordinator (part-time). Keeps records and prepares reports.
Board of directors. Ten volunteers who meet quarterly. The board approves the budget and contractor standards and does not receive pay.
Staff pay in this plan includes payroll taxes and workers' compensation. Salaries are Executive Director $72,000, Solar Development Director $68,000, Solar Project Manager $64,000 each, Energy Efficiency Advisor $60,000, Community Nonprofit Outreach Coordinator $52,000, Solar Apprenticeship Coordinator $54,000 and part-time Program Coordinator $28,000. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.
Milestones Narrative
Our goals for each year and how we will measure them.
- Before opening: get at least 3 client letters of interest, sign contractor qualification standards with at least four licensed contractors, confirm tax guidance with a tax professional for any project that might use a federal credit and open a bank account. Do not order equipment until the client has signed a written agreement.
- Year 1: Complete 2 pilot projects, assessments for at least 8 nonprofits and 6 efficiency audits, and run two apprenticeship cohorts of 5. A balanced budget of about $670,000, with a small surplus of about $17,340. 7 paid staff.
- Year 2: Add a second Solar Project Manager, complete 3 projects and report 12-month bills for Year 1 clients. A balanced budget of about $762,000, with a small surplus of about $18,382. 8 paid staff.
- Year 3: Complete 3 projects and begin earned project fees. A balanced budget of about $792,000, with a small surplus of about $18,008. 8 paid staff.
- Year 4: Complete 4 projects, add a second Energy Efficiency Advisor and expand efficiency-only projects. A balanced budget of about $887,000, with a small surplus of about $18,714. 9 paid staff.
- Year 5: Complete 4 projects, add a second Apprenticeship Coordinator and run three cohorts. A balanced budget of about $981,000, with a small surplus of about $19,915. 10 paid staff.
What we measure:
- Clients served: assessments, audits, projects in the pipeline and projects commissioned.
- Actual energy cost change for each client at 12 months, from bills, compared with the projection.
- Incentives secured for clients, by program.
- Apprentice enrollment, OSHA 10 completion, exam completion and employment or training at 6 and 12 months.
- Cost per client served and cost per apprentice placed.
How we review results. The Solar Development Director reviews the pipeline every week, and the full team reviews outcomes monthly. Twice a year the board reviews results and we share them with funders as totals. We publish 12-month bill results whether or not they meet projections. Every number in this plan is a goal, and we will report what really happens, including when we fall short.
Funding Request
What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $125,000 from the Colorado Nonprofit Sustainability Fund for one Solar Project Manager, equipment for two client projects and part of the apprentice wage budget, for July 2027 through June 2028.
The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Solar Project Manager salary, $64,000 (other funds add $0).
- Equipment: Solar and efficiency equipment for two client facilities, purchased from vendors in the client's name and installed by licensed electrical contractors, never given as cash to a nonprofit, $40,000 (other funds add $20,000).
- Other: Solar apprentice wages, paid through payroll to apprentices as employees (part of the apprentice wage budget), $21,000 (other funds add $49,000).
Other money in the program. Other grants, contracts, earned income and gifts pay the other $530,860 of Year 1 costs, including the matching amounts above. All Year 1 costs are listed below.
Year 1 budget: about $670,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $17,340 after spreading startup and equipment costs over five years). Year 1 money coming in: grants $522,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), colorado Energy Office and Utility Program Contracts $68,000, client Cost Share and Incentive Payments $20,000, project Development Fees $20,000, donations and Corporate Sponsors $40,000. Year 1 costs: executive Director $72,000; solar Development Director $68,000; solar Project Manager $64,000; energy Efficiency Advisor $60,000; community Nonprofit Outreach Coordinator $52,000; solar Apprenticeship Coordinator $54,000; program Coordinator (part-time) $28,000; solar and Efficiency Equipment for Client Projects (Purchased from Vendors in the Client's Name) $60,000; solar Apprentice Wages and Payroll Costs (Paid Through Payroll) $70,000; apprentice Certification Exam and Safety Course Fees (Paid to Providers) $3,650; pro Bono Energy Clinics and Materials $8,000; office Rent and Utilities $24,000; project Management and Technology $10,000; travel for Site Assessments and Oversight $18,000; insurance $16,000; staff Training and Certifications $10,000; evaluation and Reporting $8,000; administration and Accounting $16,000; and about $14,210 a year for spreading startup and equipment costs over five years. These add up to $655,860.
How we planned equipment and wages. Equipment for two projects costs about $60,000 from this budget, with about $20,000 from incentives and client cost share, on projects averaging about $40,000 in equipment. Apprentice wages are about $7,000 each including payroll costs, or about $70,000 for 10. We budget no federal tax credit.
About incentives and the federal credit. Tax-exempt organizations can receive certain federal clean energy credits as direct payments, and recent law changes mean that solar projects beginning construction after July 4, 2026 generally must be in service by December 31, 2027, with tighter equipment sourcing rules. Credits for battery storage and other technologies follow different timelines. We do not count on any federal credit for projects in the grant period, and we flag eligibility for a client's tax advisor to confirm. State energy office programs, utility rebates and USDA rural energy programs are competitive and change often. The amounts in this plan are our planning estimates, not promises.
One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $55,050 are paid once from startup money and are listed item by item in the Startup Costs section.
How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($55,050), the cash the budget uses before it levels out (about $18,550) and a cash cushion of about $160,413, which is three months of Year 1 operating costs. That comes to about $234,013, rounded up to the nearest $500: $234,500. We start with $20,000 of our own savings and $215,000 in startup support from a community foundation, a utility partnership and our board, $235,000 in all, which covers that amount.
The next five years. Our budget grows from about $670,000 in Year 1 to about $981,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $522,000, $538,000, $482,000, $487,000, $490,000 in Years 1 to 5, and colorado Energy Office and Utility Program Contracts grow from $68,000 to $186,000; client Cost Share and Incentive Payments grow from $20,000 to $130,000; project Development Fees grow from $20,000 to $115,000; donations and Corporate Sponsors grow from $40,000 to $60,000. Grants fall from about 78% of our income in Year 1 to about 50% in Year 5.
Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $161,400, at the end of Year 1. Government and grant payments often arrive after we bill or after we submit reports. We plan for about $46,900 owed to us at the end of Year 1.
After the grant. Our plan is to grow state energy office and utility contracts, to expand efficiency-only projects, which do not depend on solar credits, and to grow project fees as clients complete larger projects. Documented savings strengthen our case for public funding.
Risks and how we will handle them:
- Federal credits or state programs change again. We do not count them in our plans, we model projects with and without incentives and we tell clients plainly when a project does not pay.
- Utility interconnection delays extend a project. We tell clients realistic timelines and do not count a project as complete until the utility permits operation.
- A contractor performs poorly. We use written contracts, require insurance and keep a list of alternatives.
- An apprentice is injured. Apprentices work under direct supervision, receive safety training and we carry workers' compensation.
- A key engineer leaves. We keep written project files and cross-train project managers.
- A grant ends. We keep savings, grow contracts and project fees and keep our cost per client low.
If you are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status through a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that receives grants for you and passes them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Another way is to start smaller: three free audits for willing nonprofits, documented carefully with 12-month bills. A documented result showing a real nonprofit's dollars saved is the best evidence you can bring to your first grant application.
Appendix Notes
Documents to attach with this proposal:
- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members and what each one does.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and Solar Development Director, with engineering license and certification numbers.
- Your contractor qualification standards and list of pre-qualified contractors.
- Completed project summaries: system size, cost, incentives and 12-month bills compared with the projection.
- A pipeline list: client type, building size, stage and expected completion.
- Letters of support from clients, a state agency and a contractor.
- Your apprenticeship curriculum, safety plan, wage policy and outcome data, shown as totals.
- Your equipment purchase policy, including vendor, warranty and client agreement requirements.
- Proof of general and professional liability, workers' compensation and commercial auto insurance, or quotes.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.
The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Income: Grant Revenue: $522,000 in Year 1, growing to $490,000 by Year 5; Colorado Energy Office and Utility Program Contracts: $68,000 in Year 1, growing to $186,000 by Year 5; Client Cost Share and Incentive Payments: $20,000 in Year 1, growing to $130,000 by Year 5; Project Development Fees: $20,000 in Year 1, growing to $115,000 by Year 5; Donations and Corporate Sponsors: $40,000 in Year 1, growing to $60,000 by Year 5.
- Pilot projects: 2 in Year 1 at an average of about $40,000 in equipment, then 3, 3, 4 and 4. No federal tax credit is counted.
- Apprentices: 10 a year (two cohorts of 5), about $7,000 each (22 hours a week for 16 weeks at $16.50, plus about 20% for payroll taxes and workers' compensation), plus about $365 each for exam and safety course fees.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): executive director $72,000; solar development director $68,000; solar project manager $64,000; energy efficiency advisor $60,000; community nonprofit outreach coordinator $52,000; solar apprenticeship coordinator $54,000; program coordinator (part-time) $28,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: solar and Efficiency Equipment for Client Projects (Purchased from Vendors in the Client's Name) $60,000, solar Apprentice Wages and Payroll Costs (Paid Through Payroll) $70,000, apprentice Certification Exam and Safety Course Fees (Paid to Providers) $3,650, pro Bono Energy Clinics and Materials $8,000, office Rent and Utilities $24,000, project Management and Technology $10,000, travel for Site Assessments and Oversight $18,000, insurance $16,000, staff Training and Certifications $10,000, evaluation and Reporting $8,000, administration and Accounting $16,000. These grow between 4% and 18% a year, and negative growth means a cost that is highest in Year 1.
- Startup costs ($55,050) and later equipment are spread evenly over five years in the plan's books, about $14,210 a year.
- About 7% of each year's income is still owed to us at year end.
- Tax: none, as a nonprofit.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and real budget.
Startup Costs
| Item | Category | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Test instruments for site assessments and commissioning: irradiance meter, thermal camera, IV curve tracer and multimeter kit | Equipment | $6,800 |
| Personal protective equipment and fall protection for the apprenticeship cohort | Equipment | $4,200 |
| Project management and solar design software licenses for the first year | Equipment | $3,600 |
| Work truck for site visits, used and inspected | Equipment | $24,000 |
| Contractor qualification standards and project oversight contract templates, attorney review | Legal & Professional | $4,500 |
| Office lease deposit and first month of rent | Deposits | $5,000 |
| Website, client intake portal and outreach materials | Signage & Branding | $3,200 |
| Safety training, background checks and onboarding for new staff | Other | $3,750 |
| Total | $55,050 | |