In the past, the Caucus helped 35 communities achieve the SolSmart designation.
We are inviting municipalities to be a part of a cohort, in which we plan to provide no-cost technical assistance to help communities achieve the SolSmart designation. The national SolSmart program aims to advance solar energy in communities by streamlining policies and processes. It is a point-based system that awards Bronze, Silver or Gold achievement levels to local governments. In the past, the Caucus led 31 communities and four counties in two separate cohorts successfully through the program to achieve SolSmart designation, more than any other state.
About the SolSmart Designation and Cohort
To earn SolSmart designation, you must commit staff to complete a handful of tasks involving permitting, zoning, and community engagement by the end of the year. The Caucus will offer templates, resources, staff training, and ongoing assistance over a six-month period.
You must also provide a letter indicating your intent to earn the SolSmart designation, if the Mayors Caucus is awarded a contract to serve as SolSmart Advisor to your community and others in the cohort. It also describes the major tasks involved. It may be signed by any authorized municipal official.
For Greenest Region Compact (GRC) communities: Please use the template letter for GRC communities.
For non-GRC communities: If your community has not yet adopted the GRC, you may apply to join the cohort now, but you must adopt the GRC by municipal resolution before December 1, 2021. You may write your own solar statement using the template offered by SolSmart, or use our template for non-GRC communities here.
Please let the Caucus know ASAP if you are interested in working toward this national designation by filling out the expression of interest at the Caucus’ Submittable webpage by the end of the day on Monday, May 24th. We will also need the “solar statement” letter uploaded to the Submittable site by May 24th. If you have questions before completing the expression of interest form, please contact Director of Environmental Initiatives Edith Makra at emakra@mayorscaucus.org or Sustainability Specialist Cheryl Scott at cscott@mayorscaucus.org.
The Caucus will submit an application to serve as a SolSmart Advisor to lead a cohort of GRC Communities to improve codes and policies, and to develop skills and knowledge to encourage solar energy development. If you choose to partner with us, and if we are selected, you will receive no-cost training and technical assistance leading to SolSmart designation. Your expression of interest and solar statement will be part of our application.
Read about our successful collaborative cohort approach and see other municipalities that have leveraged community investment through SolSmart here. In this round, we are asked to prioritize assistance to communities with fewer resources.
