RENEW Wisconsin’s Solar for Good initiative fosters the expansion of solar power among mission-based nonprofits, schools, and houses of worship in Wisconsin. The grant funding provided by this program is designed to help organizations make the switch to solar energy. By reducing their reliance on fossil fuels, grantees are able to reduce their energy bills and combat climate change. In short, this means more money for their mission and less pollution for all of us!
To date, Solar for Good has already helped over 300 nonprofits and schools invest in solar, allowing them to focus funds on their missions and communities. You can be a part of this progress by making a donation today — let’s do good, together!
Before You Apply for Solar for Good
- Take some time to learn about solar energy and evaluate whether this is a good opportunity for your organization and whether you qualify for Solar for Good.
- Get site assessments from one or more reputable solar companies to determine which company you will work with.
- Receive a formal solar proposal from a selected solar firm and identify the size and cost of the project you will install.
- Inform your solar firm that you are interested in applying for a Solar for Good grant.
Apply for Solar for Good Grant
- Applications for Solar for Good will re-open in the fall of 2026
- Applications must be submitted through the online application form. Emailed or mailed-in application forms will not be reviewed. RENEW evaluates each application on an individual basis.
- If you have any difficulty completing the application, including uploading your project proposal or proof of tax-exempt status (an IRS designation or current certificate from Wisconsin’s Department of Financial Institutions), please email SolarforGood@renewwisconsin.org.
- If the application is approved, we will reserve your award until after your project is complete.
If Your Application is Selected
- RENEW Wisconsin will hold grant reservations for no more than 12 months, so all fundraising, design, and installation for the project must be completed within that timeframe.
- Accept the Solar for Good award by signing our MOU. Your document will be customized based on your organization’s unique project and situation.
- Sign your contract with your selected solar company and provide us with a copy of your finalized contract and proposal.
- Execute your fundraising campaign. Awarded organizations are required to check in with us at 6 months and show progress towards meeting the funding goal. If you are not on track, we will work with you to find a solution or cancel your reservation.
- Work with your solar contractor to complete the installation of the solar project within 12 months.
Aldo Leopold Foundation
Baraboo, WI | 90 kW System | $28,576 Grant
Solar for Good allowed the Leopold Foundation to continue being a leader in demonstrating what a land ethic looks like in the 21st Century! Our solar panel expansion will help us achieve our goal of achieving net zero and allows us to allocate resources previously used to cover utility costs towards growing our mission and impact.
Buddy Huffaker, Aldo Leopold Foundation
Camp Amnicon
South Range, WI | 19.24 kW System | $8,658 Grant
Installing solar has long been a dream at Camp Amnicon. The project will support our core values but also provide a new piece of educational programming to teach youth about our relationship to energy.
Brandon Due, Camp Amnicon
UW-Madison Arboretum
Madison, WI | 25.16 kW System | $11,322 Grant
Renewable resources like solar energy advance our sustainability goals as well as our mission of conservation and education. The solar panels donated by Solar for Good helped us earn a Platinum level Green Office Certification from the UW-Madison Office of Sustainability!
Josh Goldman, UW-Madison Arboretum |Photo credit: Ian Aley UW-Madison Office of Sustainability
North Central Conservancy Trust
Stevens Point, WI | 3.4 kW System | $2,676 Grant
We consider ourselves to be a conservation organization with environmental stewardship and natural resource protection as a top priority. Utilizing renewable and sustainable resources, like solar energy, underscores our mission and objectives.
Christopher C. Radford, North Central Conservancy Trust
Nourish Farms
Sheboygan Falls, WI | 9.94 kW System | $4,144 Grant
This system offsets 25% of our expected kWh usage annually and saves Nourish Farms $1,362/year!
Heather Cleveland, Nourish Farms
Neshkoro Area Fire Protection District
Neshkoro, WI | 14.08 kW System | $3,164 Grant
This is an example of where the Venn Diagram of doing the right thing and doing the smart thing completely overlap. This project will serve as a public example to the community of both the value and the practicality of investing in renewable energy.
Steven R. Sheldon, Neshkoro Area Fire Protection District
Yerkes Future Foundation
Williams Bay, WI | 60 kW System | $12.488 Grant
Yerkes Observatory has a tradition of being forward thinking, innovative, and revolutionary. Bringing a solar power project of this level tot he area would be a first. It will allow us to pursue the innovative culture we strive for while keeping operational costs manageable.
Dianna Colman, Yerkes Future Foundation