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American-Made Challenges

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Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize

Expanding opportunities for accessible, good jobs in clean energy and increasing diversity in the workforce.
stage:
Informational Webinar
prize:
$3,375,000
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Summary
Timeline
Updates7
Forum8
Teams270
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Summary

Challenge Overview

The Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize is designed to encourage coalition-building in communities across the country that focus on creating quality jobs and fostering an equitable and inclusive workforce in clean energy sectors. 

 

What is a “Good Job”?

A “good job” is a job that:

  1. Provides fair, transparent, and equitable pay that exceeds the local average wage for an industry
  2. Delivers basic benefits (e.g., paid leave, health insurance, retirement/savings plan, access to affordable, reliable, and high-quality child care/long-term care for loved ones, and transportation)
  3. Provides workers with an environment in which to have a collective voice
  4. Helps the employee develop the skills and experiences necessary to advance along a career path
  5. Provides predictable scheduling, and a safe, healthy, and accessible workplace devoid of hostility and harassment
  6. Has employees properly classified with the limited use of independent contractors and temporary workers
  7. Protects workers’ statutory right for a free and fair choice to join a union under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

Good jobs are provided by management’s rigorous knowledge of these rights and other employment rights that protect against harassment, discrimination, and retaliation and their active attempt to avoid any violations of the NLRA and other labor and employment laws; such as worker intimidation or harassment, or unwarranted delay in negotiations or grievance resolution.
Source: About Community Benefits Plans

 

A Coalition Competition Structured for Workforce Partnership Success

The Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize encourages building new and newly focused placed-based coalitions to create quality, accessible jobs and training partnerships in their community. Each coalition is required to include, at a minimum, one coalition representative from each of the five key stakeholder groups below:

  1. Labor organizations
  2. Clean energy employers
  3. Community-based organizations
  4. Public agencies
  5. Education and workforce providers

These competing coalitions will develop and implement Coalition Action Plans that improve the quality of and expand access to good jobs in clean energy.

Competitors participate in three prize phases designed to increase the long-term engagement of place-based coalitions to ensure that the clean energy jobs created nationwide are high quality and accessible to target populations. Coalitions must compete and win in Phase One of the prize to qualify to compete in Phase Two and Phase Three of the prize. Qualified coalitions will have the chance to win part of $3,375,000 prize pool to help them develop plans and accelerate the implementation of their solutions.

 

More than $3 Million in Incentives for Innovation

The three-phase competition catalyzes coalition building to understand, plan, and improve job quality and job access within the clean energy economy for target populations.

The Three Phases

Phase One: Coalition Formation 

Up to 15 winning coalitions / $50,000 cash prize each

Winning coalitions are selected for:

  1. Identifying a clean energy employment opportunity and workforce challenge in a specific sector and target community, and 
  2. Displaying robust partnerships that include at least one organization from each of the five stakeholder types: labor organization, clean energy employer, community-based organization, public agency, and education and workforce provider.

Phase Two: Coalition Action Plan

Up to 10 winning coalitions / $100,000 each

Competing coalitions participate in a virtual U.S. Department of Energy-led training on High Road economic and workforce development strategies for clean energy  and develop a robust Coalition Action Plan to create quality, accessible jobs, and training partnerships.

Phase Three: Implementation and Impact 

Up to 10 winning coalitions. First place: $300,000 / Second place: $250,000 / Third place: $200,000 / Seven runner-up coalitions: $125,000

Competing coalitions implement their Phase Two Coalition Action Plans and participate in community-of-practice activities and quarterly check-ins with prize administrators.

 

Questions?

  1. Review the official rules for the complete application process and instructions for competing
  2. Hit 'Follow' at the top of this page to automatically receive email updates on the prize
  3. Review the 'Forum' tab for posted questions and answers. If you have a new question about the prize, please post your question to the Forum and a prize administrator will respond
  4. Join the informational webinar on Oct. 3 at 3 pm ET.

Guidelines

Please review the official rules for the complete application process and instructions for competing.

If you would like to receive updates on the prize, please ‘Follow’ the competition at the top of this HeroX page. If you have questions about the competition, you can email the prize administrators at .

The American-Made Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize is a multimillion-dollar prize competition designed to equip coalitions with tools to ensure that clean energy programs and investments result in good jobs and greater access for target populations. The American-Made Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize is directed and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy 's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Learn more.

 

Timeline
Updates7

Challenge Updates

Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize - Upcoming Power Connector Office Hours and Coalition Building Webinar

Oct. 21, 2024, 2:32 p.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

The #GoodJobs Prize Power Connectors have two exciting events coming up that you won't want to miss!  One tomorrow! 

Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize Office Hours hosted by EFN  - Oct. 22!

Tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. ET, join the EFN Power Connector team for their first in a series of Office Hours that will provide guidance on building coalitions and applying to the Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize. Sign up here.

Coalition Building for a Clean Energy Workforce hosted by CEBN  - Oct. 28! 

Join the CEBN Power Connector Team on Oct. 28 from 2 – 3 p.m. ET for an expert panel featuring the BlueGreen Alliance (BGA) and Business Leaders United (BLU). They'll discuss strategies for forming robust clean energy workforce coalitions, followed by an opportunity for networking, questions, and an idea exchange. Register here

We hope to see you there! These events are a great opportunity to learn about the prize and connect with other prize candidates. 

Best, 

The Good Jobs Prize Team 


Thank You for Joining the Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize Informational Webinar! Recording is available.

Oct. 10, 2024, 7 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

In case you missed the informational webinar on Oct. 3, or need a refresher on the information shared, the recording, and slides are now available on HeroX! 

During the webinar, prize administrators shared key background on the prize, discussed the prize goals, and reviewed the eligibility and submission requirements for the $3.375 million prize!  

Questions submitted to the Q&A during the webinar are in the process of being addressed. Answers to these questions will be posted as a “Q&A Document in the Resources tab on HeroX shortly.  

 

Next steps:  

  • If you are interested in competing in the prize, please read the Official Prize Rules   
  • To receive updates on the prize, click Follow on HeroX, then click “Solve this Prize” to start building your coalition! 
  • Register to join the October 28 CEBN Coalition Building for a Clean Energy Workforce Webinar 
  • Register for a series of EFN Group Office Hours to help your coalition apply for the prize!  
  • Check the Resource tab on HeroX for updates to the prize Q&A Document  
  • Start preparing your submission and share additional questions in the Forum for answers from the prize team!  

We look forward to reviewing your submissions by Jan 31, 2025 at 5 p.m. ET!  


Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize Official Rules - Now Updated!

Oct. 3, 2024, 6:49 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

The Official Prize Rules have been updated and now include additional information on Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Prize!   You can access the updated rules here and on the 'resources' tab of the prize page. 

Join today's informational webinar at 3 p.m. ET to learn more about the prize!  Register here if not already registered. 

The webinar will provide an overview of the Prize and Prize Rules - specifically for Phase 1.  Prize Administrators will share background on the prize and review other key information on eligibility, submission elements, scoring, and prize application deadlines.  

Join to learn more about the Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize! 


Thursday at 3 p.m. ET: Good Jobs in Clean Energy Informational Webinar!

Oct. 1, 2024, 6:35 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

Last call to join us as we kick-start DOE’s Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize with an informational webinar this Thursday at 3 p.m. ET

Reserve your spot now to join prize administrators as they discuss everything you need to know about eligibility, deadlines, coalition requirements, and how to get started in the competition. Register here

Can’t make the webinar ? Check back here for a link to the recording in the coming days. You can follow the prize to receive and email notification when the recording and slides are available.  

We look forward to seeing you Thursday at 3 p.m. ET!  


Don’t Miss the Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize Informational Webinar on Oct. 3!

Sept. 26, 2024, 7:33 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

Interested in learning how to submit an application for the Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize or who to include in your coalition? Register now for the Oct. 3 informational webinar and get all the info!  

Join us to learn more about the competition, eligibility, submission requirements, rules, and more. The Good Jobs in Clean Energy Prize will offer $3,375,000 to qualified coalitions to expand opportunities for accessible, good jobs in clean energy and increase diversity in the workforce. 

We highly encourage anyone interested in participating to register in advance and save your spot. 

We hope to see you on Oct. 3 at 3 p.m. ET!


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