About Solar Richmond
Solar Richmond is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006 in Richmond, California. Our mission is to catalyze transformative change the deepens the connection between people, place, and planet.
As a social enterprise, we accomplish this mission by providing solar installation training to Richmond residents and to youth in Richmond, Berkeley and Oakland through the East Bay Green Jobs Corps. We offer transitional employment and staffing services in the solar industry with the aim of connecting our graduates with family-supporting green-collar career jobs. For home, business and nonprofit building owners we guide you through the solar process and help you use your consumer power to ensure that installation companies use local green-collar labor from Solar Richmond’s pool of graduate installers.
Our goal is to create a more inclusive job market that creates more opportunities for low-income and underemployed local residents. We work to foster healthier, safer and more sustainable communities, breaking down barriers of race and class as we participate in the green economy.
Learn more about Solar Richmond by reading our 2009 Annual Report.
Our History
Michele McGeoy founded Solar Richmond in 2006 to address the eco-divide in the solar industry, a divide that she also witnessed in her previous work in the Silicon Valley tech world of Silicon Valley. McGeoy approached City of Richmond politicians, businesses and local non-profits and began advocating for the adoption of solar and the creation of a solar training program for low-income and underemployed local residents. With support and advice from Richmond’s Mayor, Gayle McLaughlin, and other civic and community leaders, Michele started a program which is now considered a national model. From what began as solar training course, Solar Richmond is now a social enterprise that also offers holistic leadership development, transitional employment, staffing services and free consulting to consumers.
Our Students
Solar Richmond partners with the City of Richmond's RichmondBUILD program to offer pre-apprenticeship construction and solar installation training to low-income and underemployed Richmond, California residents over 18 years old. Solar Richmond also works with youth and young adults ages 16-24 in Richmond, Oakland and Berkeley through the East Bay Green Jobs Corps.
Employment Opportunities
Solar Richmond will launch Solar for All, a solar installation and energy efficiency business modeled after the Ohio Solar Coop. The CEO will manage the 6-month business planning effort and work closely with senior-level Solar Richmond staff, board and external stakeholders. The core responsibility of the CEO will be to raise investment capital through foundations and socially-responsible investors - and to secure anchor institutions as customers.
Click Here For Full Job Description
Solar Richmond is currently conducting a search for a sales manager for its new business venture Solar for All, a worker-owned solar and energy efficiency cooperative.
