Published on 07/02/2018
Sonoma Clean Power has partnered with local nonprofits to expand the Drive EverGreen incentive program! After the success of Drive EverGreen in 2017, SCP extended the program to the nonprofit communities of Sonoma and Mendocino counties to help them more easily obtain electric vehicles, especially those who use transportation in their daily operations to move either people or products.
The program itself is quite simple. Once the nonprofit has chosen a plug-in electric vehicle that has a battery range of at least 25 miles, they provide SCP with an invoice and are then reimbursed $12,500. If the vehicle costs less than $12,500, then the incentive covers the entire cost.
Since the start of the program, two nonprofits have already purchased vehicles for their organizations, PEP Housing and PDI Surgery Center. PEP Housing provides limited-income seniors access to affordable quality housing with supportive services and advocacy. PDI Surgery Center serves as a dentistry resource for low-income children in Northern California, provides prevention education, and promotes oral health. Both are heavily reliant on transportation to bring residents and clients to-and-from appointments and events throughout the County.
“We were delighted to learn about Sonoma Clean Power’s program to assist PEP Housing with the purchase of an electric vehicle. As a Housing organization with many vehicles in our fleet, we would eventually like to use all-electric vehicles, and this was our first opportunity to start that conversion.”
Executive Director
PEP Housing
“As a green building organization committed to reducing our carbon footprint, this is one more step in the right direction. Partnering with Sonoma Clean Power has been an extremely positive experience and helped us on our way to becoming an even “greener” organization,” Stompe added.
Greenacre Homes & School in Sebastopol, a nonprofit that operates five residential treatment facilities, a non-public school, a vocational training school and a transitional program for boys and young men with special needs, is in the process of acquiring an electric vehicle using the Drive EverGreen incentive.
Currently, SCP has been reaching out to nonprofits based on recommendations and word of mouth, however, we encourage other nonprofits in both Sonoma County and Mendocino County to apply for the program.
While organizations are currently limited to one EV incentive, there is potential for that limitation to be lifted in the future. SCP will assess the success and viability of the program to determine if it will be expanded.
For more information, email programs@sonomacleanpower.org or call 1 (855) 202-2139.