ACCESS: Accelerating Contractors of Color in Energy for Sustainable Success: Our 10-week contractor boot camp for aspiring clean energy business owners provides entrepreneurs of color with curated business coaching, connections to customers, clients, partners and potential procurement pathways. The goal of ACCESS is to build wealth within Black and Brown communities by supporting the growth of contracting businesses, who will in turn boost adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy within those communities. This initiative aligns our workforce development, business development, and community development efforts. Small businesses led by founders of color tend to hire more employees of color, but they can only do so when they have contracts and the stability that those contracts bring to allow them to scale and grow. 

Through weekly virtual workshops, independent assignments, and in-person events, ACCESS guides participants through customer discovery, product-market fit, go-to-market strategy, long-term growth strategies & operational efficiency, and team & partnership building. Follow-on support includes guidance on next steps & available programs, including business registration, licensing, bonding, SDO certification, prime contractor training programs, procurement partner engagement, and partnership development.

Our milestones over the first 3 cohorts include:

• Graduated 47 entrepreneurs and small business owners through the 3 cohorts:

  • 26 newly established business owners and 21 aspiring business owners 

  • Multiple trades: Electrical, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Ironwork, Energy Efficiency, Engineering, Roofing, Insulation, Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure, Green Construction, Minority /Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Consulting, etc.

• Hosted three graduation events with 250+ attendees representing the clean energy construction ecosystem including the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office, IBEW Local 103, established MWBEs, nonprofits and community organizations focused on economic mobility and environmental equity, renewable energy developers, clean energy and climatetech investors, and other MA-based organizations working in clean energy.

• Delivered follow-up webinars and workshops to program graduates on the topics of insurance and incorporation, grant writing, MWBE certification, collaborative negotiation, marketing, and presentation skills, as well as networking opportunities in partnership with our program and pipeline partners.

• Re-granted $360,000 in BGS microgrant funding to ACCESS graduates to offset the costs of certification, insurance, bonding, legal & finances. The grants have additionally provided individual participants with:

  • Financial security to leave their full-time employment with an investor-owned utility and fully devote themselves to their MWBE

    Down payment on the purchase of a pick-up truck for steelwork equipment transportation

    Budget for attending conferences and networking events, or hosting their own events.

The ACCESS program is made possible through funding from the following organizations: Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Wells Fargo IN2 Channel Partner Strategic Award, Southcoast Wind, Southcoast Community Foundation and Mass Development.