This report profiles the early results of a diverse range of small- to medium-sized American cities with different economic and energy profiles that are pioneering the clean energy economy. Many communities used federal grants to jumpstart long-term strategies to test and refine various clean energy and energy efficiency solutions. Others developed innovative financing strategies in the absence of grant money. These city-led efforts to catalyze local clean energy economic development are important to watch as federal grants sunset, especially in the absence of a comprehensive national energy or climate policy.

Presentation on the key programmatic elements of financing initiatives.

This peer exchange call summary focused on how programs are devising plans for creating a contractor revenue stream and potential fee structures.

This market assessment for the Sarasota County (Florida) Energy Efficiency Upgrade Financing Program identifies the customers and potential demand for an energy efficiency upgrade financing program.

This case study discusses how Clean Energy Works Oregon (now Enhabit) used performance-based incentives, limited-time bonus rebates, early financing approvals, and seasonal advantages to broaden its program reach and increase home upgrade completions.

This peer exchange call summary focused on the challenges and strategies for marketing commercial financial products and attracting financial institutions.

This presentation highlights research from U.S. Green Data showing that it is important to pique consumers' interest with incentives, but that their effectiveness can be maximized by making them simple, focusing on people "ready to purchase," and educating consumers about the value of energy efficiency.

This paper establishes the size of the potential retrofit market in the United States, and examines the emergence of new financing models that offer the promise of overcoming historical barriers to energy efficiency.

Highlights the EcoHouse Project Loan Program, which provides fixed interest rate loans as a tool for enabling energy improvements among households that are otherwise unlikely to be able to access affordable financing at market rates.

This report provides policymakers with principles and recommendations to understand and manage concerns about bill and rate impacts resulting from requiring utilities to provide efficiency programs.

This market assessment for the Boulder County EnergySmart and City and County of Denver energy efficiency loan program identifies the potential loan customers and demand for an energy efficiency upgrade financing program.

This U.S. Environmental Protection Agency resource is intended to help state and local governments design finance programs for their jurisdiction. It describes financing program options, key components of these programs, and factors to consider as they make decisions about getting started or updating their programs.

This peer exchange call summary focused on a general overview and implementation plan of the PACE program.

This report provides state and local policymakers with information on successful approaches to the design and implementation of residential efficiency programs for households ineligible for low-income programs.

This report describes different approaches to energy efficiency finance taken by utilities.

This peer exchange call summary focused on establishing the strategies, challenges and key topics related to financing for future peer exchange calls.

This webcast discusses financing program RFPs and contract terms and conditions.

Provides a framework for designing a financial program that accounts for market needs and barriers to success.

Outlines potential partnership structures for energy efficiency program administrators and financial institutions, and discusses strategies for negotiation and communication with financial partners.

Discusses innovative financing options designed to expand the accessibility of energy efficiency financing to households that typically do not qualify for traditional loans.

This publication outlines capital leveraging models and examples from across the country in which public funds were used to influence energy loan program capital.

Presentation that provides a summary of the role financing plays within energy efficiency programs.

Presentation providing an overview of the PAYS financial model, including information on risks and how to manage them, and successful program examples using the PAYS model.

This peer exchange call summary focused on the background and features of the PowerSaver loan program.

Presentation providing an overview of financing programs, a strategy for continuous improvement, tools for program management, a risk management strategy, and common risks associated with financing programs.

Example of an implementation plan developed by EnergySmart Colorado at the beginning of the implementation of its Better Buildings Neighborhood Program.

Boulder, Colorado's EnergySmart program produced a detailed implementation plan with activities, deliverables, and timelines by phase and task.

This presentation provides an overview of the lending RFP issued by the city of Greensboro's Better Buildings Program, including a description of the roles and responsibilities for the city and its financial partners.

The Residential Retrofit Program Design Guide focuses on the key elements and design characteristics of building and maintaining a successful residential energy upgrade program. The material is presented as a guide for program design and planning from start to finish, laid out in chronological order of program development.

This peer exchange call summary focused on developing rebate/incentive programs to generate a demand for sustainable programs and products.

Outlines five public-private financing mechanism options for energy efficiency upgrades programs, including on-bill financing, PACE financing, and loan loss reserve funds.

This report presents results, recommendations, and case studies of energy efficiency financing programs.

This peer exchange call summary focused on available program interest rates and how to lower those rates.

Tips for recruiting and procuring financial partners and developing and negotiating financial partner agreements.

Flowcharts showing the key program elements (financing; workforce development; marketing and outreach; and data, evaluation; and reporting).

This market assessment for CharlestonSAVES identifies the customers and potential demand for an energy efficiency upgrade financing program.

This webcast discusses secondary markets as a means for private investors to participate in and fund energy efficiency loan programs.

This report summarizes the approaches used by energy efficiency program administrators when assessing the range of financial and other incentives to be used in energy efficiency programs.

A template competitive procurement procedure to award loan loss reserve funds to a financial institution partner.

A template agreement demonstrating how to address the deposit and use of loan loss reserve funds.

Presentation describing on-bill repayment programs and providing financing lessons learned.

This market assessment evaluates lending options for funding energy efficiency upgrades in North Carolina.

This webcast highlights lessons learned from programs that have used loan loss reserve funds.

A sample competitive procurement procedure to award loan loss reserve funds to a financial institution partner.

A sample request for proposals from Boulder County, Colorado, to develop an energy efficiency and renewable energy rebate program.

This paper reviews 18 residential energy efficiency financing programs and attempts to describe the limitations and strengths of existing programs.

Webcast with information on financing structure design for four energy efficiency upgrade programs, including methods used to conduct market evaluations.

Report that identifies and evaluates the sufficiency of available financing options to help low-income populations, particularly communities that have been historically overburdened by air pollution (i.e., "environmental justice communities"), invest in resource-saving measures, such as energy efficiency and water conservation.

This report describes the effects of utility spending on efficiency programs, how those effects could constitute barriers to investment in energy efficiency, and how policy mechanisms can reduce these barriers.