Extended Volunteer; Non- Position - Portland Clean Energy Community Fund Committee

[Extended] Volunteer (Non-Paid) Position - Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund Committee

City of Portland

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Are you looking for a space where your passion, knowledge, and skills will contribute to a more just society? Do you envision your city as one that advances racial justice and leads with equity to provide a clean energy future for frontline communities? The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) Committee is seeking leaders like you. With your help, we can ensure the most impacted Portlanders are prepared for a changing climate as we move toward our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) is responsible for investing in community-led and community-inspired projects that reduce carbon emissions while expanding workforce pathways and economic opportunity for communities that have faced barriers to employment in the clean energy economy. PCEF provides grants and contracts to nonprofit, government, and for-profit entities for projects focused on clean energy, transportation decarbonization, green infrastructure, regenerative agriculture, and green job training.

PCEF focuses its investments to low-income individuals and communities that face heightened vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.

PCEF now allocates funds according to 5-year climate investment plans. The program is expected to distribute over $1.6 Billion through community responsive grants and strategic programs described in its Climate Investment Plan (CIP), approved by Portland City Council in September 2023. The PCEF Committee, a nine-member volunteer body, is an integral part of the PCEF program and is responsible for:

• Recommending, updating, and amending climate investment plans to Portland City Council
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the program in achieving its goals
• Optionally participating in subcommittees, grant application review panels, etc.

It Is Important For People Who Are Interested In Serving On The Committee To Understand And Support The PCEF Program’s Purpose And Objectives

The purpose of the PCEF program is to provide a consistent long-term funding source and oversight structure to invest in climate action projects that support social, economic, and environmental benefits for all Portlanders, including the development of a diverse and well-trained workforce and contractor pool to perform work that reduces or sequesters greenhouse gases.

The Committee’s Guiding Principles describe the values by which the PCEF program is administered: justice driven, accountable, community powered, and focused on climate action with multiple benefits. More information about the Guiding Principles can be found here.

Total number of advisory seats: 9

Number of seats available: 3

To be eligible for the advisory committee, members must live, work, go to school or worship in the City of Portland.

The PCEF Committee is committed to ensuring that Portland's diverse communities see themselves on the Committee. Committee members must have a demonstrated commitment to addressing climate change and empowering historically disadvantaged groups.

• Two seats for individuals with significant, demonstrated expertise in at least one of the following areas:
  • Residential renewable energy and energy efficiency
  • Workforce development, job training, or apprenticeship programs that serve workforce priority populations
• One seat for an individual with broad climate expertise. This could include experience in climate policy, climate justice, green infrastructure, transportation decarbonization, regenerative agriculture, or other fields relevant to the PCEF mission.

Interested parties who meet the above qualifications and are interested in serving the community by advancing equitable investments in climate action - we invite your application!

• The Committee generally meets every month for two to three hours each meeting with smaller briefing opportunities between meetings. Meetings are currently either online or hybrid with both…