Earlier this week, President Biden signed into law the infrastructure package, which contains the Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act. This program will provide $50 million in grants for day schools, yeshivas, synagogues and other nonprofits to make much-need energy upgrades to their buildings. During a Zoom event OU Advocacy hosted this week, featuring U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar—the lead sponsor of the bill—the senator praised Advocacy’s decade of work on the legislation: “Nathan Diament and the OU Advocacy Center were the heart and soul of this bill,” she said. “It’s not right that houses of worship and nonprofits don’t have the resources to both pursue their missions and seek energy efficiency.”
OU Advocacy’s work on the Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act was featured in several news outlets, including:
The Hill: Religious institutions say infrastructure funds will help model sustainability
Klobuchar also said she hopes to expand funding for the program so that more institutions will be able to benefit from it. Get updates on the energy program by signing up here.
OU Advocacy Executive Director Nathan Diament was invited to the White House’s Nov. 15 signing ceremony for the infrastructure package, which contained the Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act.
OU Advocacy Executive Director Nathan Diament with U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer at White House for infrastructure package signing ceremony Nov. 15.
The legislation, which OU Advocacy first drafted a decade ago and pressed for its passage ever since, will enable the replacement of HVAC systems, boilers and other equipment so that these institutions can be better environmental stewards and use their utility bill savings for programs and people.