Programs

​Building Healthier, More Resilient Communities Through Clean Energy 

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The Empowering Health & Sustainability Project seeks to advance clean energy equity by fostering the integration of Black-owned solar solutions at healthcare facilities in underserved communities. 

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In many of the places where B.O.S.S. works, decades of disinvestment and discriminatory policies have created lasting gaps in health, jobs, and infrastructure - leaving communities more vulnerable to climate change. Redlining and restrictive zoning didn’t just shape neighborhoods; they limited access to opportunity. Even today, formerly redlined areas are more likely to face poverty, inadequate housing, and environmental risks. 

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These conditions have real health impacts. The CDC reports that Black Americans are far more likely to experience high blood pressure and premature heart disease - not because of genetics, but because many communities lack consistent access to healthcare, nutritious food, and clean air. Pollution plays a role too: the American Lung Association notes that people of color are more than three times as likely to breathe the most polluted air. 

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Economic barriers follow a similar pattern. Black-owned businesses receive far less of the funding they seek, making it harder to grow or compete for major contracts. Investment gaps are even wider in high-growth fields like tech and clean energy, where less than 1% of venture capital goes to Black founders. As a result, Black entrepreneurs and professionals remain underrepresented across the sustainability and energy sectors. 

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These inequities also affect hospitals that serve these communities. Many operate with aging infrastructure, high energy costs, and limited protection against power outages - issues made worse by extreme weather. When the power goes out, patient care is at risk. 

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How the Empowering Health & Sustainability Project Helps Change the Story 

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Thanks to generous support from the Kresge Foundation, this program ensures that clean energy transition benefits the communities that need it most. We connect mission-driven capital with Black- and BIPOC-owned solar providers, support hospitals in adopting reliable and affordable clean energy, and create pathways for local jobs and ownership. 

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By keeping savings, contracts, and economic opportunity in the community, we turn clean energy into a driver of both health equity and economic justice. This is how we turn the clean energy transition into a force for both health equity and economic justice - strengthening communities today while creating opportunities for generations to come. 

 

What This Looks Like on the Ground 

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In 2025, we laid the groundwork for a replicable place-based investment model by developing an implementation plan, based on extensive stakeholder outreach and ongoing research. This plan will actively strengthen the connective tissue between hospitals, BIPOC-owned businesses, and mission-driven investors in ways that can be replicated across multiple regions. 

 

In 2026-2027, B.O.S.S. will deliver a scalable, equity-centered model for integrating clean energy into hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and community health clinics serving BIPOC and rural populations. This model will strengthen place-based and regional community investment ecosystems by directly connecting healthcare infrastructure upgrades to local business growth, workforce development, and long-term capital attraction. Stay tuned for more details on our pilot launch! 

 

How You Can Get Involved 

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Our team is actively seeking to develop partnerships from agencies engaged in the following type of work:  
 

• Hospitals and healthcare systems that would like to join a cohort of institutions advancing clean energy goals 

• Minority-owned businesses in the clean energy sector interested in working with the healthcare sector 

• Environmental justice or health equity groups   

• Green finance institutions or funds offering innovative finance models  

• Others who wish to take part in the conversation  

 

 

Reach out to camillepollan@blacksolar.org for more information.