The Challenge: Overcome Barriers Facing Underrepresented Businesses Entering and Growing in the Clean Energy Sector
By 2030, the clean energy workforce is projected to grow by 34%, or more than 34,000 workers, to meet the state’s climate goals. New and expanding underrepresented businesses focused on the design, manufacture, installation, and maintenance of clean energy and decarbonization projects are crucial to meeting the Commonwealth’s climate goals. These businesses put climate solutions into practice, foster environments that attract and support a diversified workforce, and pave the way to an equitable energy transition for environmental justice communities. Unfortunately, most underrepresented businesses face barriers to entry and growth. Regardless of sector, underrepresented businesses are denied access to capital at a much higher rate, face selection bias for projects, and often start with less personal wealth and social capital—all of which exacerbate the challenges that all businesses face during their start-up and early growth phases.
About CUBS Grants
Climate-Critical Underrepresented Business Support (CUBS) Grants provide up to $800,000 in grant funds and technical support to applicants to support the development of a regional “Hub and Spoke” model. This model provides accessible and uniform support through regional “Hubs” that will offer a suite of baseline core services designed to help underrepresented businesses become “business ready” to bid successfully on clean energy procurements. “Spoke” partners will offer complementary or additional services designed to enhance Hub services and further help underrepresented businesses pivot and grow in the clean energy sector.
This funding is not intended to benefit a single underrepresented business. Successful applicants propose projects that address barriers faced by underrepresented business, tackle both supply and demand needs, provide comprehensive wraparound services for individuals participating in the program, leverage existing support systems, and establish a robust cross-referral system between Hub and Spoke partnerships.
Hub: Up to $800,000
Spoke: Up to $400,000
April 25, 2025
Funding Schedule
CUBS grants are offered on an annual basis. Applicants not currently ready for program implementation should consider the Equity Workforce Planning and Capacity Grants to prepare for the next round of implementation funding.
Process Step |
Timing |
|---|---|
RFP Release |
February 24, 2024 |
Questions Due to MassCEC via rfpworkforce@masscec.com |
Rolling through April 5, 2024 |
Questions with answers posted to MassCEC Website |
Updated monthly on the 2nd Tuesday |
Pre-Application Webinar |
March 10, 2025 at 1 pm |
Pre-Application Office Hours |
|
Proposals Due |
April 25, 2025 at 11:59 pm |
Interviews of Applicants (as needed) |
April - May, 2025 |
Notification of Award |
June 2025 |
Who's Eligible
Single organizations or partnerships are eligible to apply. If multiple parties are applying jointly, one party should take on the role of Lead Applicant. The following entities are eligible to serve as a Lead Applicant:
- Non-profit organizations including Chamber of Commerce organizations, trade associations, clean energy incubators/accelerators, environmental justice organizations, and organizations representing tribes
- Academic institutions with a business support program
- For-profit entities such as clean energy installers, energy efficiency, or home performance contractors, technical or workforce training organizations, financial institutions or other clean energy practitioners
Additional eligibility requirements:
- Lead Applicant must have a Massachusetts office or staffing.
- Applicants are not required to have experience in clean energy or climate-critical business fields.
- This funding is not intended to benefit a single underrepresented business, but instead is intended to support the establishment and growth of a regional Hub and Spoke model that helps underrepresented businesses grow and excel in climate-critical business sectors.
For full program details, please refer to the CUBS RFP.
Apply
Application Process
This solicitation offers two opportunities. Applicants may apply as a regional Hub providing "core services" or as a Spoke providing sector-specific "additional services," as further explained in the Request for Proposals (RFP). The two opportunities have separate application packets with distinct forms and requirements. Hub applicants must also submit a separate Spoke application to provide sector-specific "procurement navigation," as detailed in the RFP instructions.
Applicants may submit multiple applications if proposing partnerships in distinct regions, different programmatic approaches, or separate work with different partners. Proposals should be emailed to rfpworkforce@masscec.com by 11:59 pm on April 25, 2025, with "CUBS Grant Application” in the subject line.
Hub Application Materials
Spoke Application Materials
Send completed application to:
rfpworkforce@masscec.com
Pre-Application Office Hours
MassCEC hosts a series of office hours (one-hour blocks) to answer questions about all open Workforce Development grant opportunities. Join anytime during the one-hour block!
Pre-Application Webinar
On March 10, 2025, MassCEC held a pre-application webinar for the 2025 Climate-Critical Underrepresented Business Support (CUBS) funding opportunity. The webinar addressed eligibility, budget, and the application process.
Frequently Asked Questions
New questions will be accepted on a rolling basis until April 5, 2025. Answers will be posted on the second Tuesday of each month.
Submit questions to rfpworkforce@masscec.com.
Other Resources
MassCEC will look favorably on applications that propose data-driven approaches and leverage pre-existing resources from the robust workforce development and clean energy sectors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Applicants are advised to use to use Powering the Future: A Massachusetts Clean Energy Workforce Needs Assessment, along with the following additional resources to inform their applications:
Labor Statistics
Clean Energy Sector
Powering the Future: A Massachusetts Clean Energy Workforce Needs Assessment
MassCEC Clean Energy Industry Report
MassCEC Clean Energy Careers Training and Education Directory
Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050
Mass Save Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Workforce Development Needs Assessment
Small Business Enterprises/MWBEs
Networking
MassCEC is compiling a list of potential applicants interested in networking and partnerships for the open Workforce Equity grants. View the list here.
Sign up to the partnership list by sending your contact name, contact info, type of organization, and focus sector to rfpworkforce@masscec.com.
Recently Awarded Projects
Round 2, Capacity Grant
Activate Global is exploring how to enhance the existing Activate Fellowship program to better serve MWBEs through a Diversity Needs Assessment and Program Audit
Round 2, Planning Grant
Beacon Climate Innovations is developing a plan to provide MWBEs upskilling, procurement and bid preparation experience, and contract opportunities through the development of Community Clean Energy Resilience Hubs.
Round 1, Planning Grant; Round 2, Implementation Grant
Round 1: Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA) is expanding their Electric Vehicle (EV) Kickstarter program to areas outside of Boston, helping MWBEs identify business opportunities in EV space as retailers, owner-operators, installers, and maintenance providers.
Round 2: BECMA is expanding its state-wide Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) initiatives to guide more Black-owned businesses into the EV space and offer support through its Back Office Support Services (BOSS) and Vendor Advisory Council (VAC) programs.
Round 2, Capacity Grant
Boston Center for Community Ownership (BCCO) is developing a plan to adapt existing support programs for worker cooperatives to assist MWBEs seeking increased opportunities in the high-performance building sector.
Round 1, Implementation Grant
Browning the Green Space will create more MWBEs by expanding the Accelerating Contractors of Color in Energy for Sustainable Success (ACCESS) program. ACCESS is an 8-week contractor boot camp for aspiring energy efficiency and renewable energy business owners that provides curated consulting, coaching, connections, mentorship, and access to capital.
Round 1, Planning Grant; Round 2, Implementation Grant
Round 1: Center for Women and Enterprise is providing educational materials, professional development support, and back-office services necessary for early MWBEs to thrive in the climate-critical building sector.
Round 2: CWE is developing the Clean Energy Business Support Center, expanding on their proven suite of MWBE programs to assist MWBEs entering the high-performance building sector through certification.
Round 1, Planning Grant
The Compost Co-operative is expanding their employee ownership to a spin-off business model targeting BIPOC/female returning citizens as a template for other women returning from prison. They are also exploring connecting with other state programs to allow more formerly incarcerated women to use and participate in this business model.
Round 1, Implementation Grant
Emerald Cities Collaborative will recruit MWBE contractors in the Pioneer Valley, train on decarbonization work, connect to pipelines of work, provide networking opportunities, and facilitate connections to working and equity capital.
Round 2, Implementation Grant
Entrepreneurial & Business Collaborative (EBC) is providing comprehensive support to MWBEs in Western Massachusetts through two distinct programs - an 8-week Consolidated Accelerator Program and a 12-month Comprehensive and Inclusive Support Program.
Round 1, Implementation Grant
Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC) will help MWBEs become aware of opportunities to obtain contracts in climate critical areas, build their financial and intellectual capital and provide MWBE certifications, leveraging grants from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Round 1, Implementation Grant
Greentown Labs will operate the accelerator program, Advancing Climatetech and Clean Energy Leaders (ACCEL) to accelerate high-growth, tech innovation–based MWBE startups towards investment, partnerships, and customers.
Round 1, Planning Grant; Round 2, Implementation Grant
Round 1: Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) is exploring how to provide MWBEs with access to the NESEA Green Building community through the expansion of their BuildingEnergy Bottom Lines, a business development program which operates as a peer coaching network with professional facilitation
Round 2: NESEA is launching BuildingEnergy Access, expanding on its existing BuildingEnergy Bottom Lines program, a unique network of business owners in the high-performance building sector dedicated to sustainability in the built environment.
Round 1, Planning Grant; Round 2, Implementation Grant
Round 1: SRGE, a construction equity accelerator, is supporting the expansion of larger BIPOC construction, electrical, and mechanical contractors through the Construction Incubator program for EV charging station installation, high-performing mechanical systems, and energy retrofit building projects.
Round 2: SRGE is guiding emerging BIPOCQ+ led construction companies in the clean energy sector through the typical eighteen month bid process in the high-performance building sector to obtain contracts and to enable participating MWBEs to build capacity within their companies, access capital, and network in the clean energy sector.
Additional Funding Opportunities
Equity Workforce Training Implementation Grants
Career Pathway Training: up to $1,200,000
Career Awareness: up to $400,000
February 7, 2025
May 2, 2025
Equity Workforce Planning and Capacity Grants
$50,000 for Planning; $150,000 for Capacity
May 19, 2025
Priority Deadlines:
- 1st Priority Deadline: Dec 6, 2024
- 2nd Priority Deadline: Feb 28, 2025
Climate-Critical Workforce Training, Equipment & Infrastructure Grants
- Career Pathway Training: $800,000
- Climate-Critical Upskilling: $600,000
- Equipment, Infrastructure and Training Ecosystem Support: $750,000
February 7, 2025
May 2, 2025