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Background, Interest,
and Capabilities | |
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| | Next Street | Andi Crawford | Partner, Head of Revenue |
Small Business
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Workforce and Economic Development
| | Next Street works with governments, philanthropies and corporate clients to create the conditions for small business success by connecting small businesses to the right resources at the right time. We focus on small and supplier businesses facing disproportionate barriers. With a proven 20-year track record, an ongoing commitment to becoming an anti-racist organization, and an extensive network of small business advocates, operators, and investors, we’re accelerating the impact of institutions and advisors on small businesses and providing millions of business owners with the experts, tools, and capital they need to thrive.
Next Street has created a comprehensive approach to help state and local governments small capitalize on federal investments in Invest in America sectors. We can deliver supplier development programs in growth sectors, coordinate regional industrial strategies, and deploy a technology platform designed to scale these efforts across geographies.
We have convened stakeholders from around the country and across the economic development ecosystem to identify opportunities in growth sectors such as those taking place in the energy transition and have identified opportunities to leverage recent historic Federal and private sector investments in service of disadvantaged small and mid-sized suppliers. For example, we are partnering with the State of Michigan to bring together a public-private-social sector collaboration to support local and small diverse suppliers within the automotive sectors shift to electric vehicles. This includes comprehensive supply chain mapping, identifying risks for current suppliers and potential for future suppliers and will design programs that will build supplier capacity and expand the number of firms in the supply chain.
We are small business experts and can support your project with small and supplier business ecosystem mapping, supply chain mapping, program design, program deployment, curriculum, and a technology coordination platform. |
| NY |
| | Richard Heath & Associates, Inc. (RHA) | Martha Lucey | Director of Business Development |
Large Business
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Other
| Topic 1: Training Small Contractor Firms and Topic 2: Innovative, Effective, and Equitable Workforce Development Programs | RHA is a certified Minority Business Enterprise that has advanced energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions since 1980. Our earliest initiatives made energy efficiency more accessible for workers and residents. We developed an investor-owned utility training center to prepare California’s energy efficiency workforce and pioneered the state’s first no-cost utility energy efficiency programs serving low-income households. Since then, RHA’s work as a program implementer, government and utility technical consultant, and workforce training organization has continued to prioritize equitable access with our capabilities, including:
-30+ years training and managing small contractors
-40+ years developing curriculum and delivering training
-40+ years engaging underrepresented and disadvantaged workers
-40+ years delivering decarbonization services
RHA implements over 50 energy efficiency, electrification, water conservation, and resiliency programs. RHA oversees a network of over 30 contractors statewide that we train and manage to deliver these services to low-income, hard-to-reach and disadvantaged populations. Our contractors are based locally in California communities and include small and community-based organizations that employ underrepresented and disadvantaged workers. These programs and our collaboration with this network have helped lead over 2.7 million Californians to more efficient and cleaner energy solutions, healthier homes, and lower utility bills.
RHA also operates the Center for Energy Workforce Advancement, through which we develop clean energy curricula and deliver interactive online and field-based training. RHA has provided over 250,000 hours of training and technical assistance on topics including weatherization skills, comprehensive diagnostic testing, installation quality control, residential building science, assessor and inspector training, and mechanical ventilation to help build a workforce for a carbon-free future. RHA is accredited by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and is a Building Performance Institute-certified test center. RHA also develops technical guides and installation standards, conducts energy cost-effectiveness analysis, tracks policy development and provides energy analysis and design.
With our expertise and partnerships, RHA can support 1) training and certifying small contractor firms and 2) designing, enhancing and implementing equitable workforce development programs. |
| CA |