COLUMBUS, OH – May 1, 2025

In a powerful demonstration of corporate engagement in public infrastructure, Google today announced the first six recipients of its $1 million Ohio Grid Innovation Fund.

The fund—launched in collaboration with the Columbus Region Green Fund and Elevate—aims to reinforce and modernize Ohio’s electric grid by backing community-led efforts that improve energy efficiency, train the next-generation energy workforce, and expand public education around energy use.

Investing in Ohio’s Energy Future

The six grant recipients include:

• Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD)

• IMPACT Community Action Agency

• Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action Agency (LFCAA)

• Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC)

• Ohio Energy Project (OEP)

• People Working Cooperatively (PWC)

Each was selected by an advisory committee for their innovative, scalable strategies designed to reduce energy waste, lower household energy costs, and create new workforce pipelines across Ohio.

“Reliable, resilient energy infrastructure is the backbone of a thriving digital economy,” said Kaitlin Savage, Energy Market Development Lead at Google. “As demand for data and technology grows, we must strengthen our grid not just by building more, but by using what we have more efficiently. These organizations are leading the way.”

What the Grants Will Support

The funded initiatives range widely, covering both rural and urban communities across Ohio:

• COAD will leverage its Ohio Weatherization Training Center to expand energy upgrades and train solar installers in Appalachian counties.

• IMPACT Community Action will combine residential energy efficiency upgrades with workforce training in the energy and construction fields.

• LFCAA will deliver energy conservation upgrades to low-income households and expand HVAC and weatherization pre-apprenticeship training.

• MORPC will scale up its COSEE Homes program to bring weatherization and tankless water heaters to more households in Franklin County.

• OEP will engage over 400 students across 34 southern counties with classroom training and hands-on family energy education projects.

• PWC will grow trade training programs in HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, and weatherization while continuing home efficiency work in Southwest Ohio.

A Model for Statewide Collaboration

The Columbus Region Green Fund’s Zach McGuire emphasized that these awards support Ohio’s long-term economic competitiveness:
“Ohio’s ability to attract jobs and industry depends on dependable and affordable energy. These investments reduce energy costs and create new opportunities across the state.”

Dr. Anne Evens, CEO of Elevate, added:
“Homegrown innovation is the key to a stronger, more accessible energy future. We’re not just modernizing our infrastructure—we’re empowering communities to lead.”

A Roadmap for Broader Impact

This first round of awards reflects a promising blueprint for public-private partnerships in grid innovation. As Ohio positions itself to host more data centers, manufacturing facilities, and electrified transportation networks, scalable community-driven programs like these can serve as replicable models.

With the Google Grid Innovation Fund as catalyst, Ohio’s energy transformation may not be built solely on new wires and substations—but on local solutions, local workers, and resilient communities.