Google names 10 recipients of the first $1.25 million in West Memphis Energy Impact Fund grants
Eight nonprofits and the cities of Earle and Memphis share the money, for home repairs, energy upgrades and job training in eastern Arkansas and the Memphis area. Google announced the fund and the grant pool in April; the October news is who gets it.
West Memphis. Google said on Oct. 19 that it is distributing the first $1.25 million from its $25 million West Memphis Energy Impact Fund to 10 local nonprofit and municipal organizations, for projects meant to increase clean energy access, lower home utility costs and create new workforce opportunities in the region. Eight of the recipients are nonprofits; the other two are the cities of Earle, Ark., and Memphis.
The fund and the size of the grant pool are not new. Google announced both on April 28, saying a newly formed Community Energy Advisory Council of 12 local leaders would guide $1.25 million in community grants to be awarded later in 2026. The Arkansas Advanced Energy Association reported then that the grants would serve West Memphis, Crittenden County, Memphis and Shelby County, and that applications from eligible nonprofits would open May 11. What the October announcement adds is the list of recipients. Google did not give the amount of each grant.
Repairs and upgrades at home
Most of the grants pay for work on homes. East Arkansas Youth Services will run an Energy Ready Families Initiative in Crittenden County, with household energy assessments and efficiency upgrades for up to 60 families and workforce readiness for at-risk youth. IAP Ministries plans assessments, efficiency measures and minor repairs for 50 low-income households in West Memphis, with seniors, veterans and residents with disabilities first. Groundswell will expand its Save On Utilities Long-Term program in West Memphis to income-qualified households on its waitlist. Families in Transition will relocate and renovate an emergency shelter, adding a new roof, insulation, air sealing, LED lighting and modern heating and cooling.
The City of Earle plans a municipal rebate program for home energy audits and upgrades, and the City of Memphis will pilot a single entry point, the One Front Door Operations Hub, for residents seeking home repair and weatherization services.
Training for jobs
The other grants go to training. CERTcuit will prepare 135 low- and moderate-income residents for credentials in IT, cybersecurity, cloud computing and project management, with energy auditing and solar fundamentals added. Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South will expand career readiness and work-based learning, including mentorships, internships and apprenticeships, in energy, utilities, construction, advanced manufacturing and infrastructure. Life Empowerment Center will teach electrical, HVAC, plumbing and carpentry skills to youth ages 12 to 18, and Producing Outstanding People will hand out energy-efficiency kits across Crittenden County alongside programs in STEM, financial literacy and career exploration.
The grants come on top of the fund's first projects, announced in April, in which Crowley's Ridge Development Council, Groundswell and the consulting firm ICF repair homes so that they qualify for weatherization.
About this story
501c3.help wrote this story from the sources listed with it, not from material an organization sent. Our editors approved it on Oct. 27, 2026. Stories in The Nonprofit Herald are free, and nothing is asked in return. Editorial rules.
Found an error? Write to [email protected] and we will correct it.
For the organizations in this story: put the badge on your website
Put it on your About page or wherever you list press mentions, rather than in a footer that repeats on every page. It links to this story.
Linking is welcome and never required. Nothing about the story changes either way.