Seven Host Organizations Selected to Help Nonprofits, Schools, Local Governments, Tribal Nations, and Houses of Worship Bring Home Federal Funding for Clean Energy Projects

Seven Host Organizations Selected to Help Nonprofits, Schools, Local Governments, Tribal Nations, and Houses of Worship Bring Home Federal Funding for Clean Energy Projects

Michigan's Elective Pay Ambassador Program Makes It Easier for Entities to Access Federal Clean Energy Tax Credits

LANSING, Mich.— Michiganders from across the state have been selected as Elective Pay Ambassadors to help nonprofits, schools, local governments, Tribal Nations, houses of worship and other tax-exempt entities bring federal funding to Michigan’s communities.   The Elective Pay Ambassador Program, led by the Michigan Infrastructure Office (MIO) Technical Assistance Center (TAC), in partnership with the Michigan Infrastructure Council (MIC) and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), will help organizations access reimbursements of 30% or more for their clean energy investments.

After a competitive application process, the MIO TAC has awarded grants to seven nonprofits across Michigan that will host the Elective Pay Ambassadors. The Ambassadors’ job is simple but powerful: help community institutions access federal clean energy tax credits through Elective Pay, a mechanism that allows eligible organizations to receive reimbursements of up to 30% or more of their project costs. Ambassadors have begun receiving training on Elective Pay and will act as local experts, serving the Prosperity Region in which they are located. Despite the significant financial benefits of Elective Pay, awareness of this relatively new tool remains low, and many tax-exempt organizations face challenges navigating filing a tax return for the first time in order to claim the reimbursement. The Ambassador program was created to close this gap and make the process easier for local leaders who are improving their communities by investing in clean energy technologies such as solar, energy storage, geothermal, and more.

“By placing trained Ambassadors in trusted community organizations, we’re making it easier for eligible entities to understand the process, file for the tax credits, and receive the federal dollars they’ve earned,” said Kris Brady, director of MIO TAC. “Elective Pay offers real, tangible financial benefits for schools, local governments, nonprofits, and houses of worship, entities that are often balancing tight budgets while delivering essential services to their communities. This support helps communities lower costs, upgrade infrastructure, and keep more resources focused on the people they serve.”

The Ambassadors’ host organizations are established community leaders with strong regional networks. The Ambassadors are now conducting outreach, offering educational sessions, assisting with required documentation, and helping to guide entities through the federal filing and reimbursement process alongside MIO TAC staff and tax professionals. Any tax-exempt entities that are working on eligible projects are encouraged to reach out to their local Ambassador and find out about the technical assistance now available to them.

The host organizations and their Elective Pay Ambassadors include:

Upper Peninsula 

• Host organization: Superior Watershed Partnership

• Ambassador: Krystle Baecker is a Climate & Energy Technician with experience in community outreach, environmental monitoring and clean energy programming.

Northwest Michigan

• Host organization: Networks Northwest

• Ambassador: Stephanie Marchbanks is a certified urban planner with years of experience supporting local governments with sustainability and development planning.

Western Michigan

• Host organization: Michigan Green Building Collaborative

• Ambassador: Wendy Berg is a LEED Green Associate specializing in sustainability education and green building initiatives.

Eastern Michigan

• Host organization: Middle Michigan Development Corporation

• Ambassador: details coming soon!

Lansing Area

• Host organization: Michigan Saves

• Ambassador: Mike Wilson is the director of finance and compliance at Michigan Saves, overseeing the elective pay bridge loan program.

Ann Arbor Area

• Host organization: Washtenaw 2030 District

• Ambassadors: Kim Heumann is a local government resilience specialist and Lissa Spitz is a longtime architect and sustainability advocate.

Detroit Metro Area

• Host organization: Detroit 2030 District

• Ambassadors: Mason Christerfield is a clean tech and sustainability analyst, and Peggy Matta is an architect and founding member of the Detroit 2030 District.

To learn more about the program and get in touch with an Ambassador, please visit the MIO TAC website on Elective Pay. 

About the Elective Pay Ambassador Program 

EPAP Ambassadors will increase awareness of Elective Pay across Michigan and ensure eligible entities, such as nonprofits, municipalities, Tribes, houses of worship, school districts, and others have the help they need to bring home as much federal funding for clean energy as possible. 

The program provides stipends to host organizations (nonprofits) that host Elective Pay Ambassadors who will host educational events on Elective Pay, raise awareness about MIO TAC’s Elective Pay resources and technical assistance services, and ensure Elective Pay is embedded in clean energy project planning. The EPAP will run for one year.

ABOUT THE MICHIGAN INFRASTRUCTURE OFFICE

The MIO is responsible for organizing and executing Governor Whitmer’s vision for infrastructure, coordinating across state government, marshaling resources, and partnering with local officials, federal partners, and outside stakeholders to ensure resources sent to Michigan through BIL, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), are used efficiently and effectively.