From 12 June to 15 September, Watt For Change (VALOREM’s endowment fund) and Mirova Foundation are holding a call for projects to combat fuel poverty in France as part of a multi-year partnership.
Building on the success of an initial partnership in 2021 and 2022 to combat fuel poverty, the relationship has been extended for a further 3 years (2023-2026): Watt For Change, the endowment fund of VALOREM and Mirova Foundation are launching a new call for projects to accelerate the energy renovation of homes for the disadvantaged. Against a complex economic backdrop of inflation, more than 14 million people in France1 are currently suffering from fuel poverty. Despite the emergency aid measures introduced by the government (rate shield, energy cheque, etc.) and aid for energy-efficient home renovation (Anah, Habiter Mieux, etc.), the aid systems remain hard to navigate for people experiencing fuel poverty. To meet these challenges, the two partners have decided to allocate €1.6 million to support initiatives that make it easier for low- and very low-income homeowners to renovate their homes for energy efficiency.
Supporting and funding assistance for people experiencing fuel poverty
Mirova Foundation, the endowment fund of Mirova, a pioneer in sustainable finance, and Watt For Change, the endowment fund of the VALOREM group, a producer of green energy, are determined to strengthen the capacity for action of non-profit associations involved in supporting people suffering from fuel poverty, be this overall support or help finding solutions to finance residual costs.
Providing effective support for associations and helping households to renovate their homes for greater energy efficiency requires a long-term commitment. This is why the financial support provided under this call for projects will be multiannual, spanning three years (2023-2026). It will be used to support organisations offering comprehensive services to low-income and very low-income households. The non-profits supported must offer administrative, technical, social and financial support solutions, while at the same time providing beneficiaries with financing solutions (Fonds travaux, Advance funding, third-party financing, loans, etc.).
In order to improve practices in the sector, the call for projects will be subject to a social impact evaluation to be carried out throughout the support period. By monitoring common indicators over time, the winning organisations will be able to gain a better understanding of their impact on beneficiaries and partners, objectively assess the difficulties encountered and reflect on the levers for action. The assessment will also help highlight the results to sponsors, partners and beneficiaries.
Philippe Zaouati President of Mirova Foundation and CEO of Mirova Given our role as a responsible investor in the realm of renewable energy it behoves us to tackle the issue of fuel poverty and, via our endowment fund, we want to contribute to an environmental transition that also involves solidarity and inclusion. Through this partnership with Watt For Change, we are proud to provide financial and operational support to the associations on the ground that are making this ambition possible.
Pierre Girard President of Watt For Change – VALOREM Endowment Fund We are delighted with this ambitious partnership, which marks the continuation of our cooperation with Mirova Foundation. We hope that this three-year call for projects will prove a step-change for grassroots associations that are fighting on a daily basis to reduce fuel poverty in regional France.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
- Call for projects open 12 June to 15 September 2023
- Presentation webinar on 14 June from 11am to 12pm
- Replay and specifications on the wattforchange.org website
- Application form available on request: lea.torres@wattforchange.org
Review of a successful call for projects and focus on Stop Exclusion Energétique
The call for projects launched in 2021 made it possible for 7 associations to launch and, in some cases, to create a methodology for providing comprehensive support to households and setting up renovation funds. Today, the support pathway is understood and garners a consensus, namely: identification, administrative, financial, technical and social support. There are several possible methodologies (auto-réhabilitation accompagnée (ARA), Chauffe toi, etc.).
For example, one of the grantee associations from the 2021 call for projects, Stop Exclusion Energétique, has trained 10 integrators and supported 25 households in the energy-efficient renovation of their homes.
- Duration > July 2021 – June 2023
- Financial sponsorship from Watt For Change and Mirova Foundation > €50,000
- Total budget for the Ensembliers solidaires project > €593,649
1 Key figures on fuel poverty: in 2022, 22% of French people suffered from cold for at least 24 hours (up 2 points vs. 2021) and 5.8 million households received an annual energy cheque.
Tableau de bord 2022 published by the ONPE (Observatoire National de la Précarité Energétique) : https://onpe.org/sites/default/files/onpe_tableau_de_bord_2022_s2-vf-vf.pdf