Application and Getting Started
Please take 5-10 minutes to fill out the . Once completed, you will receive a confirmation notice with next steps. A Contractor Development Pathway team member may reach out to you if they have questions about your application.
Overview of Pathway
Are you a contractor performing commercial or multifamily building retrofits by installing insulation, windows, HVAC/refrigeration systems, or water heating systems? We have funding to help lower the cost of the installations for your customers and help you sell more projects.
The Contractor Development Pathway provides technical, business and programmatic resources to support business growth and increased participation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and person of color) owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned and rural contracting businesses within Energy Trust’s Existing Buildings program.
Benefits of Participating
The Contractor Development Pathway is designed to help you grow your business in the energy-efficiency sector, by providing:
- Peer Mentorship. Partner with experienced professionals to grow your business with energy efficiency.
- Network of Support. Grow your network while completing your action plan alongside cohort colleagues and community partners.
- Increase Knowledge. Attend training workshops to expand your knowledge of the energy efficiency industry, utility programs and more.
- Business Development Services. Receive individual business services to grow your business sustainably. Services may include financial consulting, marketing, COBID certification assistance and more.
There is no cost to participate in the Contractor Development Pathway.
Pathway Eligibility
Participants must be enrolled in Energy Trust’s Existing Building Trade Ally Network prior to the pathway start date. A Contractor Development Pathway team member will be available to answer any questions about enrollment and provide enrollment assistance. Please reach out to cdp@energytrust.org to learn more about enrollment in Energy Trust’s Existing Building Trade Ally Network.
Business owners are encouraged to apply to this pathway if:
- One or more of the following applies to your business:
- Black-owned, Indigenous-owned, person of color-owned (self-identified or COBID MBE certified),
- Women-owned (self-identified or COBID WBE certified),
- Veteran-owned (self-identified or COBID SDVBE certified)
-OR- - Located in a rural community
- You are eager to learn more about energy efficiency and how to grow your business in this industry.
- Your business is enrolled in Energy Trust’s Trade Ally Existing Buildings program.
-OR-
- You are willing to enroll as a trade ally and have experience providing services that align with current Energy Trust incentives for energy-efficiency upgrades in commercial or multifamily buildings.* Current incentives can be found here:
*Examples of trades that typically install these services include:
- Window installers
- Mechanical/HVAC installers
- Insulation installers
- Water heater installers
- General contractors who subcontract these services
Participation Expectations
- The Contractor Development Pathway is an 8-month commitment with approximately 2-4 hours of scheduled activities per month, including one-on-one services and group workshops. Participants are expected to attend all group workshops and one-on-one services and respond to pathway staff inquiries.
- Participation is required by a business owner or co-owner. A second individual from the business owner’s team is welcome to join them for pathway activities.
- Participants will be asked to share information via ongoing surveys about their experience and economic impact.
- Participants will be asked to complete one energy efficiency project by the time of completion with support from Energy Trust.
For the 2024 cohort, applications are now closed.
If you have any questions about the Contractor Development Pathway application process or eligibility, please contact cdp@energytrust.org.