ACCESS: Accelerating Contractors of Color in Energy for Sustainable Success: Our 10-week paid contractor boot camp for aspiring clean energy business owners provides entrepreneurs of color with curated business coaching, access to capital, and connections to customers, clients, and potential partners. The goal of ACCESS is to build wealth within Black and Brown communities by creating new contracting businesses, who will in turn boost adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy within those communities. This initiative aligns our workforce development, business development, and community development efforts. Small businesses led by founders of color tend to hire more employees of color, but they can only do so when they have contracts and the stability that those contracts bring to allow them to scale and grow. 

Design and development of the ACCESS program was funded by the Wells Fargo IN2 Channel Partner Strategic Award, and BGS received funding from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) to run the Fall 2022 pilot and 2 subsequent cohorts in Fall 2023 and Fall 2024. Through support from Southcoast Wind and Southcoast Community Foundation, BGS has been able to deliver follow-up webinars to graduates of our pilot cohort and provide microgrants to ACCESS graduates to offset business startup costs. 

Through weekly virtual workshops, independent assignments, and in-person events, ACCESS guides participants from ideation to product launch through customer discovery, product-market fit, go-to-market strategy, long-term growth strategies & operational efficiency, and team & partnership building. Follow-on support includes guidance on next steps & available programs, including business registration, licensing, bonding, SDO certification, legal & financial setup, prime contractor training programs, procurement partner engagement, and partnership development. Microgrants of $10,000 are provided to program alumni to offset the costs associated with establishing their business such as incorporation, legal and financial support, and capital equipment.

Our milestones to date include:

• Graduated 27 entrepreneurs and small business owners through the Fall 2022 and Fall 2023 ACCESS cohorts:

  • 18 newly established business owners and 9 aspiring business owners 

  • Multiple trades: Electrical, HVAC, Ironwork, Energy Efficiency, Engineering, Roofing, Insulation, EV infrastructure

• Hosted two graduation events with 120+ attendees representing the clean energy construction ecosystem including the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office, IBEW Local 103, established MWBEs, nonprofits and community organizations focused on economic mobility and environmental equity, renewable energy developers, clean energy and climatetech investors, and other MA-based organizations working in clean energy.

• Built an ACCESS alumni resource board to facilitate access to training materials, funding opportunities, professional networks, certifications, professional services, and events.

• Delivered follow-up webinars and workshops to program graduates on the topics of insurance and incorporation, grant writing, MWBE certification, collaborative negotiation, marketing, and presentation skills, as well as networking opportunities in partnership with our program and pipeline partners.

• Re-granted $260,000 in BGS microgrant funding to ACCESS graduates to offset the costs of certification, insurance, bonding, legal & finances. The grants have additionally provided individual participants with:

  • Financial security to leave their full-time employment with an investor-owned utility and fully devote themselves to their MWBE

  • Down payment on the purchase of a pick-up truck for steelwork equipment transportation

  • Budget for attending conferences and networking events

• We have launched our 3rd cohort for Fall 2024 program with a cohort size of 23 entrepreneurs and business owners.