[Webinar Recording]: An Introduction to SolSmart’s Regional Organization Pathway

Solar is becoming an increasingly popular option for communities and regions looking to diversify their energy supply, especially as the price of solar installations has continued to decrease. The SolSmart team works free of charge with communities and regions around the country to obtain Gold, Silver, and Bronze designations by incorporating best practices for solar planning, zoning, permitting, and inspection. SolSmart also offers a Regional Organization Pathway that recognizes organizations facilitating progress across jurisdictions to assist multiple municipalities and counties as they advance solar energy growth.

In August 2021, the NADO Research Foundation and National Association of Regional Councils hosted the webinar “A Brighter Energy Future for Regions: An Introduction to SolSmart’s Regional Organization Pathway” that covered the basics of SolSmart and the Regional Pathway. The session included a presentation from staff at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) who provided an overview of the SolSmart program and its benefits, as well as remarks from staff at the New River Valley Regional Commission in southwest Virginia, who shared their experiences in achieving Bronze designation this past year.

Presenters:

  • Danny Falk, Program Manager, Interstate Renewable Energy Council
  • Andrew Light, Program Manager, Interstate Renewable Energy Council
  • Kevin Byrd, Executive Director, New River Valley Regional Commission
  • Aphi Fancon, Senior Planner, New River Valley Regional Commission
  • Brett Schwartz, Associate Director, NADO Research Foundation (moderator)

For more information about SolSmart and how the NADO Research Foundation is supporting this program, please  contact Brett Schwartz at [email protected] or Ciara Ristig at [email protected].

Search NADO.org

Applications cannot be saved and returned to at a later time. It is recommended you compile all of your information in advance in a word processor and cut and paste into the application below.

2023 Impact Awards

The primary applicant must be a NADO member. Project partners, both NADO and non-members, can be recognized under "Project Partners" below.

Primary Project Contact:
This person will be the designated point of contact for all future awards-related correspondence.

Organization Address

Project Location (if different from Organization Address)

Executive Director

Additional Organizational Information
Please upload your organization's logo which will be included on the winning project award certificate.

Project Information
This title will be printed on the award certificate for winning projects and in all 2022 NADO Impact Award materials and cannot be changed.

Project Summary & Questions
Please craft clear, thoughtful, and engaging responses to the following questions. Use the following sections to tell us how your project has made an impact, such as its use of creative funding mechanisms, efforts to create efficiencies or reduce costs, unique partnership models, and emphasis on building resilience and/or enhancing your region's quality of life.

For award-winning projects, the information provided below may be used verbatim to inform project descriptions that will be published in the 2023 NADO Impact Awards materials and included on the NADO website.

Please submit at least one photo showing your project in action. Please keep file size to a minimum (<2Mb) and use JPEG format. If uploading multiple files, ZIP files prior to submitting. If you have trouble uploading images they can be directly emailed to Brett Schwartz at [email protected] Include the project title they correspond to in the subject line of your email.

Note: Submitted photos may be used in NADO Impact Awards materials and in other NADO published materials with credit to your organization. Please also consider submitting photos for NADO's 2023 Photo Contest, which will be held this summer.


CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION - PLEASE BE PATIENT! IF YOU DO NOT SEE A CONFIRMATION, YOUR APPLICATION WAS NOT RECEIVED.
Your application is not submitted until you are directed to a confirmation page. If you have any questions or are unsure if your application has been submitted, please contact Brett Schwartz at [email protected]

Contact Melissa Levy

Contact Krishna Kunapareddy

Contact Andrew Coker

Contact Laura Gale

Contact Katie Allison

Contact Jack Morgan

Content Questions Form

Registration Questions Form

Hotel Questions Form

New Speaker Inquiry

Job Listing Inquiry

Joe McKinney serves as Executive Director of the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO). Headquartered in Washington DC, NADO provides advocacy, education, research, and training for the nation’s 500+ regional planning and development organizations.

Joe has thirty-one years of experience having served in city, county, regional, national association, and government management since 1991. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Analysis from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a candidate for a master’s degree in Public Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill.

McKinney has provided congressional testimony on numerous occasions regarding the importance of regional development organizations in helping shape the nation’s economic growth. He is nationally recognized for promoting innovative solutions in areas such as planning and economic development, workforce development, transportation and transit, and aging services.

Contact Danny Tomares

Contact Dion Thompson-Davoli

Contact Ciara Ristig

Contact Bret Allphin

Contact Brett Schwartz

Contact Carrie Kissel

Contact Scott Brown

Contact Jamie McCormick

Contact Joe McKinney

Contact Krystal De Leon

Contact Brittany Salazar

Contact Laurie Thompson

Contact Mirielle Burgoyne