Partnership connects homeowners, landlords, renters, and small businesses with energy efficiency and electrification solutions

BOSTON, MA. (July 1, 2025) – The Sponsors of Mass Save are pleased to announce the 2025-2027 cohort of Community First Partners. 58 municipalities and community-based organizations will work with their local Mass Save Sponsor to provide energy efficiency solutions to residents and small businesses to reduce energy use and increase the comfort of homes and buildings.

The initiative leverages local knowledge and trusted relationships of municipalities and community-based organizations to increase participation in Mass Save energy efficiency programs. This initiative seeks to target renters, landlords, income-eligible households, language-isolated households, and small businesses in participating communities to ensure the benefits of energy efficiency are more equitably distributed, particularly among those who have been historically underserved.

As part of the proposed Massachusetts 2025-2027 Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Plan, the Sponsors will enhance support and flexibility for Community First Partners, enabling them to tailor their outreach strategies more effectively, retain skilled staff and design marketing initiatives that resonate with their residents and small businesses owners. Additionally, the Sponsors will provide training for the lead vendors and energy advocates on small business incentives and opportunities to drive more small business energy assessments.

The 2025-2027 Community First Partners may receive:

• Up to $85,500 per year to support an Energy Advocate* and local marketing efforts
• Comprehensive training on energy efficiency and electrification
• Support from energy efficiency and electrification experts
• Co-branded multilingual marketing materials
• Coaching and best practices to encourage program participation

*Energy Advocate may be full-time or part-time and the award amount will be adjusted accordingly.

“Through the Mass Save Community First Partnership, our goal is to make energy efficiency more accessible and affordable for all,” said Maggie Downey, Chief Administrative Officer at Cape Light Compact. “Partnering with municipalities and community-based organizations allows us to reach more renters, multilingual families, and income-eligible residents to offer real solutions that lower energy use and support a cleaner community.

“Every Massachusetts resident deserves the opportunity to live in an energy efficient home and afford to do so,” said Stephanie Terach, Manager, Energy Efficiency & Customer Solutions at Liberty. “Our partnership with municipalities and community-based organizations through the Mass Save Community First Partnership helps ensure that renters, small businesses, and income-eligible residents can access powerful energy-saving solutions without barriers.”

In 2022-2024, Community First Partners received up to $60,000 in funding annually for up to three years, as well as in-kind marketing and technical support. 52 communities benefited from local community-led outreach and the Community First Partners supporting those 52 communities helped achieve:

• 111k+ Home Energy Assessments
• 27.5k+ residential weatherization upgrades
• 35k+ home heating and cooling upgrades
  
  

The 2025-2027 Community First Partners are:

To learn more about the Mass Save Community First Partnership, please visit www.MassSave.com/community-first.

About the Sponsors of Mass Save®

Mass Save® is a collaborative of Massachusetts’ electric and natural gas utilities and energy efficiency service providers including Berkshire Gas, Cape Light Compact, Eversource, Liberty, National Grid, and Unitil. We empower residents, businesses, and communities to make energy efficient upgrades by offering a wide range of services, rebates, incentives, trainings, and information.

We respectfully ask that Mass Save is referred to as “the Sponsors of Mass Save,” or “the Mass Save Sponsors,” to reflect the participation of all utility and energy efficiency service providers within the collaborative. For more information, please visit https://www.masssave.com/.