Some of the most important work in New York happens close to home: neighbors sharing information, community leaders spotting a need before anyone else does, local organizations helping families navigate challenges that can feel bigger every year.
That is what makes the Community Energy Project so meaningful. Through a new partnership between CitizensNYC and National Grid , this initiative will support grassroots leaders in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island who are helping their communities build greater energy affordability, economic opportunity, and resilience.
At its heart, this partnership is grounded in a shared belief: lasting change starts with people who know their neighborhoods, understand the pressures families are facing, and have earned the trust to respond in ways that are practical, local, and real. By bringing together CitizensNYC’s deep experience investing in grassroots leadership and National Grid’s commitment to deliver essential energy support and information and community-centered innovation, the Community Energy Project aims to strengthen the work already happening on the ground and help it reach further.
Citizens NYC will build a network of Energy Ambassadors to implement community-led projects. Over two years, this cohort of trusted local leaders will help connect residents to affordability resources, share what they are hearing in their communities, and deepen local understanding of energy efficiency and resilience.
For CitizensNYC, this work builds on five decades of backing New Yorkers who are solving problems from the ground up, block by block, project by project, neighborhood by neighborhood. Across the five boroughs, we have seen again and again that communities do not need to be told what to do. They need tools, support, and resources to do what they already know is necessary.
What makes this partnership especially exciting is the opportunity for grassroots leadership working with National Grid to create a more equitable energy future. The support helps create space for community-rooted solutions to grow, not in isolation, but as part of a broader effort to make New York more affordable, more resilient, and more connected.
As Julie L. Shapiro, CEO of CitizensNYC, put it: “The Community Energy Project reflects an understanding that energy affordability is not a standalone issue. It is connected to household stability, public health, climate resilience, and economic opportunity. And it is one of many areas where trusted local leadership can make all the difference, translating information, building awareness, and helping neighbors access resources in ways that feel credible and accessible.”
In the months ahead, the initiative will begin with community engagement and co-design, creating space for local leaders to help shape the effort from the outset. That process will help ensure the cohort reflects the priorities, realities, and expertise of the communities it is meant to serve.
This is key, as Favio German, Director, U.S. Community Engagement & Investment, National Grid puts it, “Nonprofits are often the first to spot what’s changing on the ground, and the fastest to design practical, community-rooted solutions that help families access energy affordability support. This partnership is about backing that local leadership with the resources needed to test new approaches, build trust, and scale what works across Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.”
That is part of what makes this partnership so promising. It recognizes that some of the strongest solutions are already taking shape inside New York neighborhoods, and that the right investment at the right moment can help those efforts grow in lasting ways.
The Community Energy Project is an investment in New Yorkers and in the strength of community-led change.
Together, CitizensNYC and National Grid are helping build a city that is more affordable, more resilient, and more community-powered.
