FIND FUNDING FASTER - Unlock the Trillion-Dollar IRA: The Definitive Guide for Climate, Regenerative & Ocean Entrepreneurs and Innovators by Impact Stars
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Dear Green Innovators,
Welcome to the inaugural issue of Find Funding Faster! In this first issue, we embark on a journey through the labyrinth of the Trillion-Dollar Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Hi! I'm Neesha Mirchandani, your guide in this adventure, and yes, I almost didn't make it to send this out due to a sudden ER visit with my son last night (mild concussion, he’s fine thankfully)!
Life happens, but I decided to still make this guide happen because too many entrepreneurs feel the IRA isn’t for them or is too complicated for them to even begin to figure out.
As one climate leader Valerie said to me in a Slack thread:
“What does it say in plain English? One currently requires a decoder ring.”
Jack Smoot and I have tried to write exactly what Valerie asked for.
…Please let us know if we succeeded?
We will release this guide as a series. Below is what you can expect in future issues.
Let’s just say… if you're working on anything planet-positive, this series may be better than the latest binge-worthy Netflix show.
IRA 101: Communities and Refundable Transferable Tax Credits
Up and down the IRA, there are extra tax credits, grants, and loans for businesses that operate in marginalized, rural, and energy communities.
For example, did you know that businesses that build electric vehicle chargers get a 30% tax credit, up to $100,000, for chargers in rural and marginalized communities?
Other subsidies include:
Biogas developers get subsidized for rural projects
Farmers can get money for soil carbon
Solar and wind developers are rewarded for siting projects in places that used to have coal mines and coal power plants, and they qualify for special loans that conventional projects can’t access.
Another thing is the refundable transferable tax credit. Lots of the tax credits in the IRA are as good as cash - you can get paid by the IRS even if your tax liability is zero.
Did you know that tax credits can even be sold to other organizations?
This creates a HUGE degree of flexibility, from financing arrangements to partnerships with municipalities and nonprofits.
Part 1: Charging Up Rural Dreams
In the vast expanse of the IRA, the rural landscape unfolds with promises of electric vehicle charging stations. But this isn't just about technology; it's about connecting communities and paving the way for a sustainable future beyond city limits.
Tune in to future newsletters to learn more about these rural subsides - we will be covering this in much more detail.
Part 2: A Just Energy Transition
You’ve seen the headlines about clean energy tax credits, but did you know you can get an extra 10% tax credit (on top of the base tax credit) for producing clean electricity in an energy community?
Energy communities are places that have lost jobs from the energy transition, like areas around coal power plants. The Department of Energy (DOE) also has special loan programs for projects in energy communities, and for projects that reuse old fossil fuel infrastructure.
Part 3: Soil Carbon Gets its Time in the Sun
We all know that soil carbon is one of the cheapest ways to sequester carbon, and Uncle Sam knows it too.
That’s why the USDA got 20 billion dollars for sustainable agriculture and soil carbon.
Watch for our upcoming issue focused exclusively on regenerative agriculture, biochar, and all things soil carbon - coming soon!
Part 4: Eco-Fuels and Sustainable Aviation Dreams
Can an airplane run off plants and algae? Maybe!
The IRA pays producers for each gallon of sustainable aviation fuel they make, in the hopes of scaling the industry and bringing down costs.
We will be doing a deep-dive on how this funding works so if you have any specific questions, do let us know so we can make sure to cover it!
Part 5: Batteries Galore
Does your climate solution exist anywhere along the battery supply chain?
Whether you’re producing or recycling the minerals needed, or making the batteries themselves, prepare for tax credits.
Let’s imagine a startup that turns CO2 into synthetic graphite - they would qualify for tax credits because graphite is a critical battery mineral!
Just be careful of Chinese imports - only things made in the US and some trade partners are eligible.
Part 6: Green Delivery: Magic Electric School Buses and Cool Postal Vans
Picture this: just as your kid gets dropped off back home on their electric school bus, your online shopping is delivered by a silent USPS delivery van.
The government is spending billions on American-made electric vans and buses, spelling opportunities for entrepreneurs.
If you’re working on either of these, get in touch with us so we can help you evaluate your chances of winning these contracts.
Our Mission: Unleashing Green Potential
In the midst of this eco-odyssey, Find Funding Faster has a clear mission: to ensure that the funds flowing from the IRA reach the true heroes — the climate innovators and entrepreneurs committed to making a positive impact on our planet.
Our goal is to cut through the noise and show how you can use the IRA to turbocharge your business.
A Call to Action: Unleash Your Green Vision
At the end of each newsletter, we present a unique opportunity to go deeper with us via our new advisory service, aptly named Find Funding Faster.
Send us your projects, and we'll decipher the IRA maze to find out if there's funding available for your green endeavors. We're not just consultants; we're collaborative partners in your journey to get the capital you need to grow your company.
In this premiere issue, we've aimed to make the IRA feel less intimidating and give you a bird’s eye view.
In the second issue of our series, we will get into the nitty-gritty of funding for clean energy, biofuels, and soil carbon in rural areas.
On the other side of this email, we are real people who care deeply about moving your impact solution forward. We are all about human connection, making your load lighter, while speeding up your path to funding.
Life is unpredictable (I learned quite a bit about concussions at the ER yesterday)!
But our commitment to a greener future isn't.
Join us as we decode the complexities of the IRA through this series so we can help you find funding faster for your green dreams…
Green Regards,
Neesha Mirchandani
P.S.
Unsubscribe if our ‘green puns’ are too corny for you! Our humor is the only thing lighter than the atmosphere. Climate and biodiversity loss are heavy, so we're on a mission to add a sprinkle of laughter. Apologies if we leaf you in splits!
P.P.S.
Get in touch if you’d like us to help you Find Funding Faster. There’s over a trillion dollars in federal government money in the IRA. Let’s get some of that for you?
Only Because The Lawyers Made Us:
Impact Stars and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.
Memes Made With: Supermeme.ai by Jack Smoot and Neesha Mirchandani
💌 Made with Love in Raleigh, NC for Climate, Regenerative & 🌊 Ocean Innovators Everywhere. We only get to do what we do — because of what you do. So thank you!