For the past 20 years the Energy Foundation has been a leading, nimble, ambitious, strategic, and powerful force in national energy issues and policies. The Energy Foundation's mission is to promote the transition to a sustainable energy future by advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy with a geographic focus on the United States and China. McKnight funds the Energy Foundation through our goal to mitigate catastrophic climate change, by engaging in comprehensive strategies to reduce carbon pollution, and help the Upper Midwest provide a significant portion of the nation's renewable energy supply.
Renewable energy technologies such as wind have made major advances in the past decade. Wind power has recently had an effect on hardware manufacturer Cardinal Fastener. In 2007, Cardinal Fastener started supplying a wind turbine manufacturer in Iowa with thousands of metric-sized screws. Intrigued by the new demand, Cardinal started investigating and discovered that wind-turbine companies all over the country were in need of their parts. As a direct result of the partnership between The McKnight Foundation and the Energy Foundation and our work in renewable energy, Cardinal was able to grow and add new jobs when many manufacturers were shutting down.
The Energy Foundation provides grants in the areas of power, buildings, transportation, climate, and China sustainable energy. Their primary role as a grantmaker is providing resources to the institutions that most effectively leverage change. They also take direct initiatives, commission papers, and convene meetings when they identify an unmet need.
