After Going Solar
| March 12,
From planning your solar project to securing financing to having the panels installed, it can take time for your nonprofit to go solar. So it’s an exciting day when your system comes online.
But that’s just the beginning of your solar journey. Now comes the fun part — the part where you’re going beyond saving precious resources in support of your nonprofit’s mission, plus helping to reduce harmful emissions. As significant as those impacts are, your nonprofit can multiply them by serving as a solar inspiration to members of your community and beyond.
Solar contagion
It’s long been known that if you install solar panels on your home, your neighbors are more likely to follow suit. Back in 2016, the largest residential solar installer reported that one-third of its customers were referred by a friend or neighbor. Numerous studies have corroborated the solar contagion effect, showing that solar installations tend to spread in clusters when people see their neighbors going solar.
Nonprofits have the same impact, and now that’s been verified by another study. In 2024, Berkeley Lab found that solar contagion also applies to installations for commercial-scale facilities; when solar is installed at these locations, residential solar adoption increases in the community. The effect is particularly strong with community-oriented organizations such as schools, nonprofits, and houses of worship.
At CollectiveSun, we’ve seen this effect firsthand. Houses of worship we’ve helped go solar across the nation have inspired their members as well as other congregations to follow suit.
Your nonprofit too can multiply your impact by providing a positive solar example. To do that, it’s critical to spread the news about your solar project.
Telling your solar story
If your panels are visible from street level, some solar contagion can happen just from people walking or driving by and seeing your installation. But there’s much more you can do to get the word out about your shiny new solar installation — to both your community and other nonprofits nationwide.
Here are our top seven recommendations for telling your solar story.
1. Take photos and videos
Photos and videos of your installation are worth a thousand words. Plus, they’re key for any blog posts, press releases, social media, or other marketing materials you create. Follow these tips to make the most of your visual media:
- Take photos and videos throughout the process — “before and after” photos of your installation will get people interested.
- Morning and late afternoon are the best times to take photos.
- When possible, include people in your photos and videos to make them more compelling. Note: Be sure you have permission from anyone in your photos and videos to use the materials publicly.
- Keep videos short, simple, and fun. You can take them on your phone — just be sure to get close to anyone speaking in a video.
2. Hang a banner or post a sign
Promoting your project with a banner or sign outside your building will let people know about your solar even if they can’t see it from the ground — and provide them more information if they can see it. Consider including the following:
- Photos of your panels.
- Stats about your solar, like the annual emissions offset and annual savings.
- The name of your solar installer.
- A URL or QR code that people can use to get more information.
3. Add the project to your website
Highlight your project on your website in a blog post or case study so anyone visiting your site can be inspired by what you’ve accomplished! Plus, the piece will remain there as a reference you can point people to.
For ideas and examples, see CollectiveSun’s Solar Spotlights series as well as our Projects page. We are always happy to write a Solar Spotlight about your project!
4. Distribute a press release
A press release can get the word out about your project far beyond your community. Follow these guidelines when writing a press release:
- Keep it concise and to the point; the ideal press release is around 500 words.
- Write a clear and compelling headline.
- Include these items:
- The press release date and your location.
- A quote from someone at your organization.
- A boilerplate description of your organization.
- A press contact.
HubSpot offers a great comprehensive guide on writing press releases. And you can see an example of a CollectiveSun press release here.
Email your press release to local and national media outlets, including trade publications for clean energy, nonprofits, and potentially your specific focus area. Keep your email brief, and link to the press release on your website if you’ve posted it there. You might also consider sending your press release to your local elected leaders, your Chamber of Commerce, and local environmental groups. If your organization is a house of worship, you can distribute the press release to other congregations, as well as to district or conference church leaders and communications staff. Does your denomination have a regional or national newsletter you can share the press release with?
5. Send a newsletter
An email newsletter is a relatively easy way to reach a large number of people — in a more direct way than social media.
If your organization is a house of worship, your internal newsletter is a critical tool for getting information to your congregation. You might even send a special edition of the newsletter to highlight the completion of the project, its impact, and any upcoming celebration.
If you have a newsletter that goes to people beyond your organization, take advantage of that megaphone to get the word out about your project.
6. Post on social media
Although a newsletter can be more effective at reaching people, social media still has its value. It’s a good idea to create posts on your social media highlighting your project, using the photos and videos we mentioned in step 1. You can start doing this before the project is complete to build interest and excitement, and also use social media to alert your community about any project celebrations.
7. Host a celebration
Celebrating your project with a “ribbon cutting” or “utility-bill cutting” ceremony is a great way to get your community and/or congregation excited about solar.
Your celebration can be simple or elaborate, depending on your organization and resources. Either way, here are some suggestions for the celebration:
- Convene a group of people to organize and manage the event.
- Ensure that the date for the celebration doesn’t conflict with other key community events.
- Invite speakers from your community, solar company, and/or congregation.
- Invite anyone who supported the project financially or in a volunteer role.
- Have information available for both individuals and organizations who might want to go solar.
- Mention the celebration in the press release you distribute about the project and in your newsletter.
It takes a village to get the word out
It may seem like a lot of work to let people know about your solar project, but you don’t have to do it alone. CollectiveSun is here to help you before, during, and after your solar is installed, including writing a Solar Spotlight about your project.
If you’d like help promoting your solar project, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
