Fresh Energy

“There are no material differences in voting rights among members of the board of directors and the executive committee may consider any actions, or take up any matters deemed important or necessary for the continued operation of the corporation between scheduled meetings of the full board.”

“The 990 is provided to the entire board for review prior to filing. The chair and treasurer carefully reviewed each page of the 990 and made a recommendation to the executive committee to accept the 990. The executive committee members had also reviewed the 990 and approved the recommendation. The executive director signed the 990.”

“Procedure when director or officer has conflict: 1) each director or officer of fresh energy has a duty to disclose to the board (and to any applicable committee of the board that one is addressing) the material facts of any proposed transaction or action of fresh energy in which such director has any conflicts. 2) the disclosure required under #1 (above) must be made, to the extent possible, prior to any consideration of such proposed transaction or action by the board or by any applicable committee of the board. If a director or officer does not recognize the existence of a conflict prior to the board's decision regarding the transaction, the board member has a duty to disclose the material facts of the conflict as soon as the conflict is recognized. 3) the director or officer having a conflict shall not participate in the deliberation or decision regarding the matter under consideration and shall retire from the room during deliberations except to the extent he or she has been invited by the board or committee to participate, after consideration of the significance to fresh energy of the disclosed conflict. The board or committee may also request that he or she provide fresh energy with any relevant information known to the director regarding the matter. 4) any proposed transaction or action in which the board has determined that a director or officer has a conflict of interest is to be approved by a majority of the directors entitled to vote other than the interested director(s) at a meeting at which a quorum is present (i.e., by a supermajority of the entire board not including the conflicted director(s)), even though the non-conflicted directors may constitute less than a quorum. 5) when there is any doubt as to whether a conflict exists (and these procedures are thus to be employed) the matter shall be resolved by action of the board, not including the participation of the individual whose potential conflict is at issue. All directors and officers are obligated to notify the board if they believe an individual director or officer has failed to proffer disclosure of a conflict they believe to be at hand, and the aformentioned procedure (resolution by action of the board, not including the particiaption of the individual whose potential conflict is at issue) shall be employed by the board in all such instances. Procedure when staff has conflict: 1) each staff member has a duty to disclose to the director of operations and finance of fresh energy the material facts of any proposed transaction of fresh energy in which such person has any conflict. 2) the disclosure required under #1 (above) is to be made immediately, and to the extent possible, before any consideration of such proposed transaction by fresh energy. If a staff member does not recognize the existance of a conflict prior to fresh energy's decision regarding the transaction, the staff member has a duty to disclose the material facts of the conflict as soon as it is recognized. 3) a staff member having a conflict shall not participate in the deliberation or decision by fresh energy regarding the transaction under consideration, unless invited by the director of operations and finance of fresh energy to do so, after consideration of the significance to fresh energy of the disclosed conflict. The director of operations and finance of fresh energy may also request that he or she provide fresh energy with any relevant information regarding the matter. 4) the director of operations and finance of fresh energy shall take such additional action as may be required to ensure that the conflict is properly noticed to management and that appropriate steps are employed as the transaction and its terms are brought forth for decision-making and/or implementation. Furthermore, the director of operations and finance of fresh energy shall maintain a record of the existence, procedure employed in managing, and resolution of the conflict. 5) when there is any doubt as to whether a c”

“The executive director's salary is reviewed by the board of directors in february of each year during the annual performance evaluation process. Periodically, the board of directors uses a third party to perform an analysis and provide a competitive compensation study as a more in depth review of the executive director's salary. This process was last undertaken in april of 2017. The director of operations and finance's salary is also determined during the annual performance valuation which is complete in february of each year. Periodically, a third party is used to perform an analysis and provide a competitive compensation study to determine the salary. This process was last undertaken in february of 2017.”

“The organization makes its articles of incorporation, bylaws, conflict of interest policy and financial statements available on a case-by-case basis. Every request is considered individually by the board of directors.”

“Energy news network: fresh energy's energy news network is a national network of news sites providing daily links to top energy news stories and original reporting on the transition to clean energy. Editorially independent from fresh energy's policy work, the energy news network is staffed by professional editors and a team of more than a dozen journalists who cover state-based stories in a regional context. Our energy news links and original reporting are published through five digests: u.s. Energy news, midwest energy news, southeast energy news, northeast energy news, and western energy news. The more than 30 original news stories produced by energy news network reporters each month shine a light on stories that would otherwise go unreported, and our journalism is regularly republished or quoted in trade publications, traditional media outlets, and in other arenas. The energy news network is a member of the institute for nonprofit news and our national advisory committee of journalism and media experts provides key guidance.”

“Energy markets: renewables: through expert engagement at the minnesota public utilities commission, work at the state legislature, and leadership as content experts in collaborations around clean energy, fresh energy works to significantly increase the amount of wind, solar, and storage in minnesota's energy system. Our regulatory team provides data-driven advocacy that is leading utilities to invest in renewables as a growing portion of their generation mix and inspiring bold commitments from xcel energy and others. We also shape electricity rate designs and renewable energy pricing and we work to ensure that customer-driven options allow minnesota residents and businesses to reap the benefits of clean energy. As a result of our work, minnesota's clean energy economy is booming and renewables are now widely recognized as the least-cost strategy for generating electricity. Grid: a large-scale energy transition will require a strong, modern electric grid, and fresh energy is working to secure a major transmission grid that will spur and support increased renewables across the region, and a distribution grid that supports use of rooftop solar and other clean energy projects in our communities. Clean transportation and beneficial electrification: analysis makes it clear: to achieve the dramatic reductions in emissions needed at this time, we must not only decarbonize electricity generation, we must transition other carbon-intensive parts of our economy such as transportation and home heating to renewable electricity. Fresh energy's electric transportation program is making great strides in this area, working to ensure that electric utilities can and are planning for and promoting increased use of electric vehicles in a way that is beneficial for the electric grid, supports increased renewables, and provides benefits to all utility customers. We are making a data-driven case for the health and cost benefits of replacing gas and diesel-powered fleet cars and buses with new electric alternatives and multiple local governments are now embracing electric transportation. Fresh energy is also working to reduce reliance on propane and other delivered fuels for home heating, and leading the state to envision a future where we can affordably heat homes and other buildings with renewable electricity instead of natural gas.”

“Energy performance: energy efficiency: fresh energy is working to increase energy savings across the state, even as new parts of the economy are electrified and the sector moves beyond first-step solutions, such as changing light bulbs. In this quickly-evolving area, fresh energy is working with state decision-leaders, in regulatory settings with cooperatives and municipal utilities, and in multi-stakeholder efforts to drive modern energy efficiency and optimization. We work to shape the conservation improvement program, the law at the center of energy savings requirements, and work in utility resource planning processes to encourage use of energy efficiency as a resource. We also promote utility business models that encourage efficiency. Better buildings: buildings are responsible for more than 40 percent of minnesota's energy use thus increasing the efficiency of our built environment is a top priority. Fresh energy is working to ensure that minnesota's building energy code is strong and effectively adopted and enforced. We work to transform the market for energy efficiency in buildings by supporting super-efficient model projects in new developments, such as saint paul's ford site, and by providing education on efficiency as a key element in making housing decisions. Our experts also shape and drive policy that support local governments in using building efficiency as a tool in climate action plans, and we encourage building owners and managers to track energy use as a way of surfacing savings opportunities. Energy access and equity: fresh energy is committed to ensuring that the transition to clean energy benefits all. Equity is a consideration in our work across programs and we have a number of specific initiatives underway. Fresh energy is a co-lead of the minnesota multifamily affordable housing energy network (mmahen), which connects building owners, renters, housing and energy advocates, financing entities, health professionals, and others to improve the efficiency of apartment buildings and other multifamily housing. We also work with community stabilization project on tenant-landlord energy initiatives. In multiple state and national forums, we also shape renewable energy program design, energy efficiency and weatherization investments, and other initiatives to ensure that low-income individuals and other under-served communities are served as well as other consumers.”

“Program consultants: program service expenses 185,509. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 185,509. Energy news network contractors: program service expenses 115,310. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 115,310. Staff development: program service expenses 1,687. Management and general expenses 221. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 1,908. Litigation services: program service expenses 37,000. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 37,000. Midwest energy news reporters: program service expenses 300,340. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 300,340. Other (purchased services): program service expenses 108,957. Management and general expenses 10,063. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 119,020. Contracts with collaborators: program service expenses 165,000. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 165,000.”

“The organization has not changed its oversight process of the audit or its selection process of an independent accountant during the tax year.”