1. Startup Appalachia
Accelerating the Entrepreneurial Economies in Appalachia
Project Narrative
Startup Appalachia aims to (1) identify promising efforts that could produce larger results for the
economic transition of Central Appalachia, (2) encourage direct organizing by foundations to fund
around the most promising work in the region, (3) leverage additional resources to scale projects,
and (4) offer funders insight on how to capitalize on the investments they have made to date.
Section I: Project Identification
Project Title:Community-Based Renewable Energy for West Virginia
Identify the name, contact number and email address of the following Startup Actors:
 Supportive Coach: Wayne Fawbush, W.Fawbush@fordfoundation.org, (212)573-5000
 Nominator: blue moon fund
 Project Leader: Aaron Sutch, asutch@mountain.org, (304) 413-0112
Section II: To be completed by the Nominator
1. Please provide a short summary of your motivations for funding this project and what you hope to
gain out of participating in Startup Appalachia.
In central Appalachia and West Virginia in particular there is a noticeable lag in terms of installation
and promotion of alternative energy policies and projects. This is no surprise in a state that is
dominated by the coal and, increasingly, natural gas industries. Blue moon has supported TMI over
the last several years to scope community-based renewable energy projects, particularly landfill gas.
Through the course of that work TMI has made inroads in understanding decision-making structures
for energy policy at the local and state level. With this in mind, blue moon made a grant to TMI in
2011 to expand its programmatic focus on energy in WV. TMI, with its expanded focus, developed
the Community Solar project which represents an innovative approach to promoting renewables and
community engagement. If successful it would not only serve as a demonstration of scaled renewable
energy technologies but, perhaps more importantly, an educational tool and entrée into broader
discussions about WV’s energy future.
My main interest in participating in StartUp Appalachia is to actively collaborate with other funders.
In particular, I’m interested to work with USDA, ARC and other government—local, state and/or
federal—agencies to understand how they operate and to leverage blue moon assets towards putting
public resources to work for a more sustainable future.
Section III: To be completed by the Project Leader
1. Clarify the short-term and long-term results of the project.
In the short term, the project will create a model for investment by individuals in community-based
renewable energy projects in West Virginia. Regulatory and legal barriers (federal and state) limit the
rapid deployment of locally-based investment opportunities, requiring creative project structures.
TMI is networking with successful projects in other states, and will apply lessons learned to establish
a working structure that offers investment opportunities in solar energy production that yield a return
to investors. Simultaneously, it will document regulatory barriers and work with partner organizations
to recommend regulatory reform. With the creation of its first energy production facility, the project

2. Startup Appalachia
Accelerating the Entrepreneurial Economies in Appalachia
Project Narrative
will demonstrate solar’s potential to create local jobs, mitigate rising energy costs, and empower
communities to generate clean energy. TMI will initiate construction with its funds; as investors join
the project, those funds will be repaid, and enter into a revolving fund that will create additional
projects in other locations and communities.
Over the long term, highly visible and replicable solar projects will build support for legislation
promoting the continuing growth of an economically viable solar sector in West Virginia.
Community ownership will be assured by use of the revolving fund.
2. Please provide a detailed description of howthis project couldbe expanded.
Localprojects would be expanded to a state or regional level using a replicable investment structure
and money from a revolving fund to invest innew solar projects.This revolving fund from TMI or its
LLC would support the up-front construction and administrative costs of new community-owned
projects. Investment from community members whojoin those projects will return the up-front
funds to TMI, and those funds will be applied to future community-owned projects in other
locations.
3. What resources are needed to assist in this expansion?
To expand this project, resources are needed to pay for professional legal and financial services. Due
to the complexity and legal nature of community solar investment structures, expertise is needed to
draft legal and financial documents including operating agreements, financial prospectus,
subscription agreements, etc. In addition,resources will be necessary to manage and administrate
project LLC’s once projects are initiated.This would include general accounting for the revolving
fund and management of investor information.
4. Please list the specific activities that will lead to this expansion. (Provide a timeline for these
activities.)
Expansion will be prompted by the finalization of the first community investment model in
Morgantown in October of 2012. This project will be used as the model for future expansion into
the town of Alderson which will begin its project implementation stagethe first quarter of 2013.
During the remainder of2013, both Alderson and Morgantown projects will be heavily promoted via
a high profile media and outreach campaign highlighting their replicable ownership structures and
benefits to stakeholders. This outreach will be used to solicitother projects and engage prospective
stakeholders.
Section IV: To be completed by the Nominator and Project Leader
1. How does this project contribute to the economic transition of Central Appalachia?
As Central Appalachia transitions away from coal, the increasing deployment of solar energycreates a
non-extractive and sustainable economic sectorthat will benefit local workersand impose minimal
social and environmental costs.Solar will fill the economic void of decreasing coal production while
creating a more robust and sustainable economic infrastructure in its place. Solar photovoltaic energy
(PV) has been found to generate more than twice as many jobs per unit as coal and natural gas.
These jobs (which include well-paying positions in construction, administration and product
distribution) stay in the community and produce a positive economic multiplier effect.

3. Startup Appalachia
Accelerating the Entrepreneurial Economies in Appalachia
Project Narrative
TMI’sproject modelwill increase deployment of solar in Central Appalachiaby allowing communities
to have an economic stake in generating cost-effective, clean energy.By addressing up-front cost and
other barriers to solar participation, TMI’s project model allows community members to
economically benefit from solar projects.These benefits include returns on investments, mitigation of
rising energy costs and local job creation in support of solar projects. These local solar projects will
build support for legislation promoting the continual growth of an economically-viable solar sector in
Central Appalachia.
2. Provide a 1-paragraph summary of your project to share on the Appalachia Funders Network
website.
The Mountain Institute is developing a community solar project offering individuals the opportunity
to invest in, and benefit from, an electricity-producing solar installation. The project aims to create a
replicable model for investment and a highly visible structure in which community investors finance
a portion of the construction costs of a solar photovoltaic system and receive a return on their
investment.Our community solar model will help overcome traditional cost and administrative
barriers to increased participation in solar energy while empowering communities to benefit
economically from the generation of clean, locally-produced energy.
Section V: Conditions for Participation
Due to the educational nature of this initiative, your participation in Startup Appalachia confirms
your willingness topublically share and encourage the use of the ideas and strategies behind your
organization’s project.