The Power of Service: 2025 Annual Meeting and Alliance Conference
Panel Highlight: Exploring Climate Finance — Community Resiliency Hubs
Charleston Marriott | June 25, 2025 | Hosted by the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs
The 2025 Power of Service Annual Meeting and Alliance Conference brought together changemakers from the community development finance sector, mission-aligned investors, and public and private institutions for three impactful days of networking, learning, and collective visioning. Hosted by the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs, the gathering emphasized racial equity, economic justice, and climate action as core pillars of community advancement.
Solar Stewards Founder and CEO Dana Clare Redden joined a powerful panel discussion at the 2025 Power of Service Annual Meeting, hosted by the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs. The panel, “Exploring Climate Finance: Community Resiliency Hubs,” focused on the role of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in accelerating clean energy access and resilience for under-resourced communities.
Panelists explored how CDFIs, municipalities, and energy developers are transforming local spaces—like schools and churches—into hubs that provide energy security and long-term community empowerment. The session highlighted financing models that blend public, private, and philanthropic capital to expand community solar access, reduce risk, and drive measurable social and environmental impact.
As climate threats intensify nationwide, the discussion emphasized the need for localized, inclusive climate finance strategies. CDFIs are uniquely positioned to lead, finance, and scale these efforts.
“We need to make climate finance accessible, local, and accountable. When we embed clean energy solutions within trusted community spaces—schools, community centers, churches—we’re not just building resilience. We’re building trust and ownership.”
The Power of Service Conference was more than just a gathering—it was a launchpad for action. We are proud to represent Solar Stewards in these national dialogues and to continue our mission of leveraging clean energy as a tool for social, environmental, and economic equity.
