Updated:
Energy Outreach Colorado
Founded in 1989, Energy Outreach Colorado operates as a statewide non-profit that channels funding from utility partners including Xcel Energy, Black Hills...
Energy Outreach Colorado
Founded in 1989, Energy Outreach Colorado operates as a statewide non-profit that channels funding from utility partners including Xcel Energy, Black Hills Energy, and Atmos Energy, alongside government grants and private donations. CEO Jennifer Gremmert, who previously served as Deputy Director, runs the organization from its Denver headquarters with a second office nearby on East 16th Avenue. The foundation's investment posture spans direct financial assistance, residential infrastructure repair, and renewable energy access. It pays overdue energy bills for qualifying households, replaces broken furnaces, and funds weatherization. On the renewables side, the organization connects low-income residents to community solar subscriptions. Its partnerships extend through the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority for broader energy-savings initiatives. The capital flows as grants and program-related investments rather than market-rate return-seeking vehicles. Altss estimates the organization's investable asset base at roughly $38 million, though the firm does not disclose this figure publicly. Leadership includes Board President Moe Tabrizi alongside Gremmert. The foundation holds memberships in the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition and Housing Colorado, and Gremmert participates in the Forbes Nonprofit Council, reflecting a posture oriented toward policy advocacy and peer coordination. What distinguishes Energy Outreach Colorado is its hybrid structure: it is a fundraising foundation that operates like a public utility's safety-net arm, aggregating capital from multiple regulated utilities into a single statewide distribution mechanism. No comparable statewide energy-assistance endowment exists in neighboring states, making Colorado's approach a governance experiment in consolidating energy poverty relief under one independent entity.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1989
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Denver
Corporate office
303 E 17th Ave, Suite 405, Denver, CO 80203, United States
Additional offices
225 East 16th Ave, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80203
Principals
Jennifer Gremmert
CEO
Moe Tabrizi
Board President
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment and grantmaking decisions at Energy Outreach Colorado?
CEO Jennifer Gremmert has led the organization since 2018 after serving as Deputy Director. She oversees both the investment portfolio and the distribution of funds for energy assistance programs. Operational and grantmaking decisions flow through Gremmert with governance from Board President Moe Tabrizi and the board.
How does Energy Outreach Colorado fund its programs?
The foundation raises capital from a mix of regulated Colorado utilities, including Xcel Energy, Black Hills Energy, and Atmos Energy, along with government grants and private donors. This utility-partner model channels ratepayer and shareholder contributions into a centralized assistance fund, rather than leaving each utility to run its own program.
Is Energy Outreach Colorado structured as an endowment or a pass-through grantmaker?
It functions as a hybrid. The organization maintains an invested portfolio — estimated by Altss at roughly $38 million — which generates returns that support operations and grantmaking. Simultaneously, it passes through substantial annual funding from utility partners directly into bill-payment assistance, furnace repair, and energy-efficiency programs.
What specific types of energy assistance does the organization provide?
Energy Outreach Colorado covers energy bill arrears for income-qualified households, funds furnace and heating-system repairs or replacements, provides weatherization services, and offers community solar subscriptions to low-income residents. The programs serve homeowners, renters, nonprofit facilities, and multifamily properties.
Does the organization invest directly in energy projects or only make grants?
The foundation primarily makes grants and provides direct financial assistance rather than taking equity stakes in projects. Its capital deployment is programmatic: paying bills on behalf of individuals, contracting for furnace replacements, and subsidizing solar subscriptions. It does not operate as a project-finance investor.
What is the relationship between Energy Outreach Colorado and Colorado's regulated utilities?
The utilities act as funding partners and referral channels. Xcel Energy, Black Hills Energy, and Atmos Energy contribute financial resources and direct customers toward Energy Outreach Colorado for assistance. This partnership model is formalized through ongoing agreements that position the foundation as the state's primary independent administrator for energy safety-net funds.
How is Energy Outreach Colorado governed, and does it have a successor plan for leadership?
The organization is governed by a board of directors led by President Moe Tabrizi. CEO Jennifer Gremmert has held the top executive role since 2018. Publicly available materials do not detail a formal succession plan for the CEO position, though the board's active engagement suggests standard non-profit governance oversight.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on endowments & foundations?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: