Growth Opportunity Partners (also known as Growth Opps) is a financial firm based in Cleveland, Ohio that provides advisory and lending services including the “Go Green Energy Fund,” which it maintains in collaboration with the Coalition for Green Capital. The group also provides services for businesses and other projects that promote weather-dependent energy sources. ^{1 2}

Background

Growth Opportunity Partners (also known as Growth Opps) was formed by Michael T. Jeans and Ndeda Letson as a charitable nonprofit organization in January 2016 under the name Growth Opportunity Partners Inc. ^{3 4 5}

Activities

Growth Opportunity Partners claims to provide businesses with financial services such as advising and lending. The organization collaborates with Coalition for Green Capital, to maintains a Go Green Energy Fund meant for providing support to businesses that promote weather-dependent energy sources. ^{1 2}

Funding

Growth Opportunity Partners has previously received funding from organizations and local municipalities including the Burton D. Morgan Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, and Cuyahoga County, Ohio. ^{6 7 8}

Equitable Solar Expansion Grant

In April 2024, Growth Opportunity Partners published a press release announcing that it and the Heartland Solar Coalition were the recipients of a Solar for All grant from the Biden administration through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) totaling $156 million. ⁹

Strategic Partners

On its website, Growth Opportunity Partners lists its strategic partners which include the George Gund Foundation, J.P. Morgan Chase, Citizens Financial Group, Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga County, Coalition for Green Capital, the United States Department of the Treasury, American Green Bank Consortium, and Bank of America. ¹⁰

Leadership

Michael T. Jeans is the chief executive officer (CEO) and founding president of Growth Opportunity Partners. Jeans is also listed as the chair of Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Public Affairs and Education Visiting Committee, is a member of the Cleveland State University Foundation’s board of directors, is the treasurer of Destination Cleveland’s board of directors, and is the board chair for Karamu House. Jeans is also an executive committee member of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, a board member for Playhouse Square, and serves on the corporate boards of the Ohio Farmers Insurance Company/Westfield Insurance as well as real estate firm NRP Group. Previously, Jeans worked at several firms such as KPMG, Morgan Stanley, National City Bank, and KeyBank. He also previously sat on the boards of Our Lady of the Wayside, the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, Taylor Oswald Insurance, and College Now. ^{5 11}

Ndeda Letson is the founding chair of the board of directors of Growth Opportunity Partners. In addition, Letson, is the senior vice president and regional community development market manager for Citizens Financial Group as well as a member of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s Cleveland Local Advisory Board. ^{4 11}

1. “Go Green Fund.” Growth Opportunity Partners. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://www.growthopps.org/go-green/
2. “Professional Services.” Growth Opportunity Partners. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://www.growthopps.org/professional-services/
3. “Growth Opportunity Partners Inc.” ProPublica. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/474257622
4. “MEET OUR 2024 SPEAKERS.” Lending Innovations. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://www.lendinginnovators.com/speakers
5. “Michael Jeans bio.” Cleveland Leadership Center. August 8, 2000. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://www.cleveleads.org/michael-jeans-bio/
6. “CUYAHOGA COUNTY APPROVES $1 MILLION TO SUPPORT GROWTH OPPS | GO GREEN ENERGY FUND.” Growth Opportunity Partners. November 11, 2022. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://www.growthopps.org/cuyahoga-county-approves-1-million-to-support-growth-opps-go-green-energy-fund/
7. “THE GEORGE GUND FOUNDATION AWARDS $1 MILLION TO SUPPORT GROWTH OF GROWTH OPPS | GO GREEN ENERGY.” Growth Opportunity Partners. November 11, 2022. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://www.growthopps.org/the-george-gund-foundation-awards-1-million-to-support-growth-of-growth-opps-go-green-energy/
8. “Growth Opps Awarded $1 Million Grant from Morgan Foundation to Support Underserved Entrepreneurs.” Growth Opportunity Partners. October 31, 2023. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://www.growthopps.org/growth-opps-awarded-1-million-grant-from-morgan-foundation-to-support-underserved-entrepreneurs/
9. “Growth Opps and The Industrial Heartland Solar Coalition Receives $156 Million EPA Grant for Equitable Solar Expansion.” Growth Opportunity Partners. April 22, 2024. Accessed April 28, 2025. https://www.growthopps.org/growth-opps-and-the-industrial-heartland-solar-coalition-receives-156-million-epa-grant/
10. “Partners.” Growth Opportunity Partners. Accessed April 28, 2025.  https://www.growthopps.org/partners/
11. Growth Opportunity Partners Inc. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. (Form 990), 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/474257622/202423189349307442/full