Power Forward Communities

Background

Power Forward Communities is a nonprofit organization founded in 2023 by Enterprise Community Partners, Rewiring America, Habitat for Humanity International, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and United Way Worldwide (United Way). It is a coalition of nonprofit organizations, private companies, municipalities, housing developers, financial institutions, labor unions, and utility companies that advocate for publicly funded carbon emissions-reduction efforts that would replace appliances with newer ones and reduce use of conventional energy. ²

In April 2024, Power Forward Communities announced that it was awarded a $2 billion National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the previous month, at the same time it received its tax-exempt status. The intended purpose was to “drive the decarbonization of homes that the climate demands” while transforming “…the marketplace for heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction stoves, solar panels, home battery systems, EV chargers, and wiring and weatherization upgrades that support them.” ^{3 4} In addition, they claimed the grant’s funding was focused on low-income and alleged “disadvantaged communities” starting in 2025. In the press release announcing the funding, Power Forward Communities claimed to have 321 member organizations, including 156 municipalities across 46 states. ^{1 5 3}

National Clean Investment Fund Grant

The National Clean Investment Fund is a $14 billion grant program made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through funding under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. In April 2024, Power Forward Communities was awarded a $2 billion NCIF grant to subsidize energy efficiency home improvement and development projects. Grantees are also required to provide seven dollars in private capital for each dollar in grant money received. ⁶

Using NFIC funding, Power Forward Communities will offer loans to fund home improvement and development projects in the name of decarbonization, claiming to offer loans at a below-market-rate. It also states that it will negotiate the cost of decarbonization projects on behalf of consumers and represent them in communications with contractors and local governments. ¹

Power Forward Communities reports that it plans on creating online tools for homeowners and housing developers to view relevant regulations and incentives available for residential emissions-reduction projects. ¹

Second Trump Administration and Ongoing Legal Action

In early 2025, following the start of the Second Trump Administration, the EPA under Administrator Lee Zeldin ordered for the grants through the National Clean Investment Funds be frozen due to an ongoing investigation into conflicts of interest between the organizations and the funding. In March 2025, the Second Trump Administration halted the grant payments, while Citibank, the banking entity used to help move or transfer the grants, froze the payments after recommendation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). ^{7 8}

Later in March, Power Forward Communities was one of several of the nonprofits that filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against the EPA and Citibank to prevent the termination of the grants and have restored access to the funds. By April, the individual appeals from similar nonprofits were combined into one case through Climate United Fund as a suit against the EPA. The District Court later argued it had jurisdiction and granted a preliminary injunction in ordering the EPA and Citibank to restore funding the grants to the organizations. However, on appeal, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found that the District Court had abused its discretion in issuing the injunction while ruling jurisdiction for such claims lay with the Court of Federal Claims and not the district court. In September 2025, the district court rescinded the previous injunction and the case is ongoing. ^{7 8}

Financials

According to its 2023 990 form, Power Forward Communities reported a revenue of $100, $0 in expenses, and $100 in total assets. ⁹

Leadership

Ari Matusiak founded Power Forward Communities in October 2023 and is the co-chair of the board. He also is the founder and CEO of Rewiring America, which is an organization that advocates for public programs that would fund home improvement projects to address environmental issues. Beginning in April 2024, Matusiak also is also an advisor to Systemiq Capital,  an investment firm that funds environmentalist technology initiatives. ¹⁰

Timothy Mayopoulos is the CEO of Power Forward Communities and has led numerous major financial institutions, having been managing director and senior deputy general counsel for Credit Suisse, managing director and general counsel of Deutsche Bank, and executive vice president and general counsel for Bank of America. Notably, Mayopoulos was executive vice president, chief administrative officer, general counsel, and corporate secretary for Fannie Mae from 2009 to 2012 before becoming president and CEO of Fannie Mae from June 2012 to 2018. In an article by United Way, a Power Forward Communities co-founding organization, Mayopoulous advocated for the use of government funding to subsidize loans made by private companies as a means to address environmental issues. ^{11 12}