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Nonprofit · EIN 84-3011433

PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND

Tax-exempt · PITTSFIELD, MA 01201

Financials

$1.3M$629K2023$1.6M$1M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2024990$1,580,199$1,039,554$540,645$2,595,766$569,094$2,026,672
December 31, 2023990$1,254,539$628,965$625,574$1,579,408$88,425$1,490,983
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$1,550,000
Program service revenue
$13,257
Investment income
$16,942
Other revenue
$0

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$87,000
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$307,304
Other salaries and wages
$326,582
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$718,681
Professional fundraising fees
$14,022
Legal fees
$29,135
Accounting fees
$14,360
Occupancy
$3,719
Travel
$60,075
Program services (functional)
$699,752
Management and general (functional)
$267,784
Fundraising (functional)
$72,018

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$1,579,408
Total assets, end of year
$2,595,766
Total liabilities, end of year
$569,094
Net assets, end of year
$2,026,672
Net assets without donor restrictions
$1,919,372
Net assets with donor restrictions
$107,300
Gross receipts
$1,580,199
Employees
25
Year formed
2019
State of legal domicile
MA

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
MMAKGANTSI MAFOJANEEXECUTIVE DI
Officer
40$165,577$4,824
MILLARD OWENSCO-DIRECTOR
Officer
40$144,896$3,022
ALISON ANDREWSCO-CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
AMY BETTLECO-CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
TIMOTHY DENHERDER-THOMASDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
CRYSTAL HUANGTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
STEPHANIE JOHNSONSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
JOSEPH MCNEILDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
MELA MILESDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
POUYA NAJAMAIEDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
SHIMEKIA NICHOLSDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 11 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
MILLARD OWENSCO-DIRECTOR
Officer
40$150,000$13,503
MMAKGANTSI MAFOJANECO-DIRECTOR
Officer
40$150,000$3,462
DENISE ABDUL-RAHMANDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
ALISON ANDREWSSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
AMY BETTLEBOARD CHAIR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
GOPAL DAYANENIDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
TIMOTHY DENHERDER-THOMASDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
CRYSTAL HUANGDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
JIM JOHNSONTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
JOSEPH MCNEILDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0
MELA MILESDIRECTOR
Trustee or director
1$0$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
82 WENDELL AVE SUITE 100, PITTSFIELD, MA 01201-7066
In care of
% NORTHWEST REGISTERED AGENT SERVIC
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
AMY BETTLE, 1810 S CHARLES ST 303, SEATTLE, WA 98144
Signed the 990
MMAKGANTSI MAFOJANE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Phone
(203) 916-3490
Return prepared by
DAVISKELLY LLP

Mission

PEOPLE'S SOLAR ENERGY FUND, INC. PROVIDES NON-EXTRACTIVE FINANCING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND BULK-PURCHASING DISCOUNTED SERVICES TO BUILD A SCALABLE SYSTEM OF SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY-LED AND COMMUNITY-OWNED SOLAR PROJECTS. THE EMPHASIS IS ON PROJECTS BENEFITING LOW- OR MODERATE-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, CONTRIBUTING TO CLEANER AND MORE AFFORDABLE ENERGY, JOB CREATION, COMMUNITY ASSET DEVELOPMENT, AND A MORE DEMOCRATIZED ENERGY SYSTEM.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Program accomplishments

  • TRAINING THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING PSEF HAS MADE INCREDIBLE STRIDES IN SUPPORTING COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS) IN BUILDING CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADVANCE MORE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECTS. THROUGH HANDS-ON SUPPORT FROM PSEF STAFF, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, PEER LEARNING GROUPS, AND WEBINARS LED BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD, APPROXIMATELY 75% OF PARTICIPANT ORGANIZATIONS LAUNCHED COMMUNITY-OWNED SOLAR EDUCATION INITIATIVES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. PSEF ALSO SUPPORTED THESE ORGANIZATIONS BY FUNDING INTERNS AND PROVIDING MINI-GRANTS. ALONGSIDE THIS, OUR SOLAR LEADERS IN COMMUNITY (SLIC) INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDED INDIVIDUALS WITH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND SOLAR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH BY MATCHING THEM WITH CBOS FROM OUR CBSC PROGRAM. PSEF LAUNCHED THE 2024-2025 COHORT OF SLIC IN OCTOBER WITH PARTICIPANTS ACROSS SIX STATES. THE MOVEMENT FOR SOLAR CAPACITY AND LEADERSHIP (MSCL) COMPLEMENTS OUR BROADER CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS BY FOCUSING ON DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY LEADERS EQUIPPED TO SPEARHEAD COMMUNITY-OWNED SOLAR PROJECTS. THE FIRST COHORT OF THE YEAR MARKED A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION FOR MSCL, GROWING FROM 10 TO 30 FELLOWS.
    Expenses $97,646 · grants $52,000
  • MEMBERSHIP IN 2024, PSEF WELCOMED 9 NEW ORGANIZATIONS INTO OUR MEMBERSHIP, WHICH DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF BUILDING COMMUNITY WITH OTHERS. RECOGNIZING THAT THE MOVEMENT FOR LOCALLY-LED AND COMMUNITY-OWNED SOLAR WILL BE ONGOING, PSEF HAS EXPANDED ITS CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
    Expenses $70,991 · revenue $1,300
  • LENDING SINCE DEPLOYING OUR FIRST MEMBER LOANS TWO YEARS AGO, PSEF IS PLEASED TO REPORT ON THE FIRST REPAYMENTS OCCURRING IN 2024. THIS PROOF OF CONCEPT OF A REVOLVING LOAN FUND GOVERNED BY COMMUNITY GROUPS, DEMONSTRATES THE VIABILITY OF COMMUNITY-LED PROJECTS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF NON-EXTRACTIVE, RELATIONSHIP-BASED LENDING. IN 2024, PSEF FOCUSED ON BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO SCALE FROM A PILOT FUND TO AN INTEGRATED CAPITAL FUND TAILORED TO SUPPORT PROJECTS AS THEY MATURE. THIS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LOAN PRODUCTS, WHICH NOT ONLY PROVIDE VITAL EARLY STAGE CAPITAL, BUT WILL ALSO ENABLE MEMBERS TO LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING SUCH AS TAX CREDITS.
    Expenses $29,893 · revenue $11,957
  • REGRANTING IN 2024, OUR VITAL MINI-GRANTS PROGRAM SUPPORTED EARLY-STAGE SOLAR PROJECT CONCEPTUALIZATION AND FOUNDATIONAL WORK SUCH AS FORMING OWNERSHIP ENTITIES, DEVELOPING BUSINESS PLANS, AND ACCESSING IMMEDIATE APPLICATION SUPPORT FOR TAX CREDITS AND GRANTS. PROJECT FINANCE IN 2024, PSEF ENCOUNTERED BOTH SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED CAPITAL ACCESS, AS WELL AS NEW CHALLENGES-EACH ENRICHING OUR INVESTMENT AND LENDING PRACTICES. PSEF BEGAN REDESIGNING OUR CAPITAL OFFERINGS TO BETTER ALIGN WITH MEMBERS' NEEDS, DELIVERING VARYING FORMS OF GRANTS, LOANS, GUARANTEES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. OUR GOAL IS TO EMPOWER MEMBERS WITH THE RESOURCES TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO SOLAR DEVELOPMENT, ENABLING THE CREATION OF SUSTAINABLE, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN ENERGY SOLUTIONS. PSEF FOCUSED ON BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO SCALE FROM A PILOT FUND TO AN INTEGRATED CAPITAL FUND TAILORED TO SUPPORT PROJECTS AS THEY MATURE. THIS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LOAN PRODUCTS, WHICH NOT ONLY PROVIDE VITAL EARLY STAGE CAPITAL, BUT WILL ALSO ENABLE MEMBERS TO LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING SUCH AS TAX CREDITS. POLICY, PARTNERSHIPS & OUTREACH AS AN EXISTING PROJECT COLLABORATOR OF THE ENERGY DEMOCRACY PROJECT (EDP), PSEF COLLABORATED WITH A NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO DEMOCRATIZE ENERGY FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. PSEF PARTICIPATED IN EDP'S GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, DECOLONIZATION WORKING GROUP AND AS PART OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING WORKING GROUP OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PARTICIPATED AS A PANELIST ON EDP'S SUCCEEDING WITH FEDERAL FUNDING: EXPERIENCES FROM THE FIELD WEBINAR IN OCTOBER. THIS COLLABORATION HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SITUATING THE WORK OF PSEF MEMBERS WITHIN THE BROADER ENERGY DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT. PSEF ALSO COLLABORATED TO LAUNCH THE REGENERATIVE ECONOMIES NETWORK-A MOVEMENT COMMITTED TO FUNDING THE JUST TRANSITION TO A REGENERATIVE ECONOMY. GUIDED BY DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE APPROACH, THE NETWORK SUPPORTED AN APPLICATION TO THE EPA'S GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUND: CLEAN COMMUNITIES INVESTMENT ACCELERATOR PROGRAM. ULTIMATELY THE APPLICATION WAS NOT SELECTED AS AN AWARDEE, BUT THROUGH THE PROCESS WE STRENGTHENED RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMITTED TO MOBILIZING SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY-CENTERED PROJECTS. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BUILDING ON PSEF'S RESOURCE COMMONS APPROACH, PSEF FACILITATED A RANGE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT MEMBERS AT VARIOUS STAGES OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT IN 2024. THIS INCLUDED GRANT APPLICATION SUPPORT AND FINANCIAL MODELING TO LEGAL AND POLICY SUPPORT. PSEF'S FINANCIAL MODELING WORKING GROUP HAS DEVELOPED A TEMPLATE FINANCIAL MODEL DESIGNED TO ASSIST MEMBERS IN MODELING AND EVALUATING THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECTS.
    Expenses $501,222 · grants $35,000

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026Not on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
84-3011433
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
2020
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$2,595,766
Income (IRS master file)
$1,580,199

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2024$1,580,199$1,039,554$2,595,766XML
990December 2023$1,254,539$628,965$1,579,408XML
990December 2022$754,677$676,891$934,788IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990December 2020–––IRS

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 84-3011433).

Questions about PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND

What is the EIN of PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND?
The employer identification number (EIN) of PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND is 84-3011433.
Is PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2020.
Are donations to PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.
Who is the principal officer of PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 names AMY BETTLE.
Who are the officers and directors of PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 11 people; 2 received compensation from the organization, the highest $165,577 (MMAKGANTSI MAFOJANE, EXECUTIVE DI).
How much revenue does PEOPLES SOLAR ENERGY FUND have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $1,580,199, expenses of $1,039,554 and total assets of $2,595,766 at year end.

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