Western North Carolina Free Store

Hurricane Helene cut a gash across the landscape and social fabric of Western North Carolina. Within 72 hours, Footprint Project was on the scene providing emergency microgrid power to community hubs and vulnerable individuals.

Now, Footprint Project has committed to the ongoing, long-haul recovery & resilience efforts of Western North Carolina and surrounding communities through its WNC Free Store.

Thanks to generous in-kind donations from our many partners, we are offering FREE SOLAR EQUIPMENT for recovery and resilience projects.

For Organizations & Individuals:

Need equipment for a project? Fill out our donation request form below.

For Installers / Electricians:

Want to be part of our Installer Network? Our goal is get solar resilience projects installed quickly & safely, and we are prepared to play matchmaker! Send us an email at WNCfreestore@footprintproject.org

FAQ:

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom of this page before submitting your information.

Contact:

Additional questions or concerns? Interested in volunteering?

Email us at WNCfreestore@footprintproject.org

Donation Request Form Process:

Step 1: You fill out the Request Form below. Follow the prompts and do your best to describe the electrical power need(s).

Step 2: We review your request and work with you to make sure you have a design and installation plan. Our WNC Free Store team may reach out with questions about your project.

Step 3: We confirm that equipment is landed and ready for pick up!

Step 4: You pick up the equipment and use it for your project. Take photos!

Step 5: We share photos and stories of all your hard work with our equipment donors, and ask for more equipment to keep the WNC Solar Free Store going. :)

Donation Request Form

Full Name*

First NameLast Name

E-mail*

example@example.com

Phone Number*

Who is submitting this request?*

Organization Name (if applicable)

Org Type*

Project Summary - What are you building? What are you hoping to power? What is the purpose of it? Who will this serve? If applicable, please describe how this will benefit the community and estimate how many people might benefit from this (per week or month)?*

Is there grid power currently available at the intended site?*

YesNoSort of...

Equipment Needed - Do you already have a sense of what equipment you need? (No worries, if not.)Please describe:

Project Viability - What is the estimated time frame for project completion? Who's involved in the installation? How will you make sure the project gets across this finish line? **AND/OR** What support do you need to get the equipment installed?*

How would you describe the size of the intended project?*

Reporting - I agree to sign a donation agreement and provide quarterly reporting data updates (photos, numbers, etc)*

Please upload any photos or files that could be helpful

Signature

FAQs:

How will you decide who gets what?

A committee will review the requests as they come in, focusing on matching appropriate tech for appropriate need. Like Goldilocks, some projects may be too big or too small for what we have available - our job is to matchmake equipment for projects that are just right.

What if I have multiple projects?

Awesome! Please request equipment for one project at a time, so we can track and report for our donors.

What if I need help with design / installation?

We cannot guarantee design or installation support for every project, but can provide it in some cases. We will prioritize design / installation support for projects with high community impact. Overall, our committee will prioritize projects that show clear viability for safe, rapid install.

What if I'm a private business or individual, can I still submit a request?

Yes, as long as the value of the equipment will flow "downstream" to support community resilience. A building with energy security can provide resilience for a whole neighborhood. We ask that you share your resources generously in future times of need. For solar installers, we encourage you to charge your clients as you normally would for labor, expertise, etc. - just not for the free equipment.

Contact:

Questions? Concerns?

Photos of cool projects completed with Free Store equipment?!

Email us at WNCfreestore@footprintproject.org