NewSun’s Community Benefits Program is manifestation of our goal to make near-term and long-term investments in the communities and places where we do business.
Since 2016, NewSun has invested $1.4 million in community benefits through the NewSun Energy Community Benefits Fund.
We provide grants, scholarships, and donations, with an emphasis on expanding access to healthcare, the environment, outdoor recreation, education, county fairs, and the arts. Revenue from NewSun renewable energy projects is deposited into this fund annually.
Our Investments
Public Health
We are committed to improving the health and well-being of rural Oregon communities. Support from NewSun helped open the Harney District Hospital Specialty Care Clinic and Dufur School Based Health Clinic. Other donations support essential community services and organizations that meet urgent, everyday needs for safety, stability, and resilience across Oregon communities.
Education
Scholarships and environmental education are a core part of our funding portfolio. We believe that investing in education and our future leaders will create a brighter future for all.
Tribal & Cultural
Our projects are located on the ancestral lands of the Klamath Tribes, Northern Paiute Tribes, Molalla, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and other native peoples who have occupied these areas since time immemorial. Investing in tribal and cultural initiatives is a priority for NewSun.
Environment & Recreation
Our investments in the environment and outdoor recreation include a new weather station for avalanche forecasting, river and habitat restoration, trail projects in Deschutes and Crook counties, and more.
County Fairs & 4H / FFA Auctions
We are proud sponsors of the Harney, Crook, Wasco, Sherman, Deschutes, and Lake county fairs. We purchase animals at 4H / FFA Auctions, contribute to buyer pools, and make add-on donations to ensure every student is rewarded for their hard work.
Arts
We support arts organizations that use film and creative expression to enrich lives, expand access to the arts, foster diversity, and provide meaningful educational and community-based opportunities—particularly for people of all ages in Central Oregon.
Explore Investments by Region
Climate & Ag Scholarship Program
Each year, NewSun invites high school seniors from rural ag communities to write an essay about their unique relationship with climate, renewable energy and other factors affecting their community. The 5th annual Climate & Ag Scholarship application period starts in January, 2027.
Contact us to learn more about the NewSun Energy Community Benefits Fund:
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
BendFilm Festival: Turning Inspiration into Impact
Since 2018, NewSun has donated $50,000 to the BendFilm Festival. We sponsor the BIPOC Women Filmmaker Grant, supporting both emerging and established artists. This program elevates underrepresented voices and helps bring stories from marginalized communities to the screen.
NewSun’s annual sponsorship also includes the Environmental/Outdoor Film Program, which showcases films exploring the complex relationship between humans and nature. In 2023, Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s powerful documentary The Grab received both the Environmental/Outdoor Program Award and the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film.
NewSun x BendFilm - Paddle Tribal Waters
NewSun Energy CEO, Jake Stephens, shares the story of how a conversation with filmmaker Rush Sturges at BendFilm led to seed funding that helped launch the Paddle Tribal Waters initiative. Years later, the program is still going strong, and tribal students are preparing for a first descent down the Klamath River following the largest dam removal in U.S. history.
NewSun x BendFilm - Youth Unstoppable
The film "Youth Unstoppable” about a filmmaker's journey through rural agriculture communities around the world to observe the impacts of climate change helped inspire NewSun’s Climate & Ag Scholarship program.