The last year has been rough on the non-profit industry. As funding cuts spread, the need to make every resource go further grew.
For nonprofits, the focus is (and should be) on their mission. Serving more people. Expanding programs. Delivering impact where it’s needed most.
But the spaces they operate in play a bigger role than they often get credit for.
How a building performs affects operating costs, staff and visitor experience, and ultimately, how much time and funding can be directed back into the mission itself.
The question isn’t whether sustainability matters. It’s how to approach it in a way that’s practical, measurable, and actually supports the work they’re there to do.
That’s where Emerald Gives comes in.
From Intent to Impact
Emerald Gives was created to help nonprofits make meaningful progress—without pulling focus away from the work that matters most.
Each year, Emerald Built Environments—a firm specializing in sustainability consulting and engineering—partners with one organization to provide pro bono support, helping teams better understand how their buildings perform and where improvements can support long-term impact.
Over time, that work has taken shape across a range of organizations, each with different needs, constraints, and starting points.
Hathaway Brown School (2022)
A K–12 girls’ school in Shaker Heights, Hathaway Brown School, brought a strong commitment to sustainability that extended into both its operations and curriculum.
Through Emerald Gives, the school partnered with Emerald to assess building performance and navigate the LEED certification process—translating existing efforts into a more structured, measurable approach. Students were directly involved, gaining hands-on exposure to sustainability practices while contributing to real progress within their own environment.
The result was LEED Gold certification, helping the school accelerate initiatives that may have otherwise taken years to organize and implement.
The Centers (2023)
Serving more than 20,000 people across Cleveland, The Centers provides comprehensive health and human services—from primary care to early childhood education and workforce development.
Through Emerald Gives, the focus was on aligning building operations with that mission. Access via public transportation, healthy indoor environments, and cost-efficient performance were all critical priorities. With Emerald’s support, the facilities team was able to approach sustainability in a more structured way—making steady progress while balancing the demands of a complex, community-based organization.
The project achieved LEED Silver certification, reinforcing how operational improvements can directly support community-focused care.
Severance Music Center (2024)
A historic landmark and home of the Cleveland Orchestra, Severance Music Center has been a cultural cornerstone since 1931.
By the time they entered Emerald Gives, many strong operational practices were already in place—including a well-developed waste diversion program. They had already made significant investments in efficient HVAC that delivers an impressive EUI of 131 kBtu/sf. The opportunity was to bring those efforts together, document performance, and align with a recognized green building framework.
The result was LEED Gold certification—demonstrating how even historic, high-profile venues can pair preservation with measurable sustainability outcomes.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cleveland (2025)
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cleveland works to expand access to safe, affordable housing, helping individuals and families build stability through homeownership. Through its ReStore operations and community programs, the organization already advances sustainability by giving materials a second life and reducing waste across the region.
Through Emerald Gives, the team conducted a comprehensive building assessment to evaluate certification pathways.
While the organization demonstrated strong sustainability practices—including diverting approximately 70% of materials from landfill—certain building limitations made LEED certification unfeasible. Alternative frameworks were also explored, but key thresholds were not attainable within the current model.
Even so, the work didn’t stop there. Emerald continued to guide operational improvements and identified practical strategies to strengthen performance over time—meeting the organization where it was and helping define what progress could look like moving forward.
What This Work Makes Possible
Across each of these partnerships, the outcomes vary—but the importance of the building becomes clearer in every case.
The building is a tool for reducing costs, supporting health and comfort, and creating more stable, efficient operations. With a focus on performance and with the context of sustainable operations, teams can better understand, manage, and reduce costs over time.
And in doing so, more sustainable buildings allow organizations to direct more of their time, energy, and resources toward the work they’re there to do.
Emerald Gives 2026: Now Open
Applications for Emerald Gives 2026 are now open. The selected nonprofit will receive pro bono consulting services focused on building performance and LEED certification, with support spanning assessment, documentation, and implementation.
Key dates:
- Application Deadline: August 12, 2026
- Winner announced: August 26, 2026
Eligible non-profit organizations must:
- Be based in the United States
- Own and occupy their primary building
- Have at least one year of operational data
- Click HERE for further requirements.
Through Emerald Gives, Emerald Built Environments brings its experience in sustainability consulting directly to organizations doing essential work in their communities. Each partnership builds on the last—helping nonprofits better understand how their buildings operate, where improvements can be made, and how those changes can support their mission over time.
If your organization is ready to take that next step, Emerald Gives offers a practical way to move forward with the right expertise in place.
