The Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) School Uplift program is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year, and private schools are now eligible to participate.
The School Uplift program is a 12-month behavior-based energy management training program developed with the State of Tennessee’s Energy Efficient Schools Initiative. It helps public school districts make smart energy choices that improve the classroom learning environment and save money through decreased energy use. The program comes at no cost to the schools.
Each year, NES partners with TVA EnergyRight to help bring School Uplift to approximately 100 public schools. More than $3 million is invested annually to help provide active energy management training and competitive need-based grants that allow for much-needed energy upgrades.
Participating schools have seen a multitude of benefits, including:
- a 10% annual energy cost reduction
- average annual savings of $13,000
- better ventilation, brighter classrooms and new LED lighting
Through strategic energy management and efficiency upgrades, the first 160 participating schools are projected to save $8.1M. Energy efficiency upgrades, improved ventilation and filtration also help keep students and teachers healthy by enhancing indoor air quality, while LED lighting upgrades brighten up the classroom and can lift energy levels, improve focus and increase student productivity and test scores.
NES is proud to support schools in the region through energy efficiency training and grants that reduce energy costs with School Uplift. To learn more about how to apply for School Uplift, click here.
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