FirstLight Announces Recipients for 2026 FirstLight Sustains Grant Program

The program will provide grants to 17 organizations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania to support projects focused on public safety and services, outdoor recreation, and community improvements

Burlington, MA – June 29, 2026 – FirstLight, a leading clean power producer, developer, and energy storage company, today announced that 17 organizations will receive funding through the company’s FirstLight Sustains competitive grant program. This successful program has awarded a total of over $310,000 to nearly 70 organizations over the last four years to support schools, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations that promote community building and sustainability in areas where FirstLight operates across Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

“We are proud to see the FirstLight Sustains program continue to grow in its fourth year. There was tremendous interest in the program this year,” said Andy Brydges, Director of Community Relations at FirstLight. “It is an honor to support organizations making a meaningful impact in the communities where we live and work. This year’s grants reflect our continued commitment to sustainability and community enrichment, supporting efforts in areas like environmental education, public safety, accessibility, and vital social services.”

2026 FirstLight Sustains Grant Recipients – Overview & Projects

Connecticut:

• Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary – Funding awarded to the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary will support the installation of an advanced network of remote sensors and trail cameras. This technology will allow conservationists to non-invasively identify, catalog, and monitor local avian and wildlife populations, generating critical data to inform long-term habitat management.
• Christine’s Critters – Christine’s Critters will utilize this year’s grant to acquire a portable Blood Lead Analyzer. This diagnostic tool allows for the immediate, on-site detection of lead toxicity in rescued raptors, significantly reducing diagnostic turnaround times and improving survival outcomes for vulnerable birds of prey.
• Danbury High School – Danbury High School will fund transportation to the Connecticut Envirothon competition where students are tested on their environmental knowledge in multiple fields and deliver presentations to a panel of judges.
• Horizon Wings Raptor Rehab – Horizon Wings is dedicated to rehabilitating birds of prey for release back into the wild, helping to sustain their populations, while also educating the public to foster greater environmental awareness. With this funding, Horizon Wings will refurbish and repair aviaries.
• LOF Adaptive Skiers – This grant will launch the inaugural LOF Adaptive Ski Retreat, a specialized two-day event this month designed to provide therapeutic water sports instruction, foster community connection, and expand athletic access for individuals with disabilities.
• New Milford Community Ambulance – New Milford Community Ambulance will utilize the grant to procure two state-of-the-art IV infusion pumps for its active fleet.
• Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue (NUSAR) – This funding for Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue (NUSAR) will support the procurement of specialized swiftwater rescue equipment, significantly enhancing the team’s rapid-response capabilities during high-velocity water emergencies and severe flooding events.
• Northville Volunteer Fire Department – Funding awarded to the Northville Volunteer Fire Department will procure two advanced gas meters and one specialized water flow meter, significantly improving hazard detection and resource management during critical emergency operations.
• Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition – The Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition will utilize this grant to host four ‘Paddle and Pull’ volunteer programs aimed at mitigating environmental degradation caused by invasive water chestnut plants.
• Winchester Land Trust – The Winchester Land Trust will utilize the grant to sponsor outdoor field trips and interactive environmental education initiatives for local fourth and fifth graders at Winchester Public Schools.

Massachusetts:

• Montague Police Department – The Montague Police Department will procure specialized water rescue and safety equipment, including 14 ‘Force 6’ river-capable personal flotation devices (PFDs) and 14 ‘Force 6’ rescue throw bags, significantly upgrading the department’s rapid-response capabilities during swiftwater emergencies.”
• Northfield EMS – Northfield EMS is an ambulance service located in Northfield, Massachusetts. The funding will support first responders by allowing the organization to purchase equipment and training materials to support educational programs in community settings.
• Town of Gill – The Town of Gill will utilize this grant to expand its historic municipal common with the addition of a third Veteran’s Memorial monument covering military actions from the Vietnam War to the present.
• Turners Falls Fire Department – The Turners Falls Fire Department is a combination full-time and call department serving the villages of Turners Falls, Millers Falls, and Montague City within the Town of Montague, Massachusetts. With twelve full-time and ten call members, they will use this funding to replace water rescue dry suits, rope, rigging equipment, flotation devices, and their rescue boat.
• Western Massachusetts Climbers Coalition – Funding granted to the Western Massachusetts Climbers Coalition (WMCC) will secure permanent public access to the iconic Farley Ledges climbing area and support the formal establishment of conservation restrictions on a newly acquired adjacent parcel, ensuring long-term environmental stewardship and recreational preservation.

Pennsylvania:

• Orphans of the Storm – Orphans of the Storm will utilize this grant to expand its innovative ‘Golden Buddies’ initiative. By subsidizing adoption fees and increasing targeted community outreach, the funding aims to remove financial barriers and raise awareness about the mutual benefits of pairing senior companion animals with senior citizen adopters.
• Western Pennsylvania Conservancy – The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy will utilize the grant to implement a strategic tree-planting program within the borough of Ford City, situated on the Allegheny River.

The FirstLight Sustains review and selection committee prioritizes two key areas: 1) Climate Action & Education grants that raise awareness, foster appreciation, and improve access to conservation and sustainability initiatives, while supporting the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources in our communities; and 2) Community Building grants that fund projects aimed at strengthening the places where we live and work through public safety enhancements, public art, placemaking, and community-driven services.

About FirstLight

FirstLight is a leading clean power producer, developer, and energy storage company serving North America. With a diversified portfolio that includes over 1.6 GW of operating renewable energy and energy storage technologies and a development pipeline with over 1.5 GW of solar, battery, hydro, and wind projects, FirstLight specializes in hybrid solutions that pair hydroelectric, pumped-hydro storage, utility-scale solar, large-scale battery, and wind assets. The company’s mission is to accelerate the decarbonization of the electric grid by supporting the development, operation, and integration of renewable energy and storage to meet the world’s growing clean energy needs and deliver an electric system that is clean, reliable, affordable, and equitable. Based in Burlington, MA, with operating offices in Northfield, MA, New Milford, CT, Adrian, PA, Oshawa, ON, and Montréal, QC, FirstLight is a steward of more than 14,000 acres and hundreds of miles of shoreline along some of the most beautiful rivers and lakes in North America. FirstLight has been wholly owned by PSP Investments since 2016. To learn more, visit www.firstlight.energy or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.