Blog

Venkat Iyer volunteered through Grameen Foundation’s skillanthropy program, Bankers without Borders (BwB) where we connect thousands of skilled volunteers with high potential social enterprises and nonprofits around the world. Venkat’s story below captures his journey from uncertainty to collaboration and impact.

Our project with GRID Alternatives and the Energy Resilience Fund (ERF) began with a clear mission: to help these organizations strengthen their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) strategy and attract CRA-motivated capital for clean energy projects in low-to-moderate income (LMI) and Tribal communities. From the outset, we recognized the importance of bridging the gap between GRID/ERF’s mission-driven approach and the regulatory and operational frameworks of banks. This required not only technical expertise in CRA requirements but also a deep understanding of how to position renewable energy projects as impactful community development opportunities. As project leader, I was proud to see our team align quickly around these goals and bring diverse perspectives—from legal, design, and underwriting—to craft a holistic strategy.

Leading this project was an experience that began with uncertainty and evolved into a story of collaboration and impact. At the start, we truly did not know what to expect. Six individuals from different parts of the organization —each with unique roles and expertise — came together without prior connection. We had never worked as a team before, and most of us had limited knowledge of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). This unfamiliarity could have been a barrier, but instead, it became a catalyst for learning and growth. As project leader, my focus was on creating clarity and building trust so that we could navigate this ambiguity together.

Our journey was defined by curiosity and adaptability. We began by immersing ourselves in CRA requirements, dissecting complex regulations, and translating them into actionable insights for GRID/ERF. This was not easy understanding how renewable energy projects could qualify as community development loans required both technical rigor and creative thinking. I encouraged open dialogue and leveraged the diversity of our team’s perspectives: legal expertise, design thinking, underwriting knowledge, and quantitative analysis. This collaborative approach allowed us to transform uncertainty into confidence, and complexity into clarity.

The journey was both challenging and rewarding. We started by demystifying CRA regulations for GRID/ERF, focusing on the Community Development Test for intermediate and large banks, and clarifying what qualifies as a community development loan. This foundational work allowed us to identify the critical link between ERF’s financing model and tangible benefits for LMI households, such as utility savings and workforce development. Our team collaborated closely to translating complex regulatory language into actionable insights, ensuring GRID/ERF could confidently approach banks with a compelling narrative. This phase underscored the power of teamwork—each member contributed unique expertise that enriched our recommendations.

One of our proudest achievements was delivering practical tools and strategies that GRID/ERF could immediately use. We developed a pitch framework that emphasized credibility and impact, created a one-pager for funders, and provided guidance on identifying banks with CRA gaps. These deliverables were not just theoretical, they were designed for real-world applications, enabling GRID/ERF to build relationships and secure CRA-motivated capital. Watching our team move from “we don’t know much about CRA” to producing a comprehensive strategy was a powerful reminder of what can happen when people unite around a shared purpose.

Reflecting on this experience, I am proud of how we turned uncertainty into opportunity. Leading this project taught me that effective leadership is not about having all the answers upfront—it’s about fostering collaboration, creating structure in ambiguity, and inspiring confidence in the team’s ability to learn and deliver. This project was more than a technical exercise; it was a chance to advance affordable housing, sustainable energy and economic empowerment for communities that need it most. For me, it reaffirmed that leadership is about connecting expertise to impact and guiding teams to achieve outcomes that matter.