Arkansas Advanced Energy Doubles Staff, Secures Over $1 Million in Funding, and Expands Statewide Impact in 2025 Annual Report
Arkansas Advanced Energy Association and Foundation (AAE) today released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting major milestones including doubling staff capacity, securing more than $1 million in grant funding, expanding workforce pipelines, strengthening policy engagement, and advancing new financing tools to support Arkansas businesses and communities. The organization’s growth reflects rising statewide demand for affordable, reliable, and future-ready energy solutions.
“The past year has shown how quickly energy issues can move from background conversation to daily reality for families, employers, and communities. Our work at Arkansas Advanced Energy has expanded because the needs in front of us have expanded. We are no longer dealing with isolated questions about technology or programs. We are dealing with the fundamentals of affordability, reliability, competitiveness, and security. We strengthened our team, built new programs, and entered deeper conversations with state leaders, utilities, employers, and community partners. None of this effort has been about chasing growth. It has been about stepping up where the work clearly needs to be done.”
— Lauren Waldrip, Executive Director
Key highlights from the 2025 Annual Report
Organizational Growth and Capacity: AAE doubled its staff in 2025, adding leadership in communications, external relations, program coordination, and C-PACE program administration. This expansion positions the organization to better support members, employers, local governments, developers, and community partners statewide.
More Than $1 Million in Grant Funding Secured: The organization realized $1,030,691 in grant funding supporting workforce development, economic development, advocacy, and transmission planning — bringing new federal and philanthropic resources directly into Arkansas.
Policy Leadership and Legislative Engagement: During the 2025 Arkansas legislative session, AAE actively engaged on seven key energy bills, pushing back against unnecessary government restrictions while increasing oversight around utility cost recovery. This work comes as families and businesses continue watching energy costs closely.
Strengthening the Grid: AAE continued its involvement in long-term planning discussions at Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and in coordination efforts with MISO, both critical as Arkansas experiences new industrial load. These efforts help ensure transmission investments are strategic, cost-effective, and beneficial to Arkansas communities.
Workforce Development Through SkillStream: Manufacturers, contractors, utilities, and clean-energy employers consistently report workforce shortages. Simultaneously, job seekers are unaware of training and job opportunities in the energy sector. Through its SkillStream initiative, AAE connected employers, training providers, and job seekers statewide through supporting apprenticeships, hosting employer forums, launching SkillSync collaboration calls, and helping employers access over $350,000 in workforce funding.
C-PACE Expansion and New Revolving Loan Fund: With many cities and counties facing aging buildings and limited capital, AAE partnered with county leaders, strategic partners and policymakers to advance the Arkansas PACE District, modernize state statute through Act 579, and launch a $2.8 million revolving loan fund to support clean energy and resiliency projects for commercial properties. This tool supports small businesses, nonprofits, and local institutions that need modernization but cannot shoulder upfront costs.
Community and Public Engagement: The organization hosted 31 meetings and events in 2025 with almost 800 attendees, including students exploring energy careers at the emPOWER Arkansas Conference & Expo. Media coverage generated an estimated 45 million impressions, while website visits and social engagement grew significantly.
With federal programs winding down, utilities pursuing new projects, and industrial demand continuing, AAE emphasized a practical, bipartisan strategy in 2025 rooted in:
fiscal responsibility and rate transparency
strong transmission planning
market-driven energy development
local job creation
support for counties and cities facing infrastructure pressure
“Energy plays a direct role in national security and economic independence,” Waldrip said. “When energy systems are resilient and diverse, our communities are safer, our industries are more competitive, and our state has more control over its future. That is not theoretical. It shows up in business decisions, in household budgets, and in whether investment chooses Arkansas.”
View the report below or click here.