On Earth Day, Fresh Energy’s John Vaughn was honored at the 2026 Minnesota Climate Adaptation Awards hosted annually by the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership to highlight Minnesotans engaging in and championing actions and projects that strengthen local resilience to our rapidly changing climate, whether directly in their communities or at the organizations they work.
John Vaughn was nominated for and received the Individual Adaptation award for his work building community-led systems that prepare communities for extreme weather while strengthening local economic capacity.
John came to Fresh Energy in 2023 in the founding role of managing director, community and economic development. So far in his time at Fresh Energy, John has helped the organization build a new strategy and program focused on partnering with under-served communities to plan for and seek state and federal clean energy project funding and financing an equitable clean energy transition through our state’s green bank.
Much of John’s career prior to joining Fresh Energy has been spent in economic and community development on Saint Paul’s East Side and in Northeast Minneapolis. In 2019, John took his experience and bridged into rural solar development and joined the team at Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL) where his work focused on using solar to reduce poverty in Northern and Central Minnesota and build a local, tribal workforce to install solar.
John’s work is woven throughout Fresh Energy’s sector-based policy initiatives and he has played a significant role in helping the organization get closer to achieving our goal of a just and equitable energy transition through clean energy financing, economic development, and workforce development.
“At Fresh Energy, we think of John as a connector,” said Justin Fay, Chief Program Officer at Fresh Energy. “John knows everyone. And more importantly, he knows how to create and nurture relationships, which has helped Fresh Energy forge new partnerships around the state.”
A few notable collaborations that John has fostered include Fresh Energy’s exciting work with Empower Crookston and the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority (MnCIFA).
In 2025, Fresh Energy — with John at the helm — hit the road with a two-day Renew Highway 2 Tour with events in Bemidji and Crookston to spark conversations about clean energy and rural economic development. Community members, local leaders, and clean energy professionals gathered to explore how renewable energy, workforce development, and transmission planning can strengthen northwest Minnesota’s economy. This tour was largely inspired by John’s close work with Empower Crookston, a group working together to improve quality of life, boost the local economy, and make energy more affordable for Crookston residents. You can learn more about John’s work with Empower Crookston here.
Through John, Fresh Energy has also been deeply connected wtih MnCIFA since the new state agency was founded in 2023. MnCIFA was created and passed into law during Minnesota’s historic 2023 legislative session to help speed up equitable clean energy projects across the state by providing financing to projects that might not otherwise move forward. As a green finance authority, known in other states as a “green bank,” MnCIFA funds clean energy projects through loans.
Since its founding, MnCIFA has rapidly evolved to a fully-functioning state agency actively deploying millions of dollars in loans across Minnesota. Last year, John facilitated a webinar about green finance with experts MnCIFA, Sunrise Banks, and Community Reinvestment Fund USA to help even more Minnesotans learn about innovative financing for clean energy projects in Minnesota amidst significant federal funding uncertainty.
Congratulations and thank you to John Vaughn for his well-deserved recognition and for the leadership, partnership, and vision he brings to Fresh Energy every day. John’s work reminds us that meaningful climate adaptation happens when communities lead, relationships come first, and clean energy is paired with economic opportunity. We’re proud to learn from John and grateful for the impact he continues to make across Minnesota.