The SouthCoast Energy Challenge (SEC) was established in 2010 as a project of the Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance (SEEAL) to focus on three basic priorities: 1) Save residents money by driving adoption of home energy efficiency audits and renewable energy systems; 2) Build community through grassroots organizing and green job workforce training and development, and; 3) Protect the planet by setting aggressive goals to reduce the carbon footprint of households in the region by expanding membership, leveraging partnerships, and holding staff and interns to high standards of performance. After many successful years during which SEC staff signed up 14,000-plus SouthCoast residents for a Home Energy Assessment or Solar Assessment, and made strong achievements in training interns, the program found a home at the Marion Institute.