Sunstone Energy: solar energy for sovereignty

Strengthening Indigenous communities through energy sovereignty is at the forefront of many tribe’s environmental goals. Regardless of this want and need from tribal governments and leaders, there are many barriers in establishing renewable energy projects within Native American reservations.

The biggest barrier to energy project implementation is the project uncertainty/capital at risk for tribes within the pre-construction development phase. The capital at risk for the pre-development work would entail the cost of feasibility assessments, environmental impact reports, load and transmission studies, etc. This pre-development phase is no easy feat, with many tribes lacking the capacity from staff to follow through with this process in a reasonable timeframe in order to secure funding and develop. There are billions of dollars in funding for tribal renewable energy projects from the state and federal level; however, tribes are unable to access this funding due to the cost, risk, and lack of capacity to pursue pre-development work.

I am researching this problem specific to the medium-sized tribes in the United States Southwest. I would define a medium-sized tribe as one that has gaming enterprises within the 800-2000 slots range. My scope is narrowed to these tribes because there is an industry gap and need between small-scale tribal energy housing projects versus utility-scale tribal energy projects. There is a niche for medium-sized, community scale projects where microgrids could be implemented or other renewable energy projects in clusters of buildings. Community buildings such as schools, women’s shelters, and clinics are most important to target for clean, affordable, and reliable energy access in areas that express a need for cultural preservation and safety purposes.

Within these Indigenous communities, thousands of people are affected by natural disasters, blackouts, poor air pollution from old energy infrastructure, etc. In fact, Native American reservations have a 10 times more likely chance to suffer from a blackout in comparison to the rest of the United States. Additionally, 15,000 tribal members in Navajo Nation are actively without electricity and running water. Many Indigenous families use kerosine lamps or diesel generators to power their homes or buildings on special occasions due to the extreme cost. For these reasons, without clean, affordable, and reliable energy, Indigenous communities suffer greatly in their health, wealth, and well-being.

Tribal governments acknowledge Indigenous members' energy needs, and are working hard to address recent funding allocations to tribal renewable energy projects. The lack of capacity to perform this pre-development work must be addressed in order to accelerate as many energy projects as a tribe needs. An Indigenous run LLCs/Joint Venture would be the most effective partnership for tribes because they are simple entities, are able to shield tribal assets from business liabilities, avoid federal income taxes, separate business from tribal control, and can secure financing; inherently taking on all of the risk for a tribe, for the tribe’s benefit.

The most effective solution in implementing more renewable energy projects with limited capacity tribes is for tribal governments to outsource pre-development work to another company. Partnering with an Indigenous run LLCs/Joint Venture like Sunstone Energy will advance projects through to the next phases of development. Sunstone Energy creates custom pre-development resource kits to empower tribal communities to implement renewable energy projects. The goal of this mission is to provide tribal communities with the resources and information necessary to develop and implement their own renewable energy projects, promoting energy sovereignty and self-determination.

Sunstone Energy will create pre-development toolkits to give tribal partners that act as an all-encompassing package for financing and implementing renewable energy projects. Our toolkit measures the best renewable energy source for the location, sacred site considerations, policy overlap and jurisdiction, etc. In simpler terms, we will analyze the site, scale, resource, and community market potential. This pre-development analysis is done through online tools such as (PV Watts), field based measuring equipment, and resource maps.

Our target population represents tribal communities in the Southwest of the United States that have a want and need for renewable energy projects but lack the capacity and scale to fulfill those projects. Tribes located in the southwest include Hopi, Apache, Zuni, Navajo, and Pueblo. Within these tribes, we would actively advocate for chapters that have a higher need than more urban or populated areas with more financial resources.

For example, the Lichíí' da'azkání, or Red Mesa district within Navajo Nation has 1222 total tribal members living within the reservation. Since this area is located within a high irradiance zone in Arizona, there is great solar potential. However, hundreds of families live without reliable electricity there since there is little transmission infrastructure for linking clusters of buildings or homes together. This greatly impacts the children that live in this district, who take buses for many miles to school, where school is the only location where they have access to the internet. Often students come home and are unable to read at night, or complete remote assignments.

These clusters of buildings or community centers are underserved since there is great potential for solar but no implementation of these projects. Sunstone Energy will take on the risk and burden of pre-development work for these Tribal communities so that we can expedite needed renewable energy projects.

Sunstone Energy will directly partner with medium-sized tribal communities who have access to electricity through the grid but the energy technology is outdated causing high GHG emissions, too expensive, and unreliable. Therefore, these Indigenous communities could look very different based on which community center a tribe wants to place or update with renewable energy.

For example, updating a school's energy infrastructure to a microgrid would greatly benefit indigenous students, staff members, and community members who use this space. However, some tribes may seek out clean wind turbines to power gaming facilities. In which case, depending on the tribe's economic development, the casino could act as a center for natural disasters during tornado season or storms for the surrounding areas. It would be in the tribes best interest to vote on how to recirculate financial savings from renewable energy into other projects or tribal affairs. The tribe may choose to sell its excess energy credits off of the reservation for profit, or keep them in battery storage for emergencies, or reinvest the savings into its surrounding buildings. 

From a business perspective, our work in pre-development would directly benefit the Tribes in charge of such community-scale energy projects. Most likely, the tribe would report their energy needs and concerns to a Tribal Utility Authority, of which there are few across the United States. With conversations from the directors of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal Utility Authority, there is a great sense of urgency to pursue renewable energy projects while recent funding allocated towards these projects have become accessible. However, these Tribal Utility Authorities have expressed the lack of capacity to follow through with the several, simultaneous energy projects. In doing so, they are missing crucial finding opportunities.

Outside utility-scale companies and smaller nonprofits have scrambled to start their own projects on Native American reservations separate from these Tribal Utility Authorities. This can act as a conflict of interest with tribal priority, as renewing indigenous economies through tribal-owned and governed assets is a pivotal segment in Indigenous energy sovereignty. 

Therefore, a partnership between a Tribal Utility Authority and an Indigenous-owned LLCs/Joint Venture like Sunstone Energy is a great solution to support tribes in their own community energy sovereignty efforts. These partnerships will greatly benefit Tribal Utility Authorities who determine the location of a potential renewable energy implementation project; and Sunstone Energy will create the pre-development resource kit to do so. This means that Tribal partners may want to directly support Indigenous community members who live within acres of Brownfield sites for health benefits, lower the cost of energy from an outside provider for households, etc. It is in Sunstone Energy’s best interest to create renewable energy solutions on a case-by-case basis in order to satisfy each tribe's unique energy needs and goals.

I am well-positioned to deliver this solution based on my background and experience with Sunstone Energy thus far. Sunstone Energy is a Master’s group research project through my department at Bren, school of environmental science and management at UCSB. For this reason, my entire degree is based on creating a viable business model that can launch upon my graduation in June 2024. I am given tools and resources through my program that will allow me and my research group to create a minimum viable project (MVP). My team and I are creating a pre-development toolkit composed of many elements that we plan to have completed by June 2024. My research team is made up of members that I have personally hand-selected from my cohort including 4 others with backgrounds in data science, electrical engineering, etc.

My official title within my research team is not only the CEO and co-founder but also the tribal relations specialist. Within my role, I build and maintain strong relationships with tribal leaders and community members, act as a liaison between the project team and tribal communities, ensuring that communication is clear and that concerns and questions are addressed, conduct research on tribal sovereignty, renewable energy policies, and other relevant topics to ensure that the project is respectful of Native American culture and traditions, so that it aligns with the values and priorities of the communities involved.

I co-founded Sunstone Energy based on the premise that there is a severe, time-sensitive need to obtain available funding for renewable energy projects within tribal lands. Since Sunstone Energy’s inception in February of this year, I have performed over 45 interviews with qualified energy experts that have given me significant insights into energy barriers from an Indigenous perspective. From this primary research, I have created a viable business model that seeks to address the gap in Tribe’s energy development needs, in the pre-development phase. This model has been shaped by Sunstone Energy’s seasoned industry advisors: 

• Henry J. Boulley Jr. (Chippewa Nation) COO of Indian Energy; the only utility-scale, Indigenous owned and operated energy company in the United States

• David Sickey (Coushatta Nation) Former Tribal Chairman for the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana/Senior Consultant: Tribal Energy Loan Program at the Department of Energy

• Andrew MacCalla, CEO of Collective Energy; working to implement solar and storage for health centers in low economic zones

In addition to understanding the needs of those who I am serving through interviews, I am also engaging through physical meetings. I have personally been invited by many organizations to visit their energy projects and headquarters this Summer in locations such as Solar Bear in Minnesota, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority in Utah, Red Cloud Renewables in South Dakota, amongst others. It is very important to my mission and role as the tribal relations specialist to develop on-site relationships to hear of the grievances and pitfalls of current energy projects; so that Sunstone Energy can refine our model to better serve Indigenous communities.

Many Tribal Utility Authorities are expending their own financial resources towards pre-development work when they could be allocating their time elsewhere towards more important tribal needs. They could outsource an entire renewable energy project to a third party, however, many project developers require a large fee for their pre-development service. Additionally, several project developers refuse to work with tribal communities to serve their energy needs because of the risk, and time of pre-development. 

Sunstone Energy can address this need by providing that pre-development toolkit for free, only getting paid for our services once the project is officially approved and funded. Or potentially only getting paid through a Community Project PPA where a tribe will eventually own the asset themselves, and will pay Sunstone Energy to upkeep the project after it's been completed. We do not want to leave tribes with depreciated assets that need constant maintenance; so Sunstone Energy could potentially create an agreement that ensures the lifetime of the product and maintenance regularly.

In order to fund the pre-development work, we would most likely require a blended financing model (not from the tribe) that relies largely on philanthropic capital. For this reason, this program would greatly aid my team in understanding blended financing models, how to approach investors, what financial barriers we should foresee, etc.

Since we are inherently creating our own new-solution to tribal project capacity problems, we will also need expertise on how to frame our business for marketing purposes while keeping our mission and values centered. Our business model is currently very complex, so obtaining expertise to solidify this model would be extremely beneficial. Aid in how to approach Tribal entities with business deals would also be greatly appreciated. This idea ties into our customer segment, who is primarily Tribal Utility Authorities that then serve larger populations of Indigenous communities. So ensuring that our business model can be replicated and customized from tribe to tribe is very important.

My mother was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma where she learned about Muscogee (Creek) Nation traditions and values. She passed some traditional knowledge down to me and my sister, where I have always felt a sense of responsibility for going back to my tribe and giving back to my people.

However, I find myself sometimes questioning my Indigeneity since I lack the cultural foundations of growing up on the reservation. Luckily, this imposter syndrome has faded the more that I pursue Indigenous work. My work as a marketing contractor at Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition gave me tremendous value in working with people who validated my presence in Indigenous spaces. Within my contracting position I served and referred thousands of Indigenous community members with domestic violence, sexual abuse, and missing and murdered Indigenous women cultural and health services.

Since that work, I found similar sentiments in my primary Indigenous research for Sunstone Energy. I am honored to live during a time where someone like me, who was raised off of the reservation, has the opportunity to go back to my homeland and try to make a difference. I am even more honored to be surrounded by tribal leaders that completely support my mission and vision. Supporters like my own Tribal Utility Authority of Muscogee, was only formed a year ago and has two staff members. Many tribes do not have Tribal Utility Authorities at all which means that (often) they are buying their energy off of the reservation. This issue is more than unfortunate and depicts the historical imbalances that continue to oppress my people. For example, I spoke with the chief of the solar warriors project at Red Cloud Renewables in South Dakota. John Red Cloud told me that even though his reservation (Pine Ridge Reservation) is one of the most impoverished tribal nations in the United States, his tribal elders were paying upwards of $900 a month for electricity.

My role is hearing these grievances and doing something about it. I plan on decolonizing energy, and restoring energy sovereignty to my own Indigenous brothers and sisters who have welcomed me in their spaces. Stories from my interviews with supporters like Robert Blake from Native Sun Community Development, Chéri Smith from Indigenous Energy Initiative, or Daniel Cardenas from Seven Generations Energy LLC continue to inspire me in my mission with Sunstone Energy. I consider my work and research to be sacred and personal, afterall, energy sovereignty is a form of landback, in decolonizing previous energy infrastructure.

Sunstone Energy's solution stands out as innovative due to several key factors:

Free all-encompassing pre-development toolkits: Sunstone Energy's approach provides tribal partners with comprehensive toolkits that cover various aspects of renewable energy project development. By considering factors such as site analysis, sacred site considerations, policy overlap, and jurisdiction, the toolkits provide a holistic view that guides decision-making from the early stages. This comprehensive approach is a significant improvement over previous energy developments structure.

Integration of technology and expertise: Sunstone Energy leverages online tools like PV Watts, field-based measuring equipment, and resource maps to analyze sites, scale, resources, and community market potential. By combining these technological tools with expertise in renewable energy from tribal leaders, Sunstone Energy can provide accurate and data-driven insights to tribal partners. This integration of technology and expertise enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the pre-development analysis.

Focus on tribal partnerships and cultural considerations: Sunstone Energy recognizes the importance of building strong partnerships with tribal communities. By understanding and respecting the cultural sensitivities and sacred site considerations, Sunstone Energy ensures that our solutions align with the values and priorities of the tribal partners. This approach fosters trust and collaboration, leading to more successful and sustainable renewable energy projects.

Catalyzing broader positive impacts from others: Sunstone Energy's innovative solution has the potential to inspire and catalyze positive impacts from others in the renewable energy space. By demonstrating the successful implementation of renewable energy projects in collaboration with tribal communities, Sunstone Energy can serve as a model for other organizations, policymakers, and investors. This can encourage wider adoption of culturally sensitive and community-focused approaches to renewable energy development.

Changing the market: Sunstone Energy's approach has the potential to change the market by elevating the standards and practices in renewable energy project development. Our emphasis on comprehensive pre-development analysis, tribal partnerships, and cultural considerations can influence the industry to adopt similar approaches. This shift would lead to more inclusive and sustainable renewable energy projects across various communities, ultimately transforming the market by prioritizing social, environmental, and cultural factors alongside economic considerations.

In the next year, Sunstone Energy is focusing on developing the pre-development toolkit and building partnerships with tribal communities. We are also conducting research and development to ensure that the toolkit is effective and up-to-date.

In the next five years, Sunstone Energy will focus on expanding the reach of pre-development toolkits to more tribal partners, and scaling our impact. This entails engaging in policy work and advocacy through education to create a more supportive environment for renewable energy projects within tribal communities.

Overall, Sunstone Energy's impact goal is to transform the renewable energy landscape within tribal communities, by providing the tools and resources needed to finance and implement renewable energy projects that are culturally and environmentally sensitive, while creating a sustainable economic future for the communities. Some impact goals include:

Partnering with tribal communities: We will need to build strong partnerships with tribal communities to ensure that the pre-development toolkits meet the unique needs and considerations of each community. This will require building trust, understanding cultural sensitivities, and ensuring that tribal voices are heard throughout the process.

Investing in research and development: We will need to invest in ongoing research and development to ensure that pre-development toolkits are up-to-date and effective. This may involve collaborating with academic institutions, conducting field studies, and keeping up-to-date with the latest advances in renewable energy technology.

Advocacy and policy work: We will need to engage in advocacy and policy work to ensure that tribal communities have access to the resources and support they need to implement renewable energy projects. This may involve lobbying for policy changes, building coalitions with other organizations, and raising public awareness about the benefits of renewable energy.

Capacity building: We will need to invest in capacity building within tribal communities to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge needed to successfully implement renewable energy projects. This may involve providing training programs, technical assistance, and mentorship opportunities.

Number of renewable energy projects implemented: This indicator measures the number of renewable energy projects that Sunstone Energy has successfully supported and implemented in collaboration with tribal partners. It reflects the tangible outcomes and adoption of sustainable energy solutions.

Renewable energy capacity installed: This indicator quantifies the total installed capacity of renewable energy projects facilitated by Sunstone Energy. It provides insights into the scale of renewable energy adoption and the contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Percentage of tribal partners engaged: This indicator measures the level of engagement and partnership with tribal communities. It reflects the inclusivity of our approach and the extent to which they are effectively collaborating with diverse tribal partners.

Financial investment leveraged: This indicator tracks the amount of financial investment secured or mobilized by Sunstone Energy for renewable energy projects. It demonstrates their ability to attract funding and contribute to sustainable development in tribal communities.

Community satisfaction and impact assessment: Conducting surveys, interviews, or assessments to measure community satisfaction and the impact of renewable energy projects on the quality of life within tribal communities. This indicator helps evaluate the social, economic, and environmental benefits of the projects.

Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions: This indicator measures the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the implementation of renewable energy projects facilitated by Sunstone Energy. It demonstrates the environmental impact and contribution to mitigating climate change.

Energy access and affordability: This indicator measures the improvement in energy access and affordability within tribal communities. It can include metrics such as the percentage of households with access to reliable and affordable renewable energy solutions, reduction in energy costs, and the impact on improving quality of life.

Social co-benefits: This indicator assesses the social co-benefits resulting from renewable energy projects, such as improved healthcare facilities, access to clean water, enhanced educational opportunities, or increased community resilience. It evaluates the broader positive impacts beyond energy provision.

Cultural preservation and revitalization: This indicator captures efforts to preserve and revitalize cultural practices, traditions, and heritage within tribal communities. It measures the extent to which renewable energy projects consider and integrate cultural values and practices, supporting cultural sustainability.

Sunstone Energy's theory of change is based on the belief that by providing comprehensive pre-development toolkits to tribal partners, they can facilitate the financing and implementation of renewable energy projects in tribal communities. The theory of change can be outlined as follows:

Activities: Sunstone Energy will develop and distribute pre-development toolkits that include site analysis, sacred site considerations, policy overlap, jurisdictional information, and community market potential assessment. They will also engage in partnership-building efforts with tribal communities and provide technical assistance and capacity building support.

Outputs: The immediate outputs of Sunstone Energy's activities include the creation and distribution of the pre-development toolkits, establishment of partnerships with tribal communities, and the provision of technical assistance and capacity building programs.

Short-term Outcomes: As a result of the pre-development toolkits and support provided by Sunstone Energy, tribal partners will have increased knowledge and resources to make informed decisions about renewable energy projects. They will gain a deeper understanding of the renewable energy potential at their sites, policy considerations, and community market dynamics. This knowledge empowers tribal partners to initiate and advance renewable energy projects.

Intermediate Outcomes: With improved access to financing opportunities, technical expertise, and a comprehensive understanding of renewable energy options, tribal partners can successfully implement renewable energy projects in their communities. This leads to increased renewable energy capacity, job creation, improved energy access, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Tribal communities can also experience economic, social, and environmental co-benefits, such as increased employment, reduced energy costs, and enhanced community resilience.

Long-term Impact: Through the implementation of renewable energy projects, tribal communities achieve long-term sustainable development. They become more energy independent, experience economic growth, preserve their cultural heritage, and contribute to mitigating climate change. The positive impact on tribal communities also serves as a model for other communities, inspiring broader adoption of renewable energy and promoting more sustainable practices.

Sunstone Energy's solution utilizes a combination of technology and knowledge systems to power our pre-development toolkits and drive the implementation of renewable energy projects. The core technology components that support our solution include:

Online Tools: Sunstone Energy employs online tools such as PV Watts, which is a solar power calculator, to analyze the solar potential of a specific location. These tools utilize scientific algorithms and data to estimate the energy production potential of solar installations based on geographical information, weather patterns, and other relevant factors.

Field-based Measuring Equipment: Sunstone Energy utilizes field-based measuring equipment to collect accurate and real-time data on site-specific parameters. This may include solar irradiance measurement devices, weather monitoring instruments, and other tools to assess the resource potential and feasibility of renewable energy projects on the ground.

Resource Maps: Sunstone Energy leverages resource maps that provide geospatial data on renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind, or hydro potential, at a regional or national level. These maps help identify suitable areas for renewable energy projects and support decision-making during the pre-development phase.

AI and Data Analytics: Sunstone Energy may leverage AI and data analytics to process and analyze large datasets related to renewable energy potential, community market dynamics, policy considerations, and cultural sensitivities. These technologies can help identify patterns, trends, and optimal solutions, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of project assessments.

In addition to these technological components, Sunstone Energy also values traditional, ancestral, and natural knowledge systems. We consider sacred site considerations, cultural sensitivities, and community perspectives in their approach, incorporating indigenous wisdom and practices into our pre-development toolkits. This recognition and integration of traditional knowledge and practices are critical to ensure culturally sensitive and sustainable renewable energy solutions.

By combining scientific and evidence-based technologies with traditional knowledge systems, Sunstone Energy aims to provide a comprehensive approach to renewable energy project development, balancing technological advancements with cultural and environmental considerations.

To achieve our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, we plan to implement a range of actions, including:

• Implementing inclusive hiring practices that prioritize diversity and actively seek out candidates from underrepresented groups.

• Providing training and resources to foster cultural competency and create a welcoming and respectful environment for all team members.

• Establishing partnerships and collaborations with organizations that support diversity and inclusion in the renewable energy sector.

• Engaging with and listening to the voices of the communities Sunstone Energy serves to ensure their perspectives are considered in decision-making processes.

• By incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusivity into our work, Sunstone Energy aims to create a positive impact not only within the organization but also in the communities it serves. Wecompany recognizes the importance of reflecting the diversity of these communities in its workforce and decision-making processes to effectively address their unique energy needs and empower them towards a sustainable and equitable future.

We also plan on prioritizing Indigenous self-identifying members when we expand the company. When we get to the point where we can subcontract out work, we plan on only hiring Indigenous mechanical engineers, data scientists, business people, etc.

Services: Our main service will derive from creating each tribal partner their custom made pre-development toolkit. Once Sunstone Energy is scaled enough, we would like to offer training and capacity-building programs to empower communities to adopt and benefit from renewable energy solutions.

Revenue Streams: Revenue streams can be generated through various channels, including project contracts, service fees, sales of renewable energy equipment or systems, licensing agreements, or partnerships with financial institutions and investors. We will also explore grant funding, impact investment, or government incentives to support our operations.

Customer Segments: We may have multiple customer segments, including tribal governments, tribal utility authorities, or community groups. Each segment may have specific needs and requirements, and we will tailor our products and services accordingly.

Value Proposition: Sunstone Energy will offer cost savings, environmental impact, energy independence, reliability, community empowerment, etc.

Distribution Channels: Partnerships with local installers or contractors, collaborations with community-based organizations, online sales platforms, or direct sales teams.

Key Partnerships: Collaborating with government agencies, utility authorities, financial institutions, technology providers, community organizations, or research institutions to leverage resources, expertise, and networks.

Cost Structure: Equipment and technology costs, operational expenses, staff salaries, marketing and outreach costs, regulatory compliance expenses, and ongoing maintenance and support.

Project Contracts: We can generate revenue by securing contracts for renewable energy projects, such as installing solar panels or wind turbines for residential, commercial, or government clients. These community contracts provide a direct source of income through the sale and installation of renewable energy systems.

Service Fees: We may charge service fees for providing renewable energy consulting, advisory services, project management, or technical support. This revenue model leverages our expertise to assist clients in navigating the renewable energy landscape and implementing sustainable solutions.

Government Contracts and Grants: We may pursue contracts or grants from governments and international development agencies that support renewable energy initiatives. These funding sources can provide significant financial support for the organization's work, particularly in areas where government support for renewable energy is strong.

Impact Investment: We will seek investment capital from impact investors who are interested in both financial returns and social/environmental impact. Impact investors may provide funding to support the organization's growth and operations, with the expectation of financial returns over time.

Donations and Philanthropic Support: We will actively seek sustained donations and philanthropic support from individuals, foundations, or corporate entities that align with their mission and values. This revenue model relies on building relationships with donors and demonstrating the impact and value of the organization's work.

Partnerships and Collaborations: We will form strategic partnerships and collaborations with other entities in the renewable energy sector. These partnerships can involve revenue-sharing models, joint projects, or co-developing innovative solutions, allowing organizations to access new funding streams and expand their impact.

It's important for us to develop a diversified revenue strategy that combines multiple sources of income to ensure financial sustainability. This may involve a combination of project contracts, service fees, grants, donations, and partnerships. Regular evaluation and adaptation of the revenue model based on market trends and funding opportunities is also crucial for Sunstone Energy’s long-term financial viability.

We have currently received an investor donation from Diane Boss. Otherwise, we are mainly conceptual, meaning that we are not selling our services yet that are currently being created. We have also not pursued any outside funding sources at this time.