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401K Program Built for the Clean Technology Industry
The CleanTech Alliance Retirement Edge (CARE) is a turnkey 401(k) offering developed by Newfront and brought to CleanTech Alliance members through our long-standing partnerships with them.
Built around CleanTech Alliance’s mission to strengthen the entire industry — because the people building clean technology deserve the same retirement infrastructure as anyone else.
CARE is a CleanTech Alliance member benefit that levels the playing field for cleantech employers — bringing professional retirement plan services, institutional investment options, fiduciary investment management, and full administrative support together in one program for our 1,000+ member organizations. It’s powered by FutureFront, built by Newfront to make institutional-quality retirement benefits accessible to growing companies — and offered to CleanTech Alliance members and participants at preferential access and pricing.
What CleanTech Alliance Retirement Edge Members Receive
Members get a complete program — not a piecemeal vendor relationship. Whether you’re pre-revenue, scaling, or established, starting your first plan, or rethinking an existing one — the program is built to fit. Easy administration and strong customer service are key considerations when setting up or maintaining a retirement plan. CARE’s design makes offering a 401K easy for you and impactful for your employees:
- Dedicated service team
- Easy payroll integration with major providers — ADP, Gusto, Rippling, Paychex and many more.
- Flexible plan design: standalone, match and profit-sharing plan designs available.
- Access to BlackRock Institutional CIT Target Date Funds typically available only to much larger/established retirement plans.
- Up to $1,610 in first-year provider fee reductions may be available based on current standard versus CARE member pricing.
- ERISA 3(38) investment management: Newfront may serve as discretionary investment manager for designated investment selection and monitoring functions. Plan sponsors retain responsibility for prudently selecting and monitoring service providers.
- Federal startup tax credits may be available for eligible new plans, subject to IRS requirements and employer-specific tax circumstances.
- Profit sharing plan designs may allow eligible owners and employees to make additional tax-deferred contributions, subject to IRS limits, nondiscrimination testing, plan design, and individual circumstances.
Open to the Industry
CleanTech Alliance’s mission is to strengthen the entire clean technology industry — which means making world-class retirement infrastructure available to as many cleantech companies as possible.
- CleanTech Alliance Membership at any level unlocks lower CARE program fees and the full range of CleanTech Alliance benefits — events, advocacy, network, and the CleanTech Alliance Health Trust.
- Non-member organizations can join Retirement Edge at the program-only rates. Wherever your company is on its journey, you’re welcome here.
Your Annual CARE Program Fee
The program participation fee is your annual enrollment in CARE, paid to the CleanTech Alliance. Newfront and Vestwell fees are billed separately, directly to your plan. The program fee covers:
- Negotiated pricing that individual organizations cannot replicate independently.
- Partner engagement and sector education on behalf of the cleantech industry.
- Relationship-building and vetting with Newfront, Vestwell, and BlackRock.
- Ongoing program stewardship, member support, and provider accountability.
| Company Size | Member Annual Fee | Program-Only Fee |
| 0–3 employees or non-profits (any size) | $200 | $500 |
| 4–7 employees | $250 | $600 |
| 8–12 employees | $300 | $700 |
| 13–19 employees | $350 | $700 |
| 20–49 employees | $400 | $700 |
| 50+ employees | $450 | $700 |
| Gold, Platinum & Executive Circle | Complimentary | — |
Based on current standard versus CARE member provider pricing, many CARE members may offset the annual program fee through first-year provider fee reductions. Actual savings will vary based on plan design, participant count, provider pricing, investment selection, and applicable fees. Current CleanTech Alliance membership rates at cleantechalliance.org/membership.
New Plans: Tax Credits Can Cover Your First Year
Eligible small businesses establishing new qualified retirement plans may be able to claim federal startup tax credits under SECURE 2.0. Credits are subject to IRS requirements, qualified expense limits, plan features, employer tax liability, and other restrictions. Employers should consult a qualified tax advisor.
Founders: Maximize Tax Deferred Contributions
With a properly structured retirement plan including profit sharing provisions, founders and highly compensated employees can contribute significantly more* than the standard contribution limit. Newfront can assist employers in evaluating available plan design options, including profit sharing, based on the employer’s objectives and applicable legal and tax requirements.
*With profit sharing, up to $72,000 (2026, indexed, additional catch up contributions may apply)
Where the $1,610 in Savings Comes From
The following illustrates potential first-year provider fee reductions based on current standard rates compared to current member program rates. Actual savings may vary based on plan design, participant count, provider pricing, investment options, and employer eligibility for tax credits.
| Fee Component | Standard Rate | Member Rate | Year 1 Savings |
| Newfront Advisory Fee | $5,000/yr | $4,000/yr +0.25% | $1,000/yr |
| Vestwell Setup (one-time) | $750 | $500 | $250 |
| Vestwell Recordkeeping | $2,160/yr | $1,800/yr | $360/yr |
| BlackRock CIT Access | Requires $100M AUM | Included | Institutional pricing |
| YEAR 1 TOTAL HARD-COST SAVINGS: | $1,610+ | ||
Potential investment expense differences and tax credits are not reflected in this table and may vary based on investment selection, plan assets, and employer-specific tax eligibility.
Ready to bring Retirement Edge to your team? Get started here.
Questions? Email us!
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CleanTech Alliance receives no compensation from Newfront, Vestwell, BlackRock, or their affiliates in connection with Retirement Edge. Separately, CleanTech Alliance receives compensation from a Newfront-affiliated entity under an unrelated CleanTech Alliance Health Trust program. That arrangement is independent of Retirement Edge and has no bearing on program pricing or provider selection.
About Newfront Retirement Services, Inc. The information provided is solely for informational purposes and is not a recommendation to participate in any specific strategy. Any performance data quoted represents past performance. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate and past performance is no guarantee of future results. This does not constitute legal, accounting, or tax advice. Please consult the appropriate legal, accounting, or tax advisor if you require such advice.
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