Energy Savings Assistance Program To Reduce Bill Cost – There are assistance programs by public and private organizations for low-income individuals struggling to pay for their rent or utilities due to financial hardship or any other reason. Energy savings assistance program not only helps to reduce your home energy bill but also helps to make necessary home repairs to make your property energy efficient.
The amount of support that you can receive through this program may vary for instance while some programs provide short-term utility assistance or alternate housing some help to make a necessary home repair to reduce your energy bills in the long run. This guide will throw light on the energy savings assistance program and how you can reduce your bill cost.
Highlights of this Post
What Are The Sources To Get Help With the Energy Savings Assistance Program?
No matter whether you’re a low-income person, elderly citizen or disabled individual, if you’re struggling financially you can get assistance in a variety of ways to pay your utility bills like gas and electricity or reduce your home energy bills. Following are the sources that you can look for to make your ends meet.
Federal Programs
The United States federal government sponsors a lot of energy savings assistance programs, for instance Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program through the Department of Health and Human Services to reduce utility costs for low-income households.
The amount of assistance may vary despite the financial need and household size of the candidate. You can contact the local Department of Health and Human Services to apply for assistance in your state.
State Programs
A lot of states, for instance Ohio and New Jersey provide energy assistance programs and utility help on the state level for low-income households. For instance, the New Jersey Department of Consumer Affairs operates a program known as the Universal Service Fund that works in collaboration with the LIHEAP program.
Similarly, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio runs the Percentage of Income Payment Plan to help customers pay their bills and participate in winter and heating crisis programs. The amount of assistance that you can get to pay your utility bills like electric and gas or other home-associated costs will be based on your household income.
Energy Company Programs
A lot of energy companies in the United States help customers reduce their home energy bills by paying all or a part of the utility bill. There is a limit to the number of times you can receive assistance from energy company programs.
While some companies focus on heating bills during the cold winter months, some provide a wide array of options to cover past-due utility amounts. For instance, utility companies and nonprofit cooperatives provide Operation Roundups that provide cash grants to help people with utility, light, heating and other bills.
Nonprofit Organizations
If you need financial assistance to cover your bills and reduce your home energy cost then you can check with a nonprofit organization in your local area. National nonprofits such as Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, American Red Cross and United Way have local nonprofits that help people with utility bills.
Services That Are Offered by Energy-Saving Assistance Programs
There are a lot of families that use a high amount of energy in comparison to their needs and thus people are not aware of the energy that is getting wasted. The energy saving assistance programs are mainly designed for home improvement and installation services so that the energy can only be used that is required by the appliances.
Therefore it will reduce the waste of energy and the user will be able to save a lot of money. The main aim of the energy saving assistance program is to offer services related to home improvement and installation of new appliances. The energy savings assistance programs offer various services like-
- Domestic Hot Water heater Measures
- Energy-Efficient Refrigerators
- Weather-stripping
- Caulking
- Low-Flow Shower-heads
- Water Heater Blankets
- Door and Building envelope repairs that reduce air infiltration
- Roof replacement
- Window replacement
- Any type of home improvement to align with energy efficiency.
- Attic Insulation
- New Energy Efficient Lighting
- Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning
- HVAC
What Are The Eligibility Criteria To Qualify For Energy Savings Assistance Program?
Following are the eligibility criteria to qualify for the energy assistance program and reduce your utility and home energy bills in the United States of America.
- Be a citizen of the United States, a legal permanent resident or an eligible immigrant
- Must meet the income criteria of the program. In other words, have income less than 80% of the area median income.
- Be 18 years of age and have a valid Social Security number
- Demonstrate a strong financial need for instance utility shut off, eviction notice or any financial hardship that you’re going through.
Documentation Required To Apply For Energy Savings Assistance Program
The government and charitable organizations need candidates to verify their financial and personal situation before receiving help with energy bills. Sometimes the funding for the program is limited and is available on a first come first serve basis therefore you need to make sure you have relevant documents handy to avoid delays.
Following are other general documents that are required.
- Proof of citizenship or valid immigration documents
- Social Security number for the applicant and all the household members
- Government-issued photo identification, passport, driver’s license and original birth certificates
- Copy of your lease or mortgage
- Proof of your household income over the past 30 or 60 days including pay stubs, bank statements, tax forms, W2 forms
- Household documents and bills for instance eviction notices or utility bills.
Document stating financial hardship such as a medical bill, car repair receipts, paperwork, hospital discharge, disability, loss of income or termination letter from employer etc.
What Are The Available Energy Savings Assistance Program By The Government To Reduce Your Bill?
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
The federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program offers grants to states, territories, tribes and the District of Columbia to assist low-income individuals with their home heating and cooling bills. The program offers assistance with home energy bills and also provides funding for making minor home repairs to make property energy efficient and reduce build costs.
Every state has its own rules and regulations for low-income home energy assistance programs. The eligibility criteria of the program require candidates to be a citizen of the United States and have a household income less than 150% of the federal poverty level or 60% of the state median income.
The primary objective of the program is to provide financial assistance to medically disadvantaged individuals and low income to offset the cost of home improvements and utility bills and improve energy efficiency in their homes. The grants can be used towards energy-efficient replacement windows, replacement of outdoor doors, insulation, changes in drafty basements or leaky roofs etc.
Weatherization Assistance Program
The Weatherization Assistance Program assists low-income individuals and families to reduce their home energy bills permanently by making necessary energy-efficient upgrades in their homes.
The program is funded by the US Department of Energy and administered by the Indian tribal government and US Overseas Territories manage the day-to-day operation of the program.
The US Department of Energy funds the WAP to assist low-income families who want to save money on their utility bills and adopt efficient systems in their homes. To qualify for assistance you need to make sure your household income is less than 200% of the federal poverty level.
An average household can make a yearly saving of $350. You can reduce home energy bills by opting for efficiency measures, replacing the heating and cooling system, installing insulation, reducing the electrical base load consumption etc.
Heating System Repair And Replacement Program
The US Housing and Community Development Department sponsors the Heating System Repair and Replacement program to help low-income individuals with energy and utility grants and reduce their financial burden.
Low-income households who are struggling financially can fix their heating system by becoming eligible for the program. The program helps with emergency heating system repair services and in this way reduces your home energy bills. To receive energy grants you can dial 978-373-1971.
Administration On Aging
The Administration On Aging offers a variety of grants and referrals for low-income senior citizens so that they can reduce their household energy bills by making necessary home modification work.
The grants are offered to eligible candidates through funding distributed by the federal government’s weatherization assistance program.
Eligible candidates can use the funding for insulation, making energy-efficient models, structural repairs to their leaky roofs, and replacing old doors and windows with new ones and foundation cracks.
If you’re looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency of your house you can directly apply to the Administration on Aging in your local area and provide relevant documents for instance proof of income and an identity card.
Emergency Home Energy Assistance For The Elderly Program
The Senior Resource Alliance funds the Emergency Home Energy Assistance For The Elderly Program through which low-income senior citizens can cover their home energy bills if they’re going through a crisis or financial hardship.
This is a federally funded program that offers residents up to $600 for poor people. To qualify for home energy assistance you will need to make sure you meet the age and income requirements of the program, be approved by the Senior Resource Alliance and have past due utility bills or utility cut-off notices. Learn more about energy grants and how to get help with utility by dialing 407-514-1800.
Recommended: Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)
State Government Assistance Programs
A lot of states provide emergency assistance to low-income individuals who are facing utility shut-offs or are struggling to afford their home energy bills. To find out the available programs in your local area you can contact the National Energy Assistance Referral Project at 1-866-674-6327. Following are few statewide programs that help with energy savings.
SoCalGas Energy Savings Assistance Program
SoCalGas Energy Assistance programs is another well known program that offers energy efficient appliances and services to the common people. The main aim of the assistance program is to help the people to save their hard earned money by saving energy.
The program offers appliances like water heater blankets, attic insulation, faucets aerators, door weather stripping, low flow showerheads, minor repair for interior and exterior doors, clothes washer service, water heater replacement or repair and furnace replacement or repair.
Pacific Gas and Electric (PGE) Energy Savings Assistance Program
PGE Energy Saving assistance program is a popular energy saving program. It is an energy assistance program that is run by PGE. PGE stands for Pacific Gas and Electric and it is an investor-owned utility. PGE is already working to implement the an energy saving assistance program. The customers who are income qualified can surely get energy efficient assistance and save energy
SCE Energy Savings Assistance Program
SCE Energy Saving Assistance program is another well known program that is beneficial for the common people. It is an energy savings assistance program that is backed and administered by the California Public Utilities Commission.
However, the main aim of the program is to save and conserve energy for the future generation. The low income people and the qualified customers can surely receive energy efficient appliances at discounted price or for free.
SDG&E Energy Savings Assistance Program
SDG&E stands for San Diego Gas and Electric. It is another well known energy saving assistance program that helps the low income families in the community. There are two types of programs for the low income customers, the programs has been mentioned below:
CARE stands for California Alternate Rate for Energy that provides a 20 percent discount on energy bills.
FERA or Family Energy Rate Assistance is designed for those people who are unable to qualify for CARE. The customers who are eligible for FERA get around a 12 percent discount on energy bills.
Non Profit Organizations That Help With Energy Savings Assistance Programs to Reduce Bill Cost
Community Action Agencies
Community Action Agencies are local nonprofit organizations that assist poor, low-income, unemployed and senior citizens who are struggling financially to pay their home energy bills.
The organization administers and accepts an application for the energy assistance program for instance LIHEAP. You can contact the agency in your local area to get utility bill assistance and reduce your home energy bills.
Catholic Charities
The Catholic Charities are located throughout the United States of America including other parts of the world and help people with emergency assistance to meet their basic needs for instance home energy bills and utility costs.
The charity offers short-term financial assistance for paying overdue utility bills. Some additional programs include food assistance, employment and adult education, clothing and housing assistance, housing counseling etcetera.
Salvation Army
A charity known as the Salvation Army offers temporary assistance to low-income households going through an emergency or financial hardship.
The programs include help with utilities, home energy bills, rent and housing assistance, food support and so on. For instance, the Relief for Energy Assistance Program in California offers $200 assistance to low-income families to avoid utility disconnection.
The Heat share program in North Dakota and Minnesota by the Salvation Army enables people to pay for their oil, natural gas, wood, electricity and propane. The priority is given to low-income families with children, disabled individuals and senior citizens..
Society Of St. Vincent De Paul
The charity Society of St. Vintage de Paul works for the less fortunate and disadvantaged communities throughout America and other parts of the world.
The charity helps people with necessities like housing and utilities, home energy bills, prescriptions, clothing, food and job training. If you need assistance to pay your past due utility bill, reduce your home energy bills or housing assistance you can contact the charity by visiting the website svdpusa.org.
Lutheran Services In America
The Lutheran Services in America is a popular nonprofit organization that has branches running throughout the nation. The organization offers services for instance financial assistance at times of emergency or hardship.
The funding will help people to make ends meet and pay for their unpaid bills for instance electric bills or water bills. To receive help with home energy bills you can dial 800-664-3848.
The United Way
Even though the United Way does not provide help with direct utility or home energy bills you can dial 211 helplines so that you can get connected to local charitable organizations that can provide you with the right assistance.
The specialist will evaluate your financial situation and will direct you to services and programs that can make ends meet. You can also visit the 211.org website and enter your zip code to receive assistance in your local area.
Heat And Warmth Fund
Heat and Warmth Fund is a nonprofit organization situated in Michigan that provides energy efficiency education, energy bill assistance and utility crisis support programs for low-income households.
The organization also partners with utility companies, nonprofits and government agencies to provide supportive services to eligible households and help them with weatherization improvement, furnace repair and replacement, home energy bill payment and energy improvement education programs to increase awareness regarding energy poverty in Michigan.
The Dollar Energy Fund
The Dollar Energy Fund is a non-governmental charity that assists people with home energy and utility assistance and has been running since 1983. Multiple electricity companies run the Dollar Energy Fund for low-income households.
Under this program, you can receive energy grants and utility help if you are struggling financially. Founded in Pittsburgh PA the nonprofit organization is expanding services in other parts of the United States. The main objective is to offer energy grants and energy assistance to vulnerable populations who are unable to pay their utility or home energy bills.
Recommended: Union plus home heating oil & Mortgage Assistance programs
Conclusion
Low-income individuals and vulnerable communities who are looking for energy savings assistance programs to reduce their utility and home energy bills can turn to federal and state government agencies including nonprofits and charities that offer vital services and lifelines to make sure financially challenged individuals can access necessities like heating and cooling systems. The impact of the aforementioned grants and programs enables people to overcome energy poverty and improve their lives. From WAP to federally funded LIHEAP there are wide areas of assistance programs for those in need.
If you have liked this guide and desire to learn more about financial resources available from the government then check our other posts available on the Get Government Grants. website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any energy savings assistance programs for the low income people?
Yes, you can surely find a few energy savings assistance programs for the low income people. But it is important for you to meet the eligibility criteria to qualify for this program.
Is it possible to get a free PC&E Refrigerator?
You should clearly understand that the PG&E is only open to those who are customers of Pacific Gas and Electric Utility Company. You can surely find refrigerators and freezers from this program but it is important for you to meet the eligibility criteria to qualify for the program.
Who can qualify for the PG&E program?
You should clearly have an idea that it is not possible to provide everyone with a free energy assistance program. The organization has limited funds and therefore it is important to meet the eligibility requirements to qualify for the program. The family income should be less than $34840 having family composition of 1 or 2 to qualify for the program.
