Where will the money come from?
- August 23, 2018
- Heat Smart
It’s a common question for America’s heat insecure when facing the approaching winter and increasing energy bills. The burden of high energy costs weighs heavily on those least able to afford it.
It’s also a common question for those of us working in heat assistance programs. The need is great (nearly 1 in 4 Americans are eligible for federal and state home energy assistance) and resources are tight. We partner with organizations throughout the U.S. to distribute Heat Smart Kits to low-income families and they often ask us for funding ideas, so we thought we’d share them with you here. In addition to the usual energy assistance budgets, think about:
- LIHEAP Crisis funds – Heat Smart kits are an approved expenditure for these funds to help those in crisis.
- Assurance 16 funds – This provision gives LIHEAP grantees the option of spending five percent of their LIHEAP funds on services that encourage and enable households to reduce their home energy needs and thereby the need for energy assistance.
- Grants – Many charitable foundations include heat assistance or reducing energy dependence as part of their mission. And if writing grant applications isn’t your strong suit, we can connect you with a qualified grant writer who can help.
- Weatherization Programs – Because Heat Smart kits include weather-stripping to reduce drafts and energy use, these programs align with our mission.
- Corporate Gifts/PR budgets – Many businesses have a charitable giving division you can partner with for funding to reach more families. In fact, we work with National Grid’s Customer Care Outreach Team to get Heat Smart kits to returning veterans struggling to set up households.
We hope these ideas get your brainstorming juices going and provide new ideas for your program or organization. We’ll be at several industry trade shows this fall, including the CAP Annual Convention in Denver, CO; the NASCP Annual Training Conference in Bellevue, WA; and the NAHRO National Conference & Expo in Atlanta, GA; so, stop by and see us. We’d be happy to discuss ideas on how we can all work together to reach more families in need.