Transcript Winning, Keeping, and Expanding Utility Assistance Programs

Organizing for Energy
Advocacy
November 8, 2005
Tampa, Florida
Presented By: Kip Bowmar
Kentucky Association for Community Action
101 Burch Court
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 875-5863 Fax: (502) 875-5865
Roles of Utilities
• Strengthening Existing Relationships with Utilities
 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)
 Weatherization
 Fuel Fund
 Relationships with Key Contacts
 Volunteers
 Possibly Serve on Board
• Strengthening Existing Relationships with
Utilities Continued
 Have them go to Congress for additional LIHEAP
Funds
 Help them understand increase in cut-offs has negative
effects on their bottom line and perceptions
 Have them go to the Governor
 Have regular meetings with utilities on key issues
• Market Your Outcomes and Accountability
Monitoring Reports
Audits
ROMA
Outside independent program evaluations
DOE studies on effectiveness
• Publicizing Your Success
Community Action Month
Weatherization Day
Idea: Generate 1 press release per month
Idea: Create Weatherization Awards
• Funding for energy advocacy work
Administrative dollars in LIHEAP budget (state
plan)
LIHEAP leveraging report
Weatherization leveraging dollars
Approaching fuel funds and other partners
Foundations
• Staffing
Either a full-time staff member or
A significant percentage of time of other staff
member
Entry level salary ($30k - $35k will vary by area)
Need to keep continuity because it takes a while
to learn the ropes of this field
• Building Partnerships within Community
Action Agencies and other non-profits
Recognize that conflict happens
The association can serve as a common meeting
point for CAA’s
Help local CAA’s recognize that they can all
benefit from a program in one area (expansion)
• Using data as a focal point
Provide data about percentage of unmet need for
media and congressional delegation
Provide data that shows the energy burden,
particularly this winter
Sources for data: state energy office, PUC-PSC,
Energy Information Authority, NCAF, state
association, or informal survey of customers
• Intervening at Your State Utility Regulatory
Body (PSC, PUC)
 Get Schedule of Proceedings at PSC
 Learn the Players at PSC in Regulatory Process
 Help regulators understand that an increase in bad debt
increases cost to all rate payers
• Pool Your Resources
 Work with Your State Community Action Association
 Work with Other Community Based Organizations and
Other Community Action Agencies
• Offer to do Pilot Programs
• Make it Easy for the Utility
• Be Prepared to Fight
 Going to Court if Necessary
• Go to the Legislature
Keep Existing
Programs
• Utility Relationship Management
• Know the Players
• Evaluations
 Make sure that a good evaluator is selected on the front
end
 Respond to Findings or Problems Immediately
• Create Professional Outcome Reports
Distribute to the Utility
Distribute to the Media
Distribute to Other Stakeholders
Distribute to Congressional Delegation
Expanding to New
Programs
• Take existing Models to Other Utilities
• Keep Stating the Case for Unmet Needs to
Existing Utilities in Effort to Secure Additional
Dollars
• Look to Non-Traditional Partners
Foundations
Other Community Groups
Other Local Businesses
• Market Your Success
• Use Board Members and Others to Serve as
Ambassadors for Your Program in Your
Community at Large