REACH
PROCESS TEMPLATE FOR LOCAL UTILITY ADVOCACY
for
Utility Funded Low Income Assistance
A ten-step action program for community based organizations
By Michael Karp
STEP:
1. DEFINING SUCCESS – YOUR PROPOSAL
Write down the outcome you wish, concisely but with bulleted bottom-line detail (e.g. # of clients to be served, benefits per household, program budget, outreach and intake responsibility and costs, education, integration with other funding sources if necessary, Timeline for implementation, etc.)
List out the demographics in the community of those in need. Show how many low- income households are currently at 125 percent of federal poverty guidelines (or 60 percent state median income) and what percentage of the overall population, or residential customers, they are.
Write down the advantages and opportunities present for all the parties:
- The utility gets to reduce bad debt and collection costs, shutoff costs, positive image in the community for "doing the right thing", etc.
- The low -income population gets much needed assistance to help afford this basic need commodity that is integral to modern life.
- The local agency gets to diversify and extend funding for low income assistance and stabilize staffing and overhead.
- Other ratepayers get help with the fixed costs of the distribution system by having low income customers be able to afford these costs and stay on the system, rather than fall off and be homeless.
Put the above in proposal format
2. GETTING YOUR OWN ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT
In order to move forward, the support of the community based organizations decision-makers (board of directors, executive director, program director) should be in place.
Determine whether anyone on staff or the board of your organization has a tie in with the utility (e.g. a utility commissioner may sit on your board; a county commissioner who has a strong relationship with a utility commissioner; an existing board member may be a friend,, relative, business associate, etc. with a utility decision-maker). Identify this internal resource person and ask if they will assist you in making contact with the utility.
3. FINDING A CHAMPION WITHIN THE UTILITY
Start with someone you have a positive relationship with, or with someone that someone else you know does (a board member at your agency, staffer, friend, etc) at the utility that has a sensitivity toward low income and/or energy efficiency and meet with them to request their "advice" on how to proceed. This is a safe way to get your foot in the door and to start garnering support. Once someone gives advice they usually feel they have a stake in the relationship or issue and may feel responsible to use their position to help you. Lay out the goals you have for a utility funded low income program to them, citing the incentives for the utility and to the community . Let them know the overall need and the other programs in place and why they still fall short. Discuss precedent set with other public utilities on the issue as a vision of possibility for them. Let them know the support you have in place from others in the community (politicians, businesses, good government groups, environmental organizations, senior and disability organizations, etc.)
4. BRINGING IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT
Obtain letters of support:
(Examples to choose from)
Local politicians (e.g. mayor, city council member, county council member, state representative); your U.S. Congressional office;
Senior Citizen agencies
Disability advocacy organizations
Farmworker groups
Local League of Women Voters
Local Conservation groups
Local welfare rights groups
Local unions
Local vendors and contractors
Legal service offices
State Community Development, Housing, or Energy Departments
Northwest Energy Coalition
Affordable Housing groups
5. MEETING WITH YOUR UTILITY REPRESENATIVES
Request a meeting with the champion in the utility or the utility general manager (unless the champion is the general manager) to talk about your issue. Also, set up a meeting with each Utility Commissioner. In these meetings, discuss the need of low income households and the benefits of low income assistance and demonstrate to the utility what other public utilities have done similarly (e.g . Eugene Water and Electric Board, Seattle City Light, Snohomish County PUD, Clark County PUD, etc.) and the support for the low income assistance program from other stakeholders in your own community.
Get the local newspaper to do a piece on the assistance program, putting a human face on the issue. Prepare demographics that demonstrate need so you can give it to the reporter, with other information about the program and about the opportunity that the new low income discount could pose for the community.
This media exposure puts local pressure on decision-makers and also better informs them of the program.
7. BRINGING IN OTHER EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL UTILITY FUNDED LOW INCOME WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS
Keep a list of other utility contacts that have funded low income assistance programs . . . you may need and want them as references for your utility staff/commissioners or even have them come in as a resource when you do your presentation.
8. PARTICIPATING IN THE UTILITY DECISIONMAKING PROCESS
Request time on a utility board meeting agenda for a presentation on the issue to the board. You may need to first address a utility staff meeting to get them comfortable. However, ultimately it is the Commission that will make these policy decisions and they are really the target audience. The staff will have impact on the program design however, and that can make or break the effectiveness of the program.
Have visuals for a presentation, perhaps a power point program about your agency. A presentation that demonstrates need and puts a face on poverty is very important.
9. BE PRESENT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE UTILITY BOARD MEETING WHEN THIS ISSUE COMES UP FOR A VOTE
Have low -income ratepayers that stand to directly benefit in the audience and have some speak at the public comment period. Also have some of the stakeholder groups that you have garnered support from there to speak in favor of the proposal.
Defending your accomplishments in future challenges brought about by staff changes, financial pressures at the utility, Utility Board changes, etc. Continue watchdog role. Always be alert for opportunities to keep improving the program design and funding levels.
A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity
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