As a nonprofit professional, you may work with clients who are balancing rising household expenses, struggling with utility bills, navigating language or technology barriers, or simply unsure where to turn for help. You may also be looking for ways to reduce energy costs at your own facilities.
If you or the people you serve are Puget Sound Energy (PSE) customers, our Customer Outreach team can help connect you with programs and resources that may make a difference.
PSE serves communities across 10 counties in Washington, and our Customer Outreach team works closely with community-based organizations, Tribes and other trusted partners to make energy resources easier to understand and access. We have a particular focus on reaching customers who may experience additional barriers, including low-income households, seniors, rural residents, customers with limited English proficiency, Tribal communities and small businesses.
For NAWA members, that means you don’t need to become an energy expert to help your clients find support. Our team can help you identify resources, answer questions, and equip your staff with information they can share with the communities you already know best.
If your clients are struggling with their energy bills
When a client tells you they’re having difficulty keeping up with energy costs, there may be more options available than they realize.
Income-qualified PSE customers may be eligible for programs such as the Bill Discount Rate, which provides ongoing monthly bill discounts, or Home Energy Lifeline Program (HELP), which provides financial assistance toward energy bills. Free weatherization services and other payment assistance resources may also be available. [pse.com], [pse.com]
As a nonprofit partner, you can help by making energy assistance part of the resources you routinely share with clients, especially when you’re already helping someone navigate food, housing, health or other financial needs.
And if an application feels difficult because of language, technology, mobility or other barriers, reach out. Our Customer Outreach team works with community partners to help make these resources more accessible.
For example, we have partnered with a mutual aid organization serving farmworkers to coordinate call-a-thons that help Spanish- and Mixteco-speaking customers connect with bill assistance. We’ve also worked with Evergreen Goodwill’s Digital Equity Bus to help customers who need additional technology support navigate online resources.
If your clients want to lower their energy use and costs
Sometimes the best assistance isn’t just help with today’s bill. It is finding opportunities to reduce energy use over time.
Home Energy Assessments can help customers better understand how their home uses energy and identify potential efficiency improvements. Income-qualified customers may also be eligible for free weatherization improvements, which can help improve home comfort while reducing energy use and monthly costs. [pse.com] [pse.com]
PSE customers may also be able to participate in PSE Flex, which rewards customers for reducing electricity use during periods of high demand. [pse.com], [pse.com]
These can be useful resources to keep in mind when you’re working with clients who are looking for longer-term ways to manage household expenses.
If your nonprofit is looking to reduce its own operating costs
These resources aren’t only for the people you serve. Your organization may benefit, too.
Qualifying small businesses and nonprofit organizations may be eligible for a Small Business Energy Assessment and energy-efficiency improvements such as lighting and equipment upgrades, often at little or no upfront cost. [pse.com]
For nonprofits managing community centers, offices, camps, service locations or other facilities, reducing energy use can mean putting more of your organization’s resources toward your mission. For example, PSE has worked with organizations such as Vashon’s Camp Burton to connect facilities with energy assessments and efficiency improvements.
Organizations may also have opportunities through Flex Business to earn incentives for temporarily reducing electricity use during periods of high demand, as well as programs supporting electrification and electric transportation. [pse.com], [pse.com] [pse.com] [pse.com]
If you serve Tribal communities
If your nonprofit works with Tribal communities, there are additional resources worth knowing about.
Eligible enrolled Tribal members living on Tribal trust lands may qualify for exemptions from certain utility taxes, helping reduce overall energy costs. PSE also works with Tribal residents, businesses and facilities to connect communities with applicable energy programs and resources. [pse.com]
Our team has also worked directly with Tribes on clean energy and resilience opportunities, including helping the Suquamish Tribe enroll in PSE’s Flex Battery program.
You can also bring these resources directly to your community
We know that people are often more comfortable receiving information from organizations and individuals they already trust. That’s why one of the most valuable roles NAWA members can play is simply helping connect the dots.
That could mean:
- Sharing PSE assistance information with a client who is worried about their energy bill
- Referring someone who may qualify for bill assistance or weatherization
- Inviting PSE outreach staff to participate in a community event or resource fair
- Connecting your staff with information they can share directly with clients
- Exploring whether your own nonprofit facility could benefit from an energy assessment or efficiency improvements
Our team uses a train-the-trainer approach with community partners because you know your clients and communities best. We can provide information and resources, while you help ensure they reach people in ways that are relevant and trusted.
Start with a conversation
You don’t need to know which PSE program is the right fit before reaching out.
If a client needs energy assistance, your organization wants to explore energy-saving opportunities, or you’re simply wondering what resources might be available to the community you serve, PSE’s Customer Outreach team can help you find a place to start.
Our goal is to make it easier for you to connect the people you serve with resources that can help make energy more accessible, affordable and equitable, as our region transitions toward a cleaner energy future. Reach out at [email protected].
About PSE:
- Washington state’s oldest and largest utility
- Regulated investor-owned utility serving 26M electric customers and 883K gas customers in 10 counties located primarily in Western Washington
Undergoing a historic transformation as we strive to meet some of the most ambitious clean energy laws in the nation