ULC May 2015 Partner Spotlight – Energy Outreach Colorado!
The Urban Land Conservancy celebrates the achievements of its partnerships that create and preserve nonprofit facilities and affordable housing for communities in metro Denver. ULC’s Monthly Partner Spotlight is awarded to partners who demonstrate the value of collaboration, furthering our mission to improve the lives of Denver area residents through our real estate investments and community assets.
Congratulations to our May 2015 Partner Spotlight of the Month: Energy Outreach Colorado!
Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) is the only nonprofit organization in the state providing funds to help limited-income Coloradans and nonprofit organizations afford energy. Since it was established 25 years ago, EOC has distributed more than $200 million throughout the state to help low income households and nonprofit organizations pay for utilities. EOC’s three primary programs include energy bill payment assistance, emergency home heating repair, and energy efficiency improvements for nonprofits and affordable housing.
Last winter, EOC and its network of assistance organizations distributed over $11 million to 115,000 homes for emergency bill payment assistance in the form of direct payments to utility companies. Among other energy necessities, this program helps families keep their heat on, especially during the chilliest months of the year when cold snaps can dramatically increase energy bills. EOC also provided nearly $2 million worth of repairs to home heating systems in 2014. Without this critical aid, some Coloradans would not only risk living without heat, but also potential house fires caused by broken or outdated furnaces and boilers.
To help Coloradans afford home energy in the long run, EOC provides energy efficiency upgrades for affordable housing communities to lower their energy costs so tenants can better afford to pay their bills. In 2014, EOC installed $4.6 million in improvements impacting 4,565 housing units. The Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Program, NEEP, provides funds for energy efficiency improvements to nonprofits. This program reduces energy expenses and in turn maximizes an organization’s budget for other vital community services. In 2013, 44 nonprofit facilities were weatherized through NEEP including some of ULC’s nonprofit facilities.
Throughout the years, NEEP has been a major player in ULC’s asset management and facility improvement projects. EOC has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to support energy efficiency and weatherization upgrades at 6 of our properties (Tramway Nonprofit Center, Social Enterprise Foundry, Curtis Park Community Center and Nonprofit Center, Villas at Wadsworth, Dahlia Apartments, and Villa TOD). Upgrades have included installing LED lighting, new boilers, and a new swamp cooler, as well as insulation and window replacement. These upgrades have significantly reduced ULC’s upfront capital costs for the improvements as well as saving significant utility expenses. ULC’s reduced expenses are then passed on as savings to our tenants.
“The incredible work of Energy Outreach Colorado allows ULC to provide low-income residents and nonprofit tenants with a reduced cost of utilities,” states ULC President and CEO Aaron Miripol. “This means residents have more income to spend on other essentials, and our nonprofit tenants can apply more funds to programming rather than monthly energy bills.”
EOC’s programs not only benefit individual households and organizations, all of Colorado’s energy market is enhanced by the organization’s work. Because EOC pays overdue bills, utility companies can reduce their write-offs and collection costs. This, along with a reduced demand on the grid created through energy efficiency upgrades should decrease power generation costs to all consumers. Additionally, energy efficiency upgrades lower energy consumption overall, in turn reducing green house gas emissions and CO2 output into the air we breathe. EOC really knows how to promote all aspects of social, environmental, and financial returns!
“We are gratified to collaborate with community-focused organizations such as ULC to increase the livability and sustainability of Colorado,” said Skip Arnold, executive director of Energy Outreach Colorado. “Our state is fortunate to have many committed and efficient organizations all working toward a better life for all of our residents.”
EOC, an accredited charity member of the Better Business Bureau, has received 13 consecutive top ratings from Charity Navigator and only uses 5% of its total budget on administrative costs. We are truly impressed by all the great work you do Energy Outreach Colorado! Thank you for supporting our ability to improve ULC properties and helping all Coloradans afford energy!
Visit www.EnergyOutreach.org for more information or call toll-free 1-866-HEAT-HELP to learn more about bill pay assistance.