January, 2020
POLICY UPDATES
Dominion Merchant Function Exit

Exiting the merchant function means that the utility would no longer provide a default offer for customers. Currently, commercial customers do not have access to Dominion’s default offer, the Standard Choice Offer (SCO), and residential customers must call Dominion to be placed on the rate, which many people have. Why? Because the SCO is almost always the lowest rate available.

PROGRAM UPDATES
Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriations…Finally!

Congress finished up appropriations for FY 2020 just before Christmas. The outcome for our programs was amazing. The Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) saw the largest increase since ARRA, with funding increasing from $257 million to $308.5 million, a 20% increase. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) also received an increase of $50 million, for total funding of $3.74 billion.

Feedback Needed
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

OPAE is interested in learning more about the implications of moving the HEAP application processing to the agencies.
Fiscal Year Funding for 2021 Already Kicked Off

When Congress passes a funding bill, it’s time to get busy on appropriations for the following year. OPAE has a seat on the Board of the National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC), and is working to coordinate Ohio agencies and those throughout the region to support HEAP appropriations. This year’s All-Party letter, the opening salvo in the process, is available for signature. Please consider signing your agency on today! Let’s make sure there’s a good Ohio showing. Thanks to all of you who have already responded to this request!
RESOURCES
We Need You!
Communicating to the public about all the wonderful, compassionate work our members provide is critical to showing our collective value and impacts we are having in communities across the state.

To that end, we really need your stories, photos, events, news...anything! We'll share what you provide us on our social media networks and in upcoming monthly newsletters. And we really need your support on social media. So please like, follow, share and comment on our posts.
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

Ashtabula County Community Action Agency - Showing Heart

The Ashtabula County Community Action Agency's Weatherization Program was called out urgently to an elderly couple's home. Their bathroom floor had been effected by water damage and as a result the entire room was caving into the basement below it. We are funded by a source specifically focused on seniors- but the cap for spending in that program is $500 per household. Case managers in our program were able to coordinate with multiple funding sources to raise the money to completely re do the bathroom and conduct a safety audit of the home.
  • The men and women at member agency Highland County Community Action Organization, Inc. are working hard to bring smiles to the people of their community! READ MORE >>>

  • Thank you Ohio Department of Aging and Governor Mike DeWine for awarding Trumbull and Ashtubula counties with funding to help deliver fresh and clean food to needy community members.READ MORE >>>

  • Congratulations to Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) for welcoming the Village of Gambier into your membership! READ MORE >>>

  • Looks like Great Lakes Community Action Partnership is going to be busy helping vulnerable seniors in their community make ADA-types of improvements in their homes thanks to a grant from the Ohio Development Services Agency. READ MORE >>>

  • Congratulations to East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation (EANDC) for its new CEO, Cheryl Stephens and for taking control of what will be the new iPromise Village. READ MORE >>>

  • Thank you PeoplesBank for the compassion and generosity of your community. Peoples Bank donated 100 winter coats to children in their community, including our member agency Washington Morgan Community Action. READ MORE >>>