Find answers to your most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Dollar Energy Fund’s programs, donations, and other services.
Step 1 – Contact your utility company. They will screen you for eligibility and refer you to a Community Based Organization (CBO) in your area that will assist you with the application process. Your utility company will also be able to tell you about other programs that may be available to help you.
Step 2 – Make an appointment with the CBO to which you were referred. Hours vary for each organization. Use our Agency Finder to identify additional agencies in your area.
Step 3 – Bring all necessary information to your appointment at the CBO. You will need:
Step 4 – Complete the application with the CBO intake worker. Once the application is complete, the CBO will submit the application to Dollar Energy Fund. After submission, applications are usually processed within two business days.
Step 5 – If you are awarded a grant, the money will be applied directly to your utility account within four to six weeks. If the grant was not approved, you will receive written notification by mail or email the day after your application is processed.
Step 6 – Continue to make regular utility payments. A Dollar Energy Fund grant is not a substitute for your regular monthly payment.
Customers of the following utility companies may be able to complete portions of their application online through our MyApp portal. Program guidelines and eligibility requirements are subject to change.
You can view the status of your application at any time through our MyStatus portal. You will need to enter your utility account number.
Please use our agency finder to view agency locations in your area. You can schedule an appointment with the agency that is most convenient for you.
Some common types of documentation are pay stubs from the last 30 days, current year Social Security award letters, unemployment award letters and child support court orders. Dollar Energy Fund can typically accept screenshots taken with your cellular phone.
There are three ways to submit documents. The most efficient way is to upload using our customer portal (www.dollarenergy.org/MyDocs). You can email the documents to the program-specific email address found in your Next Steps email that you received at the time that you applied. Finally, you can fax your documents by printing a personalized fax cover sheet through a link in your Next Steps email.
There are a number of reasons why an application is denied. Follow the link in the email or text message notification you received for more information. You can also view the status of your application at any time through our MyStatus portal. You will need to enter your utility account number.
We always recommend that you contact your utility company directly to see what programs and assistance they have available for their customers. You can also reach out to your local United Way, county assistance office or other community-based assistance agencies for additional resources.
Currently, all donations with the exception of those earmarked for our utility partners in Nebraska and our partnership with AlexRenew will automatically be matched dollar for dollar.
Dollar Energy Fund uses a donor’s zip code to earmark a donation to the closest available hardship fund. If we don’t have a program operating in your zip code, we will assign it to the closest utility company or divide it equally among the pool of donations available for customers of our utility partners in your state.
Anytime you contribute through your utility bill or through a utility-sponsored campaign, that donation will benefit limited-income customers of that utility.
If there is a specific program or state where you’d prefer your donation be used, or if you have any questions about your donation’s use, please contact us at donate@dollarenergy.org.
Unfortunately, not at this time. If you are looking to help a specific customer who is in need, we recommend working with them to make a payment directly to their account.
Dollar Energy Fund is a 501(c)3 organization and donations are fully tax deductible if no goods or services are received in exchange for your contribution. Please consult a tax professional for additional information.
We’d be happy to help you with this. Please contact us at donate@dollarenergy.org.
If your total annual donation is $250 or more, we can provide you with a written acknowledgment for your contributions. Please contact us at donate@dollarenergy.org with your utility company name, bill payer name and donation amount and we will process an acknowledgement letter for you.
Please understand that, due to privacy policies, our utility partners do not provide customer information without consent, so we may need you to reach out to your utility company prior to them verifying your donation amount.
This is a great way to maximize your donation since your donation and the matching contribution from your employer may be eligible for a dollar-for-dollar match. We would be happy to work with you to verify donations for corporate matching and assist with the necessary forms. Please contact us at donate@dollarenergy.org and let us know how we can help.
If you donate through your utility bill, you will need to contact your utility company directly to make changes to your donation. If you signed up to make a recurring donation through our website, we can assist you by contacting us at donate@dollarenergy.org.
Yes. Please contact us at donate@dollarenergy.org and we will help you with your request. We can provide a special acknowledgement card to the recipient of your choice.
Your incentive will be given to you after your donation has fully processed and as soon as the item is available. Depending on the event, items may be mailed directly from our event partner (KDKA-AM, iHeart, etc), the incentive provider or from Dollar Energy Fund’s offices. We kindly request three to four weeks following an event to complete this process.
Dollar Energy Fund administers all types of utility programs, including:
No, we do not administer government funded programs. However, we have a network of almost 500 community-based organizations in our utility service territories that take applications for LIHEAP and LIWAP.
Our utility partners provide the initial funding for programs, but as a non-profit organization, Dollar Energy Fund will assist in fundraising efforts.
Dollar Energy Fund partners with utilities that provide $20,000 a year and with utility companies that provide millions of dollars per year and many ranges in between. Each partner is unique and no program or utility is the exact same.
To learn more about our organization, software products and services, and partnership opportunities, please send an email to sales@dollarenergy.org and include your name, job title, utility company and contact information.
Still have a question about Dollar Energy Fund? Please let us know how we can help you.