Community Connections and Your Home Energy Efficiency

NeighborWorks® Toledo Region partners with FirstEnergy-Toledo Edison and Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy to provide income eligible homeowners and renters with free home energy upgrades to help lower the cost of monthly electric bills. Regardless of the season, our goal is to help make your home comfortable and efficient. Here's how we do it:

1. Eligibility: All applicants must have a total household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline. Click here to view the income guidelines.
   

2. Application: You can access our application right here on our website! Click here to view our Community Connections page to download your application. Notice the documents you'll need to provide to prove your eligibility. In order to process your application, we need:
   

   1. A completed application with signatures and dates.
      

   2. Your most recent Toledo Edison bill (photo-copy).
      

   3. A copy of your photo ID.
      

   4. W-2's or 1099's for the previous year.
      

   5. Copies of your three most recent consecutive paystubs (or 90 days).
      

   6. If applicable:
      

      1. An award letter from the Social Security Administration stating your monthly amount for the previous and current year. You can call 1-800-772-1213 to request this information, or visit your local SSA office.
         

      2. Documentation from Lucas County Job & Family Services detailing your cash income only for the last 12 months.
         

      3. Documentation of unemployment benefits with its beginning date and your weekly benefit amount.
         

      4. Documentation of your pension benefit amount for the previous 12 months and current year.
         

      5. Other: if your income is zero within the last 12 months for any household member over the age of 19, OR if you have gaps in your yearly income, you must complete Appendix IV: Self-Declaration of Income in the application packet.
         

3. Energy Audit: Each applicable document listed above must be submitted in order for your application to be processed. As an organization, we cannot provide conservation measures without first verifying your eligibility. Once your completed application is submitted and your income is verified, we will reach out to you to schedule an energy audit. Your energy audit determines how efficiently your refrigerator (and, if applicable, your deep freezer) is operating. We may find that your appliance is using up an excessive amount of electricity to operate. If this is the case, we coordinate with local hardware and appliance stores to supply you with a brand-new energy efficient appliance. Your replacement appliance will be scheduled for installation at a later date.
   

4. Conservation and Savings: While your appliance is metered for its efficiency, we will swap out your light bulbs with efficient LED lightbulbs, replace your carbon monoxide detector, and supply you with smart power strips to cut down on excess energy usage. Each of these items will help you save on your electric costs. In fact, you may be able to save between $50-90 per year just by using a single smart power strip!
   

5. Your Next Steps: After our work in your home is completed, we ask that you share your experience with us so that we may spread the word about the impact local partnerships have on Toledo's energy efficiency efforts. Tell a family member, friend, or neighbor about your new energy upgrades and help them get connected with our office. Together, we can help Toledo stay green.