The PPL Foundation’s Good Neighbor Fund provides grant support to nonprofit organizations that offer utility assistance to families struggling with residential energy costs in eastern and central Pennsylvania. This fund specifically supports nonprofits with established utility assistance programs that serve one or more of the 29 counties in PPL Electric’s service territory. The program’s goal is to alleviate financial hardship for households unable to meet home energy costs, with a focus on families facing extenuating circumstances or hardships.

To qualify, applicants must be nonprofit organizations operating an existing utility assistance program within the PPL Electric service area. These programs must provide financial assistance directly to households for various home energy expenses, which can include electricity, fuel, oil, and wood pellets. Nonprofits receiving grants will be expected to ensure that financial support prioritizes households with income levels not exceeding 300% of the federal poverty level and will be limited to $1,000 per household. Additionally, organizations must have systems in place to confirm recipients meet the utility program’s requirements.

Grant awards from the Good Neighbor Fund range from $10,000 to $30,000 per program. The fund also allows nonprofits to allocate up to 15% of the awarded amount as an administrative fee, which can be used for staffing, administrative expenses, and program-specific costs such as credit card processing fees or postage. Recipient organizations must distribute all grant funds to eligible households within six months of receiving the award and submit a final report by June 9, 2025, detailing how the funds were used to support the targeted communities.

The application period for the Good Neighbor Fund grant opened on September 23, 2024, and closes on October 29, 2024, at 11:59 PM. Grant notifications will be sent out in November 2024. Final reports documenting fund distribution and outcomes are due by June 9, 2025. This timeline ensures funds are disbursed during the winter months, when heating costs are likely to impact households most.

Interested nonprofits must apply through the Foundant portal hosted by the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation (LVCF). Organizations are required to complete an “Organizational Profile Form” in Foundant before submitting their grant application. This form can be accessed on the applicant’s Foundant homepage under “Apply” by selecting “LVCF Organizational Profile Form.” A preview of the form is available on the portal to assist applicants in preparing their information in advance.

For additional support during the application process, applicants can contact Monique Saunders Moreno, Program Officer for Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, at the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, via email at Monique@lvcfoundation.org. This resource ensures applicants receive any clarification needed on application steps or criteria to maximize their eligibility and readiness for the grant opportunity.