2009 Flex Your Power Community Outreach Campaign

Flex Your Power is a statewide community outreach campaign to promote energy efficiency. The goal of the Flex Your Power Community Outreach Campaign is to provide California's utility customers with information about ways they can help the environment and save money by reducing energy consumption and purchasing energy efficient appliances and materials.

The campaign is funded by California ratepayers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. We are seeking well-established non-profit, community-based organizations (CBOs) that have the capacity to reach large numbers of utility customers through creative and engaging outreach activities. Agencies selected through a competitive grant process will receive funding to implement local outreach strategies. Outreach team members are not required to be specialists in energy efficiency. Rather, we are seeking organizations that want to take an active role in educating their communities about ways to save energy, save money and save the environment.

Former grantees have included:

- school districts,

- environmental groups,

- chambers of commerce,

- community action agencies,

- agencies that serve seniors,

- youth development groups,

- volunteer centers and United Way agencies.

In addition to funding, outreach partner agencies will receive extensive training and technical assistance from Runyon Saltzman & Einhorn (RS&E), a Sacramento-based advertising and public relations firm contracted by the Commission to implement the outreach campaign. Messages are promoted through advertising and outreach in areas serviced by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas & Electric SDG&E).

2009 Grant Program

Through a competitive grant process, RS&E will fund up to 20 non-profit agencies to participate in the 2009 campaign.

$12,000 grant category

- Up to 16 CBOs in rural, non-metropolitan areas. They may include Chambers of Commerce; Community Action Agencies; Boys & Girls Clubs; YMCAs; 4H groups; United Ways, schools and colleges, environmental groups and agencies that serve seniors.

- Two CBOs that specialize in services targeting Hispanic populations in rural areas.

- One rural health organization to implement a pilot project to promote the link between saving energy and healthy lifestyles.

$24,000 grant category

- One agency located in Los Angeles or San Diego that has the capacity to promote campaign messages within a large urban area.

In addition to funding, team members are provided with training, campaign handouts, portable exhibits and ongoing technical assistance to support outreach activities. RS&E provides campaign advertisements for placement in local print publications as well as staff support for media relations and special events.

The Application Process

Application tentatively out in early January 2009 - - Due early February 2009

Interested agencies may request additional information about the grant program, sample proposals and application documents by contacting Alanna Sloan by phone at (916) 446-9900 or by email at asloan@rs-e.com