Columbus Enacts Utility Assistance Fund With The Columbus Foundation
Emergency legislation provides $10,000 in seed money and sets up charitable donations to help low-income residents with utility bills ahead of 2027 rate increases.
Columbus has enacted emergency legislation partnering with The Columbus Foundation to create the Columbus Water and Power Assistance Fund, establishing a charitable program to assist utility customers experiencing financial hardship.
The ordinance authorizes an agreement with The Columbus Foundation to provide for the establishment and management of the assistance fund. Columbus City Council approved the measure on Oct. 26, Mayor Andrew Ginther signed it on Oct. 27, and the city clerk completed final attestation on Oct. 28.
The fund creates a charitable mechanism to accept voluntary contributions from individuals, businesses, corporations, and philanthropic partners, according to city records. Donated contributions will provide utility bill assistance to eligible customers experiencing financial hardship and support utility affordability initiatives.
To launch the initiative, the city authorized $10,000 in initial seed money split among the four municipal utility operating funds: electricity, water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater. Under the agreement, Columbus Water and Power will retain responsibility for establishing program requirements, determining eligibility, and approving assistance, while The Columbus Foundation handles charitable fund administration, processing contributions, accounting, and investing fund assets.
The assistance fund is structured to help buffer vulnerable customers ahead of municipal utility rate increases scheduled to take effect in 2027. City officials approved the ordinance as an emergency measure to ensure the fund can begin receiving donations and distributing aid as quickly as possible.
The charitable fund will supplement rather than replace the city's existing customer aid. Columbus Water and Power already operates an income-qualified discount that lowers usage charges for qualifying low-income residents and a senior customer discount that waives monthly service charges for eligible older adults. The foundation-managed fund adds emergency bill assistance to help prevent service shutoffs.
Previously, Pique Media reported on council plans to consider establishing the assistance fund on Oct. 23.
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Supporting evidence (8)
Columbus has enacted emergency legislation partnering with The Columbus Foundation to create the Columbus Water and Power Assistance Fund, establishing a charitable program to assist utility customers experiencing financial hardship.
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The City of Columbus would like to establish the Columbus Water and Power Assistance Fund at The Columbus Foundation to create a charitable mechanism through which individuals, businesses, corporations, organizations, customers, philanthropic partners, and other interested parties may make voluntary contributions to support utility customer assistance and other approved utility-related community initiatives and projects.
The ordinance authorizes an agreement with The Columbus Foundation to provide for the establishment and management of the assistance fund.
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SECTION 1. That the Director of Columbus Water and Power is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with The Columbus Foundation to provide for the establishment and management of a charitable fund to be known as the Columbus Water and Power Assistance Fund.
The fund creates a charitable mechanism to accept voluntary contributions from individuals, businesses, corporations, and philanthropic partners, according to city records.
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WHEREAS, the City desires to establish a charitable fund that will provide individuals, businesses, corporations, organizations, philanthropic partners, and other interested parties with a mechanism to make voluntary charitable contributions for the benefit of Columbus Water and Power customers and other approved utility-related community initiatives and projects; and,
Donated contributions will provide utility bill assistance to eligible customers experiencing financial hardship and support utility affordability initiatives.
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Contributions may be used to supplement existing utility affordability and customer assistance programs, provide utility bill assistance to eligible customers experiencing financial hardship, and support other approved utility-related community initiatives and projects.
To launch the initiative, the city authorized $10,000 in initial seed money split among the four municipal utility operating funds: electricity, water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater.
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SECTION 10. That for the purpose stated in Section 3, the expenditure of $10,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from Columbus Water and Power object class 05 Other, split among the Electricity, Water, Sanitary Sewer, and Stormwater Operating Funds, per the accounting codes in the attachments to this ordinance.
Under the agreement, Columbus Water and Power will retain responsibility for establishing program requirements, determining eligibility, and approving assistance, while The Columbus Foundation handles charitable fund administration, processing contributions, accounting, and investing fund assets.
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Columbus Water and Power will retain responsibility for establishing program requirements, determining eligibility for assistance, approving assistance, and directing the use of distributions from the fund.
Under the agreement, Columbus Water and Power will retain responsibility for establishing program requirements, determining eligibility, and approving assistance, while The Columbus Foundation handles charitable fund administration, processing contributions, accounting, and investing fund assets.
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The Columbus Foundation will provide charitable fund administration, including the receipt and administration of contributions, investment of fund assets, accounting and reporting, and processing of authorized distributions.
The assistance fund is structured to help buffer vulnerable customers ahead of municipal utility rate increases scheduled to take effect in 2027.
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SECTION 11. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure to allow contributions to be received and made available for eligible purposes as soon as possible and in time to help offset 2027 rates increases
Columbus City Council to Consider Utility Assistance Fund With The Columbus Foundation
Supporting evidence (2)
Columbus Water and Power already operates an income-qualified discount that lowers usage charges for qualifying low-income residents and a senior customer discount that waives monthly service charges for eligible older adults.
Read supporting passage
Columbus Water and Power already operates an income-qualified discount program that lowers usage charges for qualifying low-income residents, alongside a senior customer discount that waives monthly service charges for eligible older adults.
Previously, Pique Media reported on council plans to consider establishing the assistance fund on Oct. 23.
Read supporting passage
Columbus City Council to Consider Utility Assistance Fund With The Columbus Foundation