Sterling House Awarded $9,714 For Energy Efficiency Projects

STRATFORD, CT (Winter 2020) – Sterling House Community Center was the recent recipient of a $9,714 grant from the three subsidiaries of Avangrid, Inc., as part of the state of Connecticut’s 2019 Neighborhood Assistance Act (NAA) tax credit program. Sterling House is using the NAA funding on energy efficiency improvements and projects.

In total, United Illuminating (UI), Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG) and Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG) recently distributed more than $413,000 in grants including that to Sterling House aimed at helping community and neighborhood organizations across the state improve energy efficiency and reduce their energy costs.

During a ceremony at the Energize Connecticut Center in North Haven attended by Sterling House Development Director Chris Carroll, the three Connecticut subsidiaries of AVANGRID, Inc., awarded grants to 53 nonprofit organizations in 22 different communities throughout Connecticut. The grants, ranging from about $2,500 to $20,000, were provided under the state’s Neighborhood Assistance Act tax credit program.

Sterling House Executive Director Amanda Meeson said, “We are so grateful to AVANGRID and its subsidiary companies for providing us with much needed dollars to help us continue to bring our beloved 134-year-old Sterling House into the 21st century.

“With current and ongoing energy efficiency upgrades to our kitchen, roof, windows and doors, and our heating and air-conditioning systems, we will have no problem expensing the NAA award.”

Meeson added, “The best part is these efficiency updates will come back to us in actual energy cost savings through the years, adding to the benefit.”

“We are grateful for the many organizations in our community that enrich our lives and provide assistance for those less fortunate,” said Tony Marone, president and CEO of UI, SCG and CNG. “This program allows us to help our nonprofit partners achieve ongoing energy savings, so they can focus on the programs and services that they provide in the community.”

Connecticut’s Neighborhood Assistance Act (NAA) Tax Credit Program offers a corporate tax credit to encourage businesses to provide financial support to qualified local nonprofit organizations. Since 2010, UI, SCG and CNG have awarded more than $3.8 million in grants through the program.

“As our friends at Avangrid noted,” Meeson said, “non-profit agencies need to stretch every dollar - and energy efficiency savings is a great way to realize budgetary savings.

“All of our energy savings initiatives and projects are part of our critical building improvement and capital plan, supporting current programs and plans for potential program expansion here.”

Business firms requesting a NAA tax credit must be authorized to do business in Connecticut and be subject to any one of the following state taxes:

• The Insurance Premiums Tax (Chapter 207)
• The Corporation Business Tax (Chapter 208)
• The Public Services Companies taxes (Chapters 209, 210, 211 or 212), or,
• The Business Entity Tax (Chapter 213a)

This is the fourth year in a row that AVANGRID through its subsidiaries have supported Sterling House with NAA tax program funding.