Fuel Fund of Maryland

The Fuel Fund of Maryland serves as a vital, non-governmental component of the social safety net delivering flexibility through independence, accountability through sound governance, and quality service delivery through more than three decades of experience. The immediate impact of ffm assistance is for a household struggling to afford a utility bill (with a household income at or below 200-percent of poverty) and their ability to keep their lights on and heating and cooling systems operational. The support we provide is a benefit to the community at large. Our utility crisis assistance model prevents fires, enables children to have cooked meals and do their homework; frees up resources to pay rent, supports life-saving medications, and even saves money toward a household's next utility bill.through the utility assistance department, ffm provides financial and community resources to low-income Maryland households to keep their power safely connected during times of a utility hardship (power turned off, impending turn off notice or high utility arrearage). Beyond direct financial assistance, a critical component of ffm support is the distribution of energy credits. Bge currently makes up to $2 million in ratepayer-funded credits on an annual basis, which is administered by the ffm. At the rate of $.50 for every $1 of private money paid on a bill, ffm applies the credits to the bge customer's bill at the time of financial assistance approval. The advantage created by use of these credits has directly resulted in more households being assisted by the ffm on an annual basis. For example, ffm can satisfy a $300 client hilt by utilizing $100 in donated funds combined with bge credits plus other charitable contributions (such as foundation funds) on behalf of the client as well as a payment by the client. Ffm is the only organization in the state of Maryland that can leverage bge ratepayer-funded credits.marylanders with incomes below 50 percent of the federal poverty level pay 32% percent of their monthly income for home energy, whereas 6 percent is considered affordable. Energy poverty is a crippling financial burden for low-income households, leaving little money available for housing, food, or medical care.from july i, 2022-june 30, 2023, ffm provided approximately $1.2 million dollars in financial assistance to more than 4,000 households within the bge service territory who were struggling with a utility hardship.the silver lights program, implemented in fy 22, continues to meet the needs of seniors (60+) and those with critical medical needs struggling with utility hardships. More than 30% of the households served by ffm are through the silver lights program.