During the January meeting of its Board of Commissioners, held on January 26, 2021, Norwich Public Utilities (NPU) announced that it has contributed $147,993 to three local organizations through the State of Connecticut’s Neighborhood Assistance Act (NAA) program.

The NAA is a tax credit program administered by the Department of Revenue Services and is designed to provide funding for municipal and tax-exempt organizations through a tax credit for businesses that make cash contributions to organizations and projects approved by the State.

“The Neighborhood Assistance Act program is a very significant way for NPU to invest in our community with tax dollars that would otherwise go to Hartford,” said Chris LaRose, General Manager of NPU. “By keeping these dollars here in Norwich, we are helping outstanding organizations do more of their work for the benefit of our community.

Through the NAA, the following organizations will receive funding from NPU in 2021:

• St. Vincent de Paul Place ($92,772): The project will replace 16 original windows in the former St. Joseph School, a 96-year-old building, with new, energy-efficient windows as well as a modern HVAC system. This will dramatically improve the air-flow, temperatures, and energy efficiency in the community meal center, which provides more than 90,000 meals a year to those in need.
• Norwich Historical Society ($32,546): NPU funding will support two preservation projects in Norwichtown. $7,890 will be used for a project to install an HVAC system at the East District School House, which was built in 1789. The new HVAC system will help with climate control in the building and aid in its preservation; $24,656 will be used to help with energy conservation measures at the (circa 1783) Dr. Daniel Lathrop School House, which is used as the Norwich Heritage & Regional Visitor’s Center.
• The Arc Eastern Connecticut ($22,615): The Arc will upgrade the lighting at its Sachem Street facility by converting 217 fluorescent lightbulbs with LED bulbs, which will help the organization save nearly $7,000 on its energy costs each year. This will allow The Arc to redirect resources toward programming, which includes a range of occupational and recreational opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Each year, NPU pays Gross Revenues Tax to the State of Connecticut from the purchase of natural gas and electricity. The NAA limits participating organizations to $150,000 per year in tax credits and the statewide program has a cap of $5 million.