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EAP Policy Manual FFY24 Chapter 7 Assurance 16 Page 9 Self-Sufficiency Skills Building Activities • Informal coaching and/or counselling. These activities involve working with clients to help them identify what they want to achieve regarding energy self-sufficiency, and eliciting solutions (possibly client-generated) and strategies to help achieve their goals. If done as part of a comprehensive needs assessment that includes longer term follow- up with the client, this activity would be considered a Proactive Energy Self-Sufficiency activity and require a Proactive ESS Plan. • Providing energy self-sufficiency information. This activity involves developing, producing and distributing energy self-sufficiency information. This could include information about reducing energy use (e.g., through low cost weatherization, by changing energy usage behaviors, etc.) or financial literacy education and/or resources. Classes (unless limited to a single occasion for a given client, or group of clients) would be considered a Proactive Energy Self-Sufficiency activity and require a Proactive ESS Plan. Referral and Advocacy Reporting Activities This includes time spent documenting, analyzing, evaluating and reporting on referral and outreach activities, including documenting client case notes. Other Activities If Service Providers believe an activity not listed here should be eligible for Responsive Energy Self-Sufficiency, contact the Commerce A16 Coordinator. If it is determined the activity should be considered eligible, Commerce will provide authorization and may include it in future versions of the EAP Policy Manual. Proactive Energy Self-Sufficiency Plans Because Commerce is reserving at least 10% of A16 funding for Proactive activities, plans must be submitted and approved before Commerce will make Proactive A16 funds available. Note that Service Providers are not required to conduct Proactive services; any unspent funds will be re-allocated for statewide use as outlined below. Proactive Energy Self-Sufficiency activities are distinguished from Responsive activities more by the manner in which they are planned, implemented, and evaluated than by the specific activities conducted (see the description of Responsive and Proactive Energy Self-Sufficiency). In fact, some of the specific activities conducted as part of a Proactive Plan may be similar to activities conducted for Responsive Energy Self-Sufficiency. For example, a Proactive Plan may include intensive, long-term case management with selected households along with an energy efficiency education curriculum that households participate in over a period of months. While participating households may receive referrals and energy efficiency education materials (activities that may also be conducted in a Responsive manner), the difference between the