Request Community Support
Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) is proud to support local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that share our goals of energy conservation, environmental protection, professional development for TPU employees, and other causes that have a utility purpose.
A utility purpose is an activity or program that has a sufficient connection with the utility services TPU provides. Examples of a utility purpose include:
- Helping TPU build relationships and communicate with hard-to-reach or under-served audiences by:
- Reaching out to customers eligible for specific savings programs or discount rates.
- Seeking opportunities to educate customers about how conserving power and water also lowers utility bills.
- Translating our messages about conservation, safety, and other issues for customers who are non-English speakers.
- Investing in nonprofit capital projects that promote power or water conservation.
- Promoting utility-related professional development for our employees or activities that support recruitment for utility-specific jobs.
- Promoting science, technology, engineering, and math education outreach or training relevant to utility-specific jobs.
- Helping TPU practice environmental protection, stewardship, or conservation.
Due to restriction on the use of utility funds and the desire to best advance TPU’s goals, we will not accept funding requests for the following:
- Scholarships for individuals to attend camps, schools, pageants, tours, trips, or similar activities.
- Sports teams or sporting-related events.
- Political organizations or candidates for political office.
- Organizations that discriminate against any group.
- Programs that promote or endorse a specific religious affiliation.
- Enclosures to be mailed with utility bills.
- Programs outside of our service or project areas.
- For-profit organizations.
- More than one request per organization per year; however, a request can include multiple events or programs.
- How to Request Funding
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We use an application and review process to identify events and organizations that best meet our program funding criteria. We base our decisions on several factors, including available budget, resources, and benefits to the community. All applicants will be notified of funding decisions in December.
Preference will be given to organizations or programs aligned with our goals around diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racist systems transformation. For more information, refer to the City of Tacoma’s Equity and Empowerment Framework and Resolution 40622 on Anti-Racist System Transformation.
Applying does not guarantee funding, and TPU reserves the right to restrict funding to those programs and events that best support TPU’s goals. Funding is not automatically renewed or guaranteed from year to year.
All 2026 applicants must submit the application form by 5 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2025. If your application is approved, we require a contract between the organization and TPU stating the sponsorship amount and benefits to TPU prior to the event date.
To request a sponsorship, complete our online Request for Funds Application. Please send any sponsorship-related questions to Logan Bahr.