Serving Charlotte & Gaston County

Your home could qualify for up to $30,000 free.

We're an independent North Carolina outreach team — not a government agency — helping families find the right path into Energy Saver NC: free home upgrades for many qualifying households, federally funded. Use our tools to check your tier; if you want help with next steps, you can choose to share contact info so we can follow up. Most people who qualify have never heard of this program. We're changing that.

$208M
Federal funding allocated for NC homeowners
2031
Program end date — first come, first served
$30K
Maximum home upgrades per qualifying household
$0
Out of pocket for Tier 1 qualifying families

We close the awareness gap.

Millions in federal funding sits unused every year because qualifying families don't know this program exists. Energy Advocate Carolinas LLC is a private company built to fix that — through education, outreach, and hands-on application support — and to connect you with official program channels when you're ready.

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Community Education

We deliver plain-language presentations at churches, nonprofits, senior centers, and community organizations — explaining exactly who qualifies and what they can receive.

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Direct Outreach

Our team canvasses neighborhoods in target zip codes, engages community organizations, and works social media channels to reach the families who need this program most.

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Application Assistance

We sit with families and walk them through the full Energy Saver NC application — income verification, household documentation, and online submission from start to finish.

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Community Partnerships

We partner with trusted local organizations to extend our reach into communities that are hardest to access — building referral networks rooted in existing trust.

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Digital Qualification Tool

Our AMI calculator lets homeowners check eligibility in under 60 seconds using only program inputs (like county, household size, and income) — no name, phone, or address required to see your tier. Optional contact follow-up is available inside the tool if you want help.

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Targeted Zip Code Strategy

We use GIS and property data to identify pre-2000 owner-occupied homes in high energy burden areas — focusing every effort on the neighborhoods with the greatest need.

Check your eligibility in 60 seconds.

Step 1 — Check your tier: enter your county, household size, and income. No name, phone, email, or street address is required to see whether you qualify for Tier 1 or Tier 2. Step 2 — Optional: if you want us to contact you about Energy Saver NC and application help, you can add your details in the tool below.

All 100 NC Counties — built on official 2024 HUD AMI data from Energy Saver NC's published income limits.
Instant Tier Result — see whether you qualify for Tier 1 (100% coverage) or Tier 2 (50% coverage) immediately.
No contact info to see your result — your tier is based on program inputs only. Sharing name, phone, email, or address is optional and only if you ask for follow-up.
We're the connector — we help you understand the program and get pointed toward the right next steps; official enrollment is through the program's own process.

Optional follow-up in the calculator

If you continue past your tier result, you may choose to submit contact information so our team can reach you about Energy Saver NC and application assistance. That step is optional — you can use the calculator without it. When you opt in, the tool may ask for:

  • Full name
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Street address (optional)
  • City (optional)
  • ZIP (optional)

We use what you submit to respond to your request and coordinate help — which also supports our outreach work as a private company. We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their marketing. Details are in our Privacy Policy.

Energy Advocate Carolinas LLC is independent and not a government agency. Energy Saver NC is administered by the NC Department of Environmental Quality.

Simple from start to finish.

From checking eligibility to having upgrades installed — the process is straightforward. We're here to guide families through every step.

1

Check Eligibility

Use our free AMI tool — no contact info required — to confirm your tier in under 60 seconds.

2

Apply Online

We help you complete the full Energy Saver NC application — income docs, household info, and submission.

3

Free Home Visit

A certified assessor visits your home at no cost to document what upgrades your home qualifies for.

4

Review & Approve

You review the full project scope and approve before anything moves forward. No pressure, no surprises.

5

Upgrades Installed

A certified contractor completes the work. The program pays them directly. Your energy bill drops.

More families qualify than you think.

This is not just a program for families in financial hardship. Working and middle-income households in Charlotte and Gaston County qualify — and many don't know it.

Tier 1 — Full Coverage

Below 80% Area Median Income

100% Free

Every eligible upgrade is fully covered. Equipment, labor, installation, and permits. The program pays the contractor directly — you pay nothing.

  • Gaston County, family of 4: up to $84,800
  • Mecklenburg County, family of 4: up to $97,800
  • Zero out of pocket — $0 owed
  • Stacks with Duke Energy Smart$aver rebates
Tier 2 — Partial Coverage

80–150% Area Median Income

50% Covered

Program covers 50% of eligible project costs. Duke Energy Smart$aver rebates stack on top, and remaining balance can be financed through Duke's on-bill program.

  • Gaston County, family of 4: up to $159,000
  • Mecklenburg County, family of 4: up to $183,750
  • Duke Smart$aver adds up to $5,075 more
  • On-bill financing available for the balance

⚡ Automatic Tier 1 Qualification — No Income Check Required

If anyone in your household currently receives any of the following benefits, you qualify for 100% coverage automatically:

Medicaid SNAP / Food Stamps SSI TANF / Work First WIC LIEAP Section 8 / Housing Voucher Medicare

Built for the communities that need it most.

Energy Advocate Carolinas was created specifically to reach underserved neighborhoods in Charlotte and Gaston County — communities where awareness of this program is lowest and the need is greatest.

We don't wait for families to find us. We go to them — through social media, door-to-door canvassing, community presentations, and partnerships with organizations that already have the community's trust.

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Nonprofit & Church Partnerships

Working with Crisis Assistance, Hopes Helping Hands, Habitat for Humanity, and faith organizations across Gaston County.

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Social Media Education

TikTok and Facebook content targeting qualifying homeowners in our service area with plain-language program education.

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Door-to-Door Canvassing

Targeted outreach in pre-2000 owner-occupied neighborhoods identified through Gaston County GIS and Mecklenburg Polaris.

Target Zip Codes
28052Gastonia Central
28054Gastonia South
28056Gastonia SW
28208West Charlotte
28216NW Charlotte
28212East Charlotte
28120Mount Holly
28012Belmont
28032Cramerton
Community Partners
Crisis Assistance Ministry Hopes Helping Hands Gaston DHHS Habitat for Humanity Gaston Community Action Salvation Army Gaston Cancer Services Gaston

Don't leave your upgrade on the table.

Check your tier in 60 seconds — no name or phone required. Add contact info in the tool only if you want us to follow up.