Religious Institutions
Serving your community shouldn't mean overpaying for the power to do it.
Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious institutions in Texas have a specific energy opportunity that most brokers overlook: the combination of competitive procurement and sales tax exemption recovery can produce meaningful savings for organizations that steward their resources carefully.
What We Focus On
Sales tax exemption identification and recovery. This is often the single highest-value action for a religious institution that hasn't addressed it.
Competitive procurement. Even after sales tax savings are captured, competitive fixed pricing matters. We approach religious institution procurement the same way we do any commercial account — market timing, independent benchmarking, and honest recommendations.
Budget certainty. Religious organizations typically operate on annual budgets with limited ability to absorb mid-year cost surprises. Fixed pricing that eliminates energy volatility from the budget equation is almost always the right structure.
Irregular load patterns. Churches and religious facilities often have usage patterns that differ significantly from standard commercial accounts — heavy weekend use, weekday programs, and seasonal variation around holidays. We make sure the contract structure fits the actual usage pattern.
Why Religious Institutions Are Different
Religious institutions have a few characteristics that make energy procurement both important and often neglected. Energy costs are a significant operating line item for facilities that run multiple services, host community programs, and maintain buildings throughout the week. Most religious organizations don't have dedicated staff with energy procurement expertise. And the sales tax question — which can be worth tens of thousands of dollars in recoverable taxes — often goes unaddressed entirely.
We've worked with churches and religious institutions across Texas and take the stewardship responsibility seriously. We won't recommend moving on pricing unless the deal is genuinely worth taking, and we proactively identify tax savings opportunities that most organizations don't know to ask about.
The Sales Tax Opportunity
Qualifying religious organizations in Texas are exempt from sales tax on electricity and natural gas. Many are currently paying sales tax they are not required to pay — simply because no one has flagged the exemption or submitted the paperwork.
In Texas, you can petition to recover up to 48 months of previously paid sales tax from your utility or retail energy provider. For a congregation with meaningful energy spend, that can represent a significant one-time recovery.
We identify whether this applies to your organization, help prepare the necessary exemption documentation, and guide you through the recovery process — whether that's a direct refund from your current provider or a petition through the State of Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions
We didn't know we were exempt from sales tax — how far back can we recover?
In Texas, you can generally petition for up to 48 months of previously paid sales tax. The process involves filing exemption paperwork with your utility or retail provider and, in some cases, filing directly with the State of Texas. We walk you through the process.
Our utility says we have to go through the State of Texas for the refund — is that true?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no — it depends on the utility and how long you've been with them. Current providers can often issue credits directly; former providers typically require the state route. We'll tell you which path applies to your situation.
Does this apply to natural gas as well as electricity?
Yes — the sales tax exemption applies to both electricity and natural gas for qualifying religious organizations.
We're a small congregation with modest energy spend — is it worth your time?
Yes. We've worked with small congregations and large ones. The sales tax recovery alone is often worth the conversation regardless of the size of your energy bill.