Energy impact assistance programs are reviewed along with four other federal impact assistance programs: the Trident Community Impact Assistance program, the Economic Adjustment Program for Defense Impacted Communities, the Relocation Assistance Act and Disaster Relief. Each employs a somewhat different approach to federal assistance. The purpose of this analysis is three-fold: (i) to examine the underlying objectives of federal impact assistance; (ii) to explore the consequences of pursuing these objectives; and (iii) to identify principles that might be applied to the design or redesign of energy impact assistance programs. By carefully examining the objectives, legislative histories, and administrative strategies behind these programs, we hope to pinpoint the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches to channeling federal assistance to energy-impacted communities.