TRIBALMANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

SECTION A - SUMMARY OF LIHEAP

SECTION B - PRELIMINARY ISSUES

Direct Funding
- Contingency Funds
Methods Used by Tribes to Receive LIHEAP Services
- Applying Alone or Forming a Consortium
Tribal Responsibilities when running a LIHEAP program
- Resolutions for a Consortium
Tribal Staffing for LIHEAP
- Administrative Costs Limitation
- Activities Necessary to Run a LIHEAP Program
Tribe/State Agreements
- How the Tribal Allotment is Determined
Advantages to Using a Tribe/State Agreement
Different Types of Tribe/State Agreements

SECTION C - THE LAW AND ITS REQUIREMENTS

This section provides a detailed description of the assurances and other sections of the law.

LIHEAP Authorizing Legislation
16 Assurances
Plan Requirements
- Application Due Date
Energy Crisis Intervention
Weatherization
Contingency Funds
Waste, Fraud and Abuse
LIHEAP Benefits Not Income
Nondiscrimination
Limitation on Use of Grants
Leveraging Incentive Program
REACH Program
Carryover and Reallotment
Reports

SECTION D - POLICY DECISIONS

Choosing Eligibility Criteria
How to treat HUD housing recipients
How to treat alien households in LIHEAP
Definition of Households
Landlord Verification Form
Defining Income
- Self-employment Income
Excluded Income
Deductions from Income
Time Period for Measuring Income
How to adjust Poverty Income Guidelines
Setting Payment Levels
Steps to Designing a Payment Matrix
Choosing a Payment Method
Vendor Payments and Agreements
Payments to Wood Vendors
Establishing a Crisis Intervention Program
Establishing a Weatherization Program
Requesting a Weatherization Waiver
Contingency Funds

SECTION E - APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR DIRECT FUNDING

Application Requirements
Required Reports
Due Dates
Amendments
Information to be Submitted to HHS
Application Format
- Detailed Model Plan
- Abbreviated Model Plan Format
Reminders

SECTION F – LIHEAP FUNDING

LIHEAP Funding
Forward Funding
Notice of Grant Award
- Regular LIHEAP Funds
- Contingency Funds
- Reallotment Funds
- Leveraging Funds
- Supplemental Funds
- Negative Funds
Grant Award Amounts
To Request LIHEAP Funds
Questions Regarding Grant Awards
Managing Draw Down of Funds
Copy of Grant Award

SECTION G - RUNNING THE PROGRAM

Tasks
Forms
Setting up Files
Special Situations
Duplicate Payments
Fair Hearings
Verifying and Documenting Income
- Examples of Sources used to Verify Income

SECTION H - MONITORING

What is Monitoring?
Why Monitor the Program?
What is a Good Monitoring Plan?
Who Monitors?
When and What Should be Monitored?
Sample Monitoring Plan

SECTION I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Block Grant Policy
Financial Systems
Administrative Costs
- Amount Allowable
- Definition of Planning and Administrative Costs
- TANF Definition of Administrative Costs
Administrative Costs Budget
Indirect Cost Rates
Reducing Administrative Costs
Financial Records and Reports
Audits and Audit Trail
Oil Overcharge Funds in LIHEAP
- Information Memoranda on Oil Overcharge Funds

SECTION J - REQUIRED REPORTS

Carryover and Reallotment Report
Report on Households Assisted
Standard Form 269A
Audit Report
Where to Submit Reports
Other Reports/Applications
Report Formats

SECTION K – LEVERAGING INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Description of Leveraging Incentive Program
Award Period and Base Period
Basic Requirements
Countable Resources
Resources That Are Not Countable
Examples of Tribal Leveraged Resources
How to Develop Leveraged Resources
Leveraging Report
How Leveraging Awards are Determined
Use of Leveraging Award Funds
Period of Obligation

SECTION L - REACH PROGRAM

Description of REACH Program
HHS Contact for REACH
Descriptions of Tribal REACH Projects

SECTION M – QUICK REFERENCE

Important Contacts
Audits
Important Due Dates
Amendments
Limitations on Funds
- Administrative Costs
- Carryover Funds
- Weatherization Program Funds
- Heating, Cooling, Crisis Program Funds
- Leveraging Incentive Program Funds

DIRECTORY

Page Last Updated: July 9, 2008