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About LIHEAP
Fact Sheet
The mission of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is to assist low income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs. View the full fact sheet.
Program Summary
LIHEAP is a Federally funded block grant program that is implemented at the State, Tribal, and Insular Area levels. Grantees serve from low income households who seek assistance for their home energy bills. LIHEAP has been operating since 1982 and its purpose is: "to assist low-income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes, that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs. "The program encourages priority be given to those with the " highest home energy needs", meaning low income households with a high energy burden and/or the presence of a "vulnerable" individual in the household, such as a young child, disabled person, or frail older individual.
Some forms of assistance available to low income households through State LIHEAP programs include: financial assistance towards a household's energy bill, emergency assistance if a household's home energy service is shut off or about to be shut off, and a range of other energy-related services that States may choose to offer, such as weatherization improvements, utility equipment repair and replacement, budgeting counseling and so forth.
LIHEAP grantees, i.e., States, Tribes and Insular Area governments, receive block grant funding from the Administration for Children and Families to run their LIHEAP programs. Additionally, LIHEAP grantees may receive separate contingency funds, which are released at the President's discretion to supplement needs in areas during times of energy emergencies, such as extreme weather or high fuel prices. Grantees may also apply for additional Federal funds through the optional LIHEAP Leveraging program where the Federal government provides funds to grantees that leverage their Federal LIHEAP funds with non- Federal energy assistance resources. Each year LIHEAP also awards a limited amount of funds under the REACH program to grantees that provide innovative plans through local community-based agencies to help LIHEAP-eligible households reduce their energy vulnerability and minimize health and safety risks from inadequate home temperatures.
The Division of Energy Assistance conducts the following activities in administering LIHEAP at the Federal level:
- develops guidelines, policies and regulations to provide direction to grantees (States, the District of Columbia, Indian tribes/tribal organizations, and Insular areas) in administering LIHEAP;
- calculates grantee allotments for block grant, emergency contingency, and leveraging incentive funds;
- develops statistical information regarding home energy consumption, state median income estimates, fuel costs, and housing and demographic characteristics;
- prepares, analyzes, and recommends specific proposals for new legislation; prepares reports as required by Congress;
- identifies and develops research and evaluation priorities and assesses the impact of research and evaluation findings and statistical data in terms of program directions;
- provides leadership in interpretation and application of federal program policy as it relates to compliance activities in the LIHEAP program; evaluates compliance of grantee policies and operations with statutory and regulatory requirements; and provides support in developing and implementing program improvements;
- investigates complaints;
- reviews LIHEAP grantee applications and amendments;
- provides the ACF Office of Financial Management with information necessary to issue LIHEAP grants;
- provides assistance to States, Tribes and Insular Areas in developing energy program policies and operational procedures.
- assists grantees and other public and private organizations by providing training and technical assistance.
Program Chronology
As the result of the increase in oil prices resulting from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil embargo in 1973, the Federal Government became involved in awarding energy assistance funds for low income households, beginning in Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1974.
Contact Us
Our contact page has full contact information for regions and email addresses.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Mailing Address:
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
HHS, Administration For Children and Families
Office of Community Services, Division of Energy Assistance
Aerospace Building, 5th Floor West
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447
Phone Number: (202) 401-9351
Fax Number: (202) 401-5661 |
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