The
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps
pay the winter heating bills or summer cooling bills of
low-income and elderly people. During extreme weather conditions,
people living in poverty and low-income elderly should not
have to choose between buying fuel to heat or cool their
homes and buying food for themselves and their families.
Since two-thirds of the families receiving LIHEAP assistance
have incomes of less than $8,000 a year, the program clearly
helps the people who need help the most.
This Web resource is sponsored by the Campaign for Home
Energy Assistance. Included here is general information
about the LIHEAP program and who it serves, media information,
news, and ideas for what you can do to help save LIHEAP.
Find out more about what you can do to support LIHEAP:click here
The Campaign maintains an email list to provide updates
and information. To subscribe click
here.
Are
you looking
for energy assistance?
The Campaign for Home Energy Assistance is a coalition
representing advocates for LIHEAP -- social service agencies,
utilities and energy industry trade associations -- and
works in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the program nationally
and ensure that it receives adequate federal funding.
We are not involved in the
day-to-day operations of energy assistance programs in any
state. For that reason, we are unable to answer questions
about individual states' programs, expedite the application
process or serve as an intermediary regarding issues at
the local level.
Although the Campaign does not deal directly with individuals’
LIHEAP requests, there are sources to which you can turn
for assistance. Go here for
more information about what office to contact in your state. |
Apply for LIHEAP Assistance:
1-866-674-6327
PARTICIPATE IN NEW LIHEAP SURVEY! TELL US YOUR STORY!
The Campaign For Home Energy Assistance is collecting stories and information from LIHEAP supporters in an effort to help Congress and the Administration understand the impact that increased funding for LIHEAP is having across the country. We will be forwarding the local stories to appropriate Congressional offices and using testimonials in fact sheets that we send to Congressional delegations focusing on LIHEAP funding in their district or state.
Please forward this survey along to those who may want to participate.
The LIHEAP survey can be found at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DQRP7WP
President requests $3.3 billion for LIHEAP in FY2011:
February 1, 2010
Today the Administration released their FY2011 budget request to Congress and asked for $3.3 billion ($2.51 billion in regular funding and $790,000 in contingency funding) for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This is lower than the $5.1 billion that was provided in the current FY2010 appropriation. Once again, the Budget proposes to create a new mandatory trigger mechanism to provide automatic increases in energy assistance in response to energy price spikes as well as changes in the number of households in poverty.
As this bill moves through the committee process in hearings and markups, the Campaign will advocate on behalf of a larger appropriation than the President requested, based on the demonstrated need across the country.
LIHEAP Funding State Fact Sheets
See New 2010 LIHEAP Investment
July 1, 2010: Campaign Response to LIHEAP GAO Report:
We are disappointed that LIHEAP funds may have gone to ineligible parties. In this economy, more and more households cannot afford to heat and cool their homes because of financial woes. The poor, vulnerable populations that this program serves should not be denied the assistance they need because of some bad actors or some administrative mismanagement.
At $5.1 billion in LIHEAP funding, only 1 in 5 eligible Americans are served, which means there are many people who need assistance and are not getting it.
However, we are confident that this administrative problem can be remedied. We are happy to see that the the Health and Human Services on June 8th announced its LIHEAP Program Integrity Assessment Plan, in which they will work with state and local partners to ensure that resources reach the vulnerable low-income households the program is intended to serve. The released plan includes fraud prevention guidance to implement effective preventive controls so that improper payments, fraud, waste and abuse are eliminated. This includes the appropriate local household eligibility verification measures and vendor authenticity.
While we are disappointed by the GAO findings, we firmly believe that this report should not put funding for the program in jeopardy. The poor, vulnerable populations of the elderly, disabled, and children that the program serves should not be punished because of some administrative mismanagement.
November 16: New LIHEAP Educational Video:
February 1, 2008 | Campaign for Home Energy Assistance releases 2008 LIHEAP White Paper
The Campaign for Home Energy Assistance has created a white paper, The LIHEAP Investment, intended as an eduation piece for those new to the LIHEAP issue. A copy of this document is available in pdf form, and may be downloaded here and used for in advocacy and education efforts.
February 1, 2007 | Campaign for Home Energy Assistance releases 2007 LIHEAP White Paper
The Campaign for Home Energy Assistance has created a white paper, The LIHEAP Investment, intended as an eduation piece for those new to the LIHEAP issue. A copy of this document is available in pdf form, and may be downloaded here and used for in advocacy and education efforts.
November 3, 2006 | Campaign for Home Energy Assistance releases the FY 2003 Databook
The Campaign for Home Energy Assistance's FY 2003 Databook is now available. The Databook is an annual publication that includes an overview of the LIHEAP program from a national perspective and a state-by-state analysis of the LIHEAP program and the populations it serves. The FY 2003 Databook can be found here.
October 13, 2006 | Campaign for Home Energy Assistance to release 2006 Public Opinion Poll on LIHEAP Funding
On October 13, 2006 the Campaing released polling information regarding public support of LIHEAP. The findings of this poll are an update of previous surveys conducted by the Campaign in 1999 and 2002.
The entire survey is available at the following links:
Downloadable PDF
Complete survey results
Summary of survey results
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