Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Program (REACH) Funding
THIS CONTAINS INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION FOR
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN LIHEAP ACTION TRANSMITTAL NO.
LIHEAP-AT-2007-2, DATED 4/30/07
TO: LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP)
GRANTEES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES
SUBJECT: Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007
Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Program
(REACH) funding.
RELATED
REFERENCES: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act (LIHEAP), Title
XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981,
Public Law (P.L.) 97-35, the Human Services Amendments
of 1994 (P.L. 103-252); and the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (P.L. 109-58).
DUE DATE: June 1, 2007 - Grantee applications for REACH awards
MUST be postmarked on or before this date. No late
applications will be considered (no exceptions).
PURPOSE: To inform LIHEAP grantees that (a) applications
are being requested under the FY 2007 REACH Program
and (b) significant changes are being implemented in
the program design and application for REACH funds
this year.
BACKGROUND: The Human Services Amendments of 1994 (P.L. 103-252)
amended the LIHEAP statute to add Section 2607B, which
established the REACH Program. REACH was funded for
the first time in FY 1996 and is intended to:
(1) Minimize health and safety risks that result from
high energy burdens on low-income Americans;
(2) Reduce home energy vulnerability and prevent
homelessness as a result of inability to pay energy
bills;
(3) Increase the efficiency of energy usage by low-
income families, helping them achieve energy self-
sufficiency; and
(4) Target energy assistance to individuals who are
most in need.
The public health and safety aspects of LIHEAP have
been underscored recently in the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (P.L. 109-58) that President George W. Bush
signed on August 8, 2005. Section 1804 of Title XVIII
of the Energy Policy Act required the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a report
to Congress on how LIHEAP could be used more
effectively to prevent loss of life from extreme
temperatures. On February 15, 2007, the Department
submitted its LIHEAP Report to Congress, Preventing
Loss of Life Due to Extreme Indoor Temperatures.
As a follow-up to the Department's Congressional
Report, the HHS Office of Community Services has
decided to focus FY 2007 REACH grants on promoting
innovative LIHEAP initiatives that address energy-
related health and safety issues and "home energy
vulnerability" (i.e., the risk to personal health
safety that is associated with home energy
and affordability.)
REACH funds are available only to LIHEAP grantees
However, States, the District of Columbia, and
Puerto Rico must coordinate REACH efforts with
community-based organizations (CBOs) to assure that
REACH services are implemented and operated by these
entities. Tribes/Tribal Organizations and Insular
Areas (other than Puerto Rico) may administer their
programs without sub-contracting or sub-granting to
a CBO.
The LIHEAP statute provides that up to $50 million of
the LIHEAP block grant appropriation may be used to
support a Leveraging Incentive Program. The 1994
amendments to the LIHEAP statute provide that a
portion of the leveraging funds (up to 25 percent)
may be set aside for REACH awards.
CONTENT: REACH funds are available to LIHEAP grantees to
plan and implement innovative programs. LIHEAP
grantees that wish to receive FY 2007 REACH funds must
submit an application for these funds following the
requirements listed in Section 2607B of the LIHEAP
statute and as outlined in this Action Transmittal.
Substantial changes have been made to the REACH
program. REACH has been refocused to emphasize
the health and safety of vulnerable households (i.e.,
households with elderly members, small children and
disabled individuals). Application requirements and
the information necessary for grantees to receive
REACH funds have been reduced.
Please review the attached guidance (Attachment 1),
which explains the new REACH requirements in detail
and the technical and operational changes to the
program that are being implemented in FY 2007. The
major highlights are:
. FY 2007 REACH funds will be awarded for one year.
Funds must be obligated in the year of award
and/or the following year (no later than September
30, 2008.)
. Only REACH applications that focus on innovative
health and safety practices will be considered
for FY 2007. Examples of these practices would
include partnerships with health departments,
utilities or organizations that serve frail
elderly, disabled and/or households with young
children.
. Strong preference will be given to States, Tribes/
Tribal Organizations and Insular Areas that are
not current REACH grantees (i.e., grantees in
receipt of FY 2004, 2005 and 2006 REACH funds).
. Successful FY 2007 REACH grantees must submit
their evaluation reports within six months following
the end of the two-year obligation period (no later
than March 30, 2009); grantees are ineligible for
future REACH funds until the objective evaluation
report is received.
. States are not required to contract for an outside
evaluator.
. If approved, States, Tribes/Tribal Organizations
and Insular Areas will receive funds for their basic
REACH programs, but additional funds may be awarded
for applications that include an approved Energy
Efficiency Education Services (EEES) plan that
contains health and safety components. An EEES plan
is optional and not required as part of the REACH
application. (More details on funding are included
in Attachment 1.)
To apply for FY 2007 REACH funds, please complete and
submit Standard Form (SF) 424. Instructions for
completing the SF-424 are contained in Attachment 2. As
with regular block grant fund assurances, LIHEAP grantees
applying for REACH funds must provide the appropriate
signature to the REACH Assurances (Section 2607B(e)(2)(A)
through (M) of the LIHEAP Act), and furnish descriptions
where required. See item number 21 in the SF-424 for
certification statement and the signature block.
The FY 2007 HHS appropriation was signed into
law on February 15, 2007 (P.L. 110-5). Of the
$1.98 billion in LIHEAP block grant funds, $27,225,000
will be set aside for leveraging incentive awards and
a portion of this amount will be reserved for the
REACH program. We expect to award no more than $1.5
million for grants to two States and four
Tribes/Insular Areas under the FY 2007 REACH program.
(Insular Areas that consolidate their LIHEAP funds
under another HHS block grant are not eligible for
REACH funds.)
If a sufficient number of qualified applications for
REACH funds are not received, unused funds will be
awarded under the Leveraging Incentive Program.
To be considered for funding, REACH plan applications
must be postmarked on or before June 1, 2007. The
Division of Energy Assistance will not consider
applications postmarked after this date and no
exceptions will be granted. Applications may also be
hand delivered to our offices by 4:30 p.m. Eastern
time on June 1. Submission solely by fax is
discouraged; we strongly recommend that applicants use
an overnight/express delivery service, such as Federal
Express or United Parcel Service, to submit REACH
applications, especially if the application is mailed
close to the due date of June 1. We cannot guarantee
that an application will meet the June 1 deadline if
submitted by fax alone.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
number for the LIHEAP program is 93.568. This Action
Transmittal and attachments are available on the
LIHEAP website at:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap/. You may
access the SF-424 form at:
http://www.grants.gov/techlib/424_20090131.doc.
ATTACHMENTS: (1) New Guidance and Policy Changes for the FY 2007
REACH Program
(2) SF-424 form - Signature to Assurances, Plan
Descriptions and Funding Request
INQUIRIES
TO: Charlotte Abney, Program Specialist
Division of Energy Assistance
Office of Community Services
Telephone: (202) 401-5334
E-mail: cabney@acf.hhs.gov
SUBMISSIONS
TO: Nick St. Angelo, Director
Division of Energy Assistance
Office of Community Services
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447
Fax: (202) 401-5661
E-mail: nstangelo@acf.hhs.gov
______________/s_____________
Josephine B. Robinson
Director
Office of Community Services
Attachment 1
LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Program (REACH)
Policy and Guidance
FY 2007 REACH PROGRAM
"A Plan to Promote Health and Safety"
Application - Must be postmarked no later than June 1, 2007
. To be considered, REACH plans must focus on health and safety
initiatives for vulnerable households. The LIHEAP statute refers to
"vulnerable populations" as including "very young children,
individuals with disabilities, and frail older individuals."
Vulnerable households can face serious health and safety risks if
their homes are too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer.
Health risks can include life threatening illness or death from
hypothermia or hyperthermia and increased susceptibility to other
health conditions, including strokes and heart attacks. Safety risks
can include the use of makeshift heating sources or
inoperative/faulty heating or cooling equipment that can cause indoor
fires or asphyxiation.
. REACH Plans must be innovative - proposed programs that show a
reprise of past projects or that simply provide additional LIHEAP
benefits (e.g., weatherizing more homes) will almost certainly not be
approved.
. The following information is required and must be provided to
qualify for REACH funding (See SF-424 form and instructions for more
details).
1. SF-424, Item 21: Signature to the REACH Assurances by
Governor or Tribal Chair.
2. SF-424, Item 15 - Attach the following information, which is
further outlined in
Attachment 2:
Part I - Descriptions for REACH Assurances - No more than
two paragraphs for each of the identified REACH assurances
requiring descriptions, with the following exceptions:
*Assurances C & F - 2 pages or less
*Assurances I & J - 1 page or less
Part II - Funding Level Requested - Basic REACH Grant:
maximum $300,000 for States; $50,000 for Tribes/Tribal
Organizations and Insular Areas. For grantees opting to do
Energy Efficiency Education Services (EEES): maximum
$35,000 for States; $10,000 for Tribes/Tribal Organizations
and Insular Areas. More detail on award limits is provided
later in this attachment.
Part III - Description of EEES - this portion is only
required for those choosing to implement EEES plans. EEES
plans must focus on health and safety. Limited to one page
for each of the three requirements to explain project and
contact information.
Please ensure that your responses do not exceed the limits
identified above, or your application may not be considered.
All applications must be written in 12-point, Times New Roman
font.
Please DO NOT attach any supporting documentation or other
materials with your application that are not specifically
requested in this Action Transmittal-this information will not
be considered.
FY 2007 REACH Awards Policy
. REACH funding will be granted for one fiscal year program.
There are no longer three-year project periods.
. REACH funds are subject to the same obligation rules governing
the Leveraging Incentive Program. REACH funds may be obligated in
the year of award and/or the following fiscal year. Therefore, Fiscal
Year (FY) 2007 REACH funds must be fully obligated prior to September
30, 2008.
. As with leveraging, REACH funds are not subject to the 10
percent carryover rule that governs regular LIHEAP block grant funds.
. Administrative costs for State grantees and Puerto Rico are
limited to 10% of the grant.
. Evaluation Reports: FY 2007 REACH grantees must complete an
evaluation of their programs and submit a report to the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) no later than six
months following the end of the grant period (September 30, 2008.)
Evaluation reports are due no later than March 30, 2009. If a
grantee does not submit the evaluation by this date, they will not be
eligible for future REACH grants until it is submitted. An
independent evaluator is not required. However, the grantee should
provide a professional report that is objective, balanced and
discusses the successes as well as the shortfalls of their completed
REACH program. If the grantee also implements an EEES program, the
evaluation should review the EEES activities as well.
Important Information for Current REACH Grantees - FY 2004, 2005 and
2006 -- States, Tribes/Tribal Organizations and Insular Areas
. Current three-year REACH projects will be operated according to
prior year rules governing REACH. HHS will issue sufficient funds -
for States that request them - to cover administrative costs for
REACH awards received by States in FY 2005 and FY 2006 (up to 2.5
percent of States' original grant amounts for the second and third
years of their three-year projects).
. FY 2005 and FY 2006 State REACH grantees must submit a written
request to the Office of Community Services (OCS) for these
administrative funds by June 1, 2007. Requests for administrative
funds will not be honored after this date (no exceptions).
. Please note that while current and past REACH grantees are
eligible to apply for FY 2007 funds, a strong preference will be
given to those States, Tribes/Tribal Organizations and Insular Areas
that have not received REACH grants in the past and that submit
complete FY 2007 applications.
Award Information
. Limited funds will be available under REACH in FY 2007. Funds
will be redirected into the Leveraging Incentive Program. We expect
to set aside no more than $1.5 million for REACH awards to two States
and four Tribes/Tribal Organizations or Insular Areas.
. As FY 2007 REACH programs are set for one year, the amount of
funding is reduced from levels awarded in previous years. States
will receive up to $300,000; Tribes/Tribal Organizations and Insular
Areas will receive up to $50,000. Applicants must specify the amount
of their request, not to exceed these dollar limits, when filing
their REACH applications.
. FY 2007 REACH awardees that have chosen to integrate EEES on
health and safety, as part of their FY 2007 REACH plan, may receive
up to the following additional amounts - States $35,000;
Tribes/Tribal Organizations and Insular Areas $10,000.
REACH Plans and Final Awards
. As with LIHEAP block grant plans, Division of Energy Assistance
(DEA) staff will review REACH plans for completeness, and will follow
up with applicants if additional information is needed in order to
complete the application.
. Final award decisions will be made by the DEA Director,
following review and recommendations made by DEA staff, in order to
award limited REACH dollars to the programs best designed to provide
"a plan to promote health and safety."
Attachment 2
LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Program (REACH)
FY 2007 REACH PROGRAM
"A Plan to Promote Health and Safety"
1. SF-424, Item 21 - Signature
Certification to the REACH Assurances
. If a person other than the Chief Executive Officer of the State
or insular area, or Tribal Chairperson or Board Chairperson of a
tribal organization, is signing the certification to the assurances,
a letter must be submitted delegating such authority. (PLEASE ATTACH
DELEGATION AUTHORITY.) The delegation must include authority to sign
the assurances, not just to administer the program.
. In the REACH assurances which are quoted from the law and cited
below, "State" means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, an
Indian Tribe or Tribal Organization, or an Insular Area; "title" of
the Act refers to Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
of 1981 (OBRA), as amended.
REACH Assurances
Section 2607B (e) (2) (A) through (M) of the LIHEAP Act - Elements of
State Plans
(A) an assurance that such State will deliver services through
community-based nonprofit entities in such State, by--
(i) awarding grants to, or entering into contracts with, such
entities for the purpose of
providing such services and payments directly to individuals
eligible for benefits; or
(ii) if a State makes payments directly to eligible
individuals or energy suppliers,
making contracts with such entities to administer such programs,
including
(I) determining eligibility;
(II) providing outreach services; and
(III) providing benefits other than payments;
(B) an assurance that, in awarding grants or entering into contracts
to carry out its REACH initiative, the State will give priority to
organizations that--
(i) are described in section 673 of the Community Services
Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9902(1)), except where significant geographic portions of the State
are not served by such
entities;
(ii) the Secretary has determined have a record of successfully
providing services under
the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program; and
(iii) receive weatherization assistance program funds under
part A of title IV of the
Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6861 et seq.);
except that a State may not
require any such entity to operate a REACH program;
(C) an assurance that, subject to subparagraph (D), each entity that
receives a grant or enters into a contract under subparagraph (A)(i)
will provide a variety of services and benefits, including-
(i) payments to, or on behalf of, individuals eligible for
residential energy assistance
services and benefits under section 2605(b) for home energy costs;
(ii) energy efficiency education;
(iii) residential energy demand management services, including
any other energy related residential repair and energy efficiency
improvements in coordination with, or delivered by,
Department of Energy weatherization assistance programs at the
discretion of the State;
(iv) family services, such as counseling and needs assessment,
related to energy budget
management, payment plans, and related services; and
(v) negotiation with home energy suppliers on behalf of
households eligible for REACH services and benefits;
(D) a description of the methodology the State and local agencies
will use to determine-
(i) which households will receive one or more forms of benefits
under the State
REACH initiative;
(ii) the cases in which nonmonetary benefits are likely to
provide more cost-effective
long-term outcomes than payment benefits alone; and
(iii) the amount of such benefit[s] required to meet the goals
of the program;
(E) a method for targeting nonmonetary benefits;
(F) a description of the crisis and emergency assistance activities
the State will undertake that are designed to-
(i) discourage family energy crises;
(ii) encourage responsible vendor and consumer behavior; and
(iii) provide only financial incentives that encourage
household payment;
(G) a description of the activities the State will undertake to-
(i) provide incentives for recipients of assistance to pay home
energy costs; and
(ii) provide incentives for vendors to help reduce the energy
burdens of recipients of
assistance;
(H) an assurance that the State will require each entity that
receives a grant or enters into a contract under this section to
solicit and be responsive to the views of individuals who are
financially eligible for benefits and services under this section in
establishing its local program;
(I) a description of performance goals for the State REACH initiative
including-
(i) a reduction in the energy costs of participating households
over one or more fiscal
years;
(ii) an increase in the regularity of home energy bill payments
by eligible households;
and
(iii) an increase in energy vendor contributions towards
reducing energy burdens of eligible households;
(J) a description of the indicators that will be used by the State to
measure whether the performance goals have been achieved;
(K) a demonstration that the plan is consistent with section 2603,
paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), (7), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13), and
(14) of section 2605(b), subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i),
and (j) of section 2605, and section 2606 of this title;
(L) an assurance that benefits and services will be provided in
addition to other benefit payments and services provided under this
title and in coordination with such benefit payments and services;
and
(M) an assurance that no regulated utility covered by the plan will
be required to act in a manner
that is inconsistent with applicable regulatory requirements.
___________________________________________
2. SF-424, Item 15 - Supporting Documentation
Part I - Descriptions of REACH Assurances
(statutory
references)
(Assurances C & F)
2607B(e)(2)(C)&(F) Describe services to be provided by the REACH
plan including the health and safety activities you
will implement to help households avoid crisis
situations. This description should include the home
energy-related health and safety needs to be addressed
and the REACH activities that will be carried out to
respond to those needs. This description shall not be
more than 2 pages long and may be attached. For State
Grantees and Puerto Rico, this description should
clearly define the roles of the grantee and community
based organizations.
(Assurance D)
2607B(e)(2)(D) What methodology will you use to determine (a) which
households receive REACH benefits and (b) benefit
amounts?
What non-monetary benefits will you provide?
(Assurance G)
2607B(e)(2)(G) What incentives will you develop and implement for
households receiving REACH benefits? For vendors?
(Assurances I & J)
2607B(e)(2)(I) EVALUATION: What performance goals will you establish
for your REACH program with outcomes to (a) increase
the health and safety of vulnerable LIHEAP households;
(b) reduce household energy costs; and (c) explain how
data will be collected and analyzed?
2607B(e)(2)(J) What indicators will you use to measure whether your
stated performance goals have achieved the desired
outcomes (findings and conclusions)?
The description provided for I and J above shall not
be longer than 1 page and may be attached. A Final
Evaluation is due 6 months after the end of the grant
period and should include EEES activities, if
implemented. An independent evaluator is not
required.
(Assurance H)
2607B(e)(2)(H) Describe how the views of low income households will
be solicited with regard to health and safety?
(Assurances A&B)
2607B(e)(2)(A)&(B)FOR STATES AND PUERTO RICO ONLY: States and Puerto
Rico shall provide REACH services through one or more
community based non-profit organizations (CBOs).
Provide the following for each CBO implementing REACH:
CBO Contact Name:
Organization:
Address:
Telephone Number:
Email:
Fax:
Part II - Funding Level Requested
Funding level requested for the REACH Plan is $____________________.
If the grantees chooses to provide an EEES service plan, as described
in Part III, funding level requested is $____________________.
Part III Description of Energy Efficiency Education Services (EEES)
- Optional
(statutory
references)
2607B(b)(2)(A)&(B) If the grantee chooses to provide services under
the Energy Efficiency Education Services plan (EEES), provide the
following:
- Description of the services to be provided and the needs
addressed by those services;
- Description of the target population;
- Where and how services will be provided; and
- Who will provide EEES services.
The EEES plan description shall be no more than 1 page
and may be attached.
Other Required Information
Plan descriptions must be written in font size no less than 12 pt.
Most descriptions should be no longer than one or two paragraphs
except for the following:
The REACH plan description for Assurances C&F shall be limited
to 2 pages or less and may be attached.
The REACH plan description for Assurances I & J shall be limited
to 1 page or less and may be attached.
If you elect to provide an EEES plan, your description for Part
III shall be 1 page or less and may be attached.
Please Note: Important Changes to REACH and
Instructions for Completing the SF-424 Form
TO: LIHEAP GRANTEES
SUBJECT: REACH APPLICATIONS
Please review the new REACH AT. We have made many changes to the
REACH Program and in the application process for FY 2007 REACH
grants. The program period, maximum grant amount and application
format have changed. Targeting REACH funds to deliver health and
safety programs is emphasized. Applications must be provided using
the new format outlined in Attachment 2 of the AT.
Also, attention previous STATE REACH grantees: Those who received
grants in FY 2005 and FY 2006 may apply for continuation grants in
the amount of 2 1/2 percent of the original REACH grant to support
administrative activities. Please refer to Attachment 1 of the AT
for information on how to apply for these additional grant funds.
All REACH Applications must use the SF-424. Below we have provided
NEW INSTRUCTIONS for filling out the SF-424 for the REACH grant.
Please use these abbreviated instructions in lieu of the printed
instructions that accompany the SF-424 form.
When completing the SF-424 for REACH, please provide the following:
#1 - Check "Application"
#2 - Check "New"
#3 through #7 - Information not needed for these items
#8 - Complete this section. Under 8a, identify your State,
Tribe, Tribal Organization or Territory.
#9 through #14 - Information not needed for these items
#15 - Type in "See Attached". Please attach your responses to
the information requested in Attachment 2 of the AT to the SF-424
form.
#16 through #20 - Information not needed for these items.
#21 - Signature to Assurances (as listed in the AT) - to be signed
by the Chief Executive Officer of the State or Territory, or Tribal
or Board Chairperson of a Tribe or Tribal Organization.
