FY 2009 Applications for the Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Program (REACH)
THIS CONTAINS INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION FOR
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN LIHEAP ACTION TRANSMITTAL NO. LIHEAP-
AT-2009-3, DATED 12/5/08
TO: LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP)
GRANTEES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES
SUBJECT: FY 2009 Applications for the Residential Energy
Assistance Challenge Program (REACH)
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: March 30, 2009 - Grantee applications for REACH awards
MUST be postmarked on or before this date. No late
applications will be considered (no exceptions).
PURPOSE: To (a) inform LIHEAP grantees that applications are
being requested under the FY 2009 REACH Program,
(b) provide a copy of the OMB approved REACH Model
Plan format that may be used to apply for REACH funds
each year, and (c) provide that successful FY 2009
REACH grantees will receive their awards from the FY
2010 LIHEAP appropriation.
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.
Substantial changes were made to the REACH program in
FY 2007. REACH was 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 were reduced.
The public health and safety aspects of LIHEAP were
underscored in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, enacted
on August 8, 2005 (P.L. 109-58). 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.
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.
The FY 2008 HHS appropriation, enacted on December 26,
2007 (P.L. 110-161), did not authorize FY 2008 funding
for the LIHEAP leveraging incentive program and for
REACH. As a result, we could not make FY 2008 awards
for these two programs. The FY 2008 leveraging/REACH
set aside of $26 million was returned to States under
the regular block grant formula.
CONTENT: As a follow-up to the Department's Congressional
Report, the HHS Office of Community Services has
decided to focus 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 and safety that is
associated with home energy affordability.)
REACH funds are available to LIHEAP grantees to plan
and implement innovative programs. LIHEAP grantees
that wish to receive FY 2009 REACH awards 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.
Special Provisions for FY 2009
The LIHEAP program received $5.1 billion
from the FY 2009 continuing resolution (CR) enacted on
September 30, 2008 (P.L. 110-329). The CR contained
special provisions governing the use and allocation of
the LIHEAP funds. Of the $5.1 billion, $4.5 billion
were to be released as block grants and $590 million
as emergency contingency funds. In addition, the CR
provided that the entire $5.1 billion had to be
awarded to States within 30 days of the enactment of
the CR (i.e., by October 30, 2008). The block grant
and contingency funds were awarded on October 16,
2008.
The 30-day rule would have impacted our ability to
award leveraging funds this year, since the
applications for leveraging were not due until
November 30, 2008. Leveraging awards are normally
issued to States in the spring. However, we issued FY
2009 leveraging funds in October based on grantee
leveraging applications submitted last year, but were
not awarded then because leveraging and REACH were not
authorized for funding in FY 2008.
As a result, no additional FY 2009 funds are available
for REACH awards this year. We will instead issue
awards for the FY 2009 applications soon after the
start of FY 2010, with a special set aside of FY 2010
funds for this purpose. This will in effect be the
"first round" of FY 2010 REACH awards. We will then
resume the normal schedule for FY 2010 REACH
applications to be due on March 30, 2010, and then
issue a "second round" of FY 2010 REACH awards later
that spring.
Main REACH Requirements
Please review the attached guidance (Attachment 1),
which explains the REACH requirements in detail. The
major highlights are:
• REACH funds are awarded for one year programs.
Therefore, funds must be obligated in the year of
award and/or the following year. NOTE: Funds for
the successful FY 2009 REACH grantees will be awarded
in FY 2010. Therefore, the funds must be fully
obligated by September 30, 2011.
• Only REACH applications that focus on innovative
health and safety practices will be considered.
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 have not
received REACH grants in the past.
• Successful FY 2009 REACH grantees must submit their
evaluation reports within six months following the
end of the two-year obligation period. NOTE: Funds
for the successful FY 2009 REACH grantees will be
awarded in FY 2010. Therefore, the evaluation
report is due no later than March 30, 2012.
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.)
REACH Application Instructions
Attached is the REACH Model Plan format (Attachment 2)
that you may use in developing your FY 2009 REACH
plans. The REACH application process has been
standardized in an OMB approved form similar to the
Model Plan for block grant funds. REACH applications
now have a set annual deadline of March 30. You are
not required to use the Model Plan format. You may
submit your REACH application in any format you wish,
as long as it includes all the information required
under the statute.
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 the REACH
Model Plan for certification statement and the
signature block.
The assurances printed at the beginning of the REACH
Model Plan are from the LIHEAP statute. Grantees who
choose not to use the Model Plan still may wish to use
these pages. Please be sure that (1) the Governor or
Tribal Chairperson signs the assurances or (2) the
person who signs the assurances has specifically
delegated authority to sign the REACH assurances (and
include a copy of that delegation with your REACH
application).
We will set aside no more than $1.5 million to award
grants to two States and four Tribes/Insular Areas
under the 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, or held over
for the second round of REACH applications due on
March 30, 2010.
To be considered for funding, REACH plan applications
must be submitted to the address listed below and
postmarked on or before the March 30, 2009 due date.
The Office of Community Services (OCS) 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 PM, Eastern
Time on March 30, 2009. ACF cannot accommodate
transmission of applications by facsimile or email.
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.
ATTACHMENTS: (1) REACH Program Guidance and Policy
(2) REACH Model Plan
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______________
Yolanda J. Butler, Ph.D.
Acting Director
Office of Community Services
