Request for FY 2010 Applications for the Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Program (REACH), Round 2
THIS CONTAINS INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION FOR
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN LIHEAP ACTION TRANSMITTAL NO. LIHEAP-
AT-2010-3, DATED 1/7/10
TO: LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP)
GRANTEES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES
SUBJECT: Request for FY 2010 Applications for the Residential
Energy Assistance Challenge Program (REACH), Round 2
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); the Energy Policy Act of 2005
(P.L. 109-58); and LIHEAP-AT-2009-3, Round 1.
DUE DATE: March 30, 2010 - 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 applications are being
requested under the FY 2010 REACH Program, Round 2,
and to provide a copy of the OMB approved REACH Model
Plan format that may be used to apply for REACH funds
each 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. The REACH program is
intended to address the following home energy
concerns:
(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.
REACH programs are to be designed to address the home
energy needs of LIHEAP-eligible households. Home
energy is defined in the LIHEAP statute as "a source
of heating or cooling in residential dwellings."
Increases to the energy efficiency of homes, such as
activities that provide weatherization and energy
related home repair, are also acceptable REACH
activities. In addition to designing REACH programs
that are home energy related, programs should
emphasize the health and safety of vulnerable
households (i.e., households with elderly members,
small children and disabled individuals).
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. Further reporting may be derived from
results identified through REACH evaluations.
Since FY 2007, the REACH program has undergone
substantial changes. Application requirements and the
information necessary for grantees to receive REACH
funds have been reduced. A reduced application format
is being provided with this Action Transmittal.
We have also incorporated into the REACH program the
same financial rules for the obligation and
expenditure of REACH funds that are used under the
Leveraging Incentive Program (also offered through
LIHEAP). These rules require that REACH funds be
obligated within the two year grant period, and that
funds be expended within a reasonable timeframe after
the end of the grant period. This extension covering
the expenditure of REACH funds permits grantees to
support the costs involved in producing evaluation
reports, which are due six months after the end of the
grant period.
REACH funds are available only to LIHEAP grantees.
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)
mat be set aside for REACH awards.
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
initiatives that address home 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
programs must be both home-energy related and focused
on health and safety of vulnerable households.
REACH funds are available to LIHEAP grantees to plan
and implement innovative programs. LIHEAP grantees
that wish to receive FY 2010 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.
FY 2010 REACH Grants - Round 2
This Action Transmittal represents the second round of
applications requested for FY 2010 REACH grants. Due
to language in the FY 2009 continuing resolution (CR)
enacted on September 30, 2008 (P.L. 110-329), no FY
2009 funds were set aside for FY 2009 REACH grants.
As a result, in October 2009, DEA issued the first
round of FY 2010 REACH grants based on the REACH
applications submitted in FY 2009. We expect to
resume the regular annual time period for requesting
REACH applications and issuing grants in FY 2011.
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 a two year grant period.
Funds must be obligated in the year of award and/or
the following year. FY 2010 REACH funds must be
fully obligated by September 30, 2011. Funds must
be expended within a reasonable timeframe after the
end of the grant period. Therefore, once funds are
timely obligated, grantees are permitted to expend
REACH funds to complete program activities and to
support the cost of the evaluation report, which is
due six months after the end of the grant period.
It will not be necessary for REACH grantees to
request grant extensions to expend funds that have
been timely obligated.
• Only REACH applications that are home energy related
and focus on innovative health and safety practices
for vulnerable populations will be considered.
Examples of REACH programs that focus on these needs
may include partnerships with health departments,
utilities or organizations that serve frail elderly,
disabled and/or households with young children.
• REACH programs must provide benefits, services, and
activities only to LIHEAP-eligible households.
• Strong preference will be given to States, Tribes/
Tribal Organizations and Insular Areas that have not
received REACH grants in the past.
• Successful FY 2010 REACH grantees must submit their
evaluation reports within six months following the
end of the two-year obligation period. If, for any
reason REACH programs are still operating at this
time, grantees must submit an interim final report
and follow-up with the final evaluation report when
the program is completed. Therefore, an 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 related to
home energy. 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 2010 REACH
plans. The REACH application process has been
standardized in an OMB approved form similar to the
Model Plan for LIHEAP 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 and does not
exceed page limits identified in Attachment I under
REACH Plans.
As with regular block grant 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 may wish to use these
pages. For all REACH applications, 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.
To be considered for funding, REACH applications must
be submitted to the address listed below and
postmarked on or before the March 30, 2010 due date.
The Office of Community Services will not consider
applications postmarked after this date, and no
exceptions will be granted.
SUBMISSIONS
TO: Nick St. Angelo, Director
Division of Energy Assistance
Office of Community Services
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., 5th Floor West
Washington, D.C. 20447
Fax: (202) 401-5661
E-mail: nstangelo@acf.hhs.gov
CONTACT: Questions may be directed to Charlotte Abney at
202-401-5334 or E-mail: cabney@acf.hhs.gov.
ATTACHMENTS: (1) REACH Program Guidance and Policy
(2) REACH Model Plan
_______________/s_______________
Nick St. Angelo
Director
Division of Energy Assistance
Office of Community Services
