LIHEAP AT 2024-01 LIHEAP Performance Data Form FY23

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Action Transmittal

AT#:  LIHEAP-AT-2024-01

DATE:  January 19, 2024

TO:  Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) States

SUBJECT:  LIHEAP Performance Data Form for Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2023

ATTACHMENT(S):       

A. Instructions for the LIHEAP Performance Data Form for FY23
B. LIHEAP Performance Data Form for FY23

Section 2610(b) of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act, Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, Public Law 97-35, as amended; ACF’s annual LIHEAP Performance Data Form (OMB Control No. 0970-0449; form Expiration Date — February 28, 2025).

PURPOSE:

1. To advise state LIHEAP grant recipients and the District of Columbia that the deadline for submitting the LIHEAP Performance Data Form (LPDF) for FY23 (for the period of October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023) is January 31, 2024.
2. To advise state LIHEAP grant recipients and the District of Columbia that the LPDF for FY23 must be submitted to the Office of Community Services (OCS) using the Online Data Collection (OLDC) system .
3. To advise state LIHEAP grant recipients and the District of Columbia that the only changes to the LPDF are (1) hiding or locking items related to unavailable funds, (2) adding items for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds, and (3) changes to certain item numbers. 
4. To advise state LIHEAP grant recipients and the District of Columbia that OCS has pre-populated information in Module 1 (the Grantee Survey). All fields in Section III “Estimated Sources of LIHEAP Funds” are pre-populated based on OCS records. Grant recipients should review the pre-populated values to verify they are correct. Items 5 and 12 of Section III are editable and can be updated by the grant recipient, but all other items in this section are locked from editing.
5. To provide state LIHEAP grant recipients and the District of Columbia with resources to assist with completing the FY23 LPDF, including the instructions document (PDF), key reporting tips, and reporting reminders.

BACKGROUND:

The LIHEAP Performance Data Form is an annual report in response to Section 2610(b) of the LIHEAP statute (42 U.S.C. § 8629(b)) which requires the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit, no later than June 30 of each FY, a report to Congress on LIHEAP for the prior FY.

The LIHEAP Performance Data Form for FY23 will consist of three modules:

Module 1 (Grantee Survey)
Module 2 (Performance Measures) [Consists of Modules 2A, 2B, and 2C]
Module 3 (Optional Performance Measures)

Module 1 (Grantee Survey) collects LIHEAP data on sources and uses of funds, average benefits, and maximum income cutoffs for four-person households for each type of LIHEAP assistance provided in FY23. All state LIHEAP grant recipients and the District of Columbia are required to complete Module 1.

Module 2 (Performance Measures) collects LIHEAP data on energy burden targeting, the restoration of home energy service, and the prevention of loss of home energy service during FY23. All state LIHEAP grant recipients and the District of Columbia are required to complete Module 2.

Module 3 (Optional Performance Measures) allows state LIHEAP grant recipients and the District of Columbia to voluntarily report additional LIHEAP data on energy burden targeting, the restoration of home energy service, and the prevention of loss of home energy service during FY23. Module 3 is optional.

Please note that Indian tribes, tribal organizations, or territories do not complete this form.

CONTENT:

CHANGES TO FY23 REPORTING — Module 1

• Item 12 of Section III has been updated to call for “Infrastructure Act Funds Carried Over From Previous FY.” This item has been pre-populated with data from Item 43 of Section III ("Unobligated Infrastructure Act Funds Carried Over to next FY”) of Section IV of Module 1 of the FY22 LIHEAP Performance Data Form . It has also been opened to user editing.
• Item 13 of Section III was previously reserved for reporting on other supplemental funding and has been updated to include the FY23 IIJA Funds Allotment. This amount is pre-populated and locked from editing.
• Items 26 through 36 and Questions Q5 and Q6, comprising subsections G through I in Section IV, are no longer applicable and have been hidden.

FY23 REPORTING — Module 2

There are no changes for FY23 reporting in Module 2.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

• Each state LIHEAP grant recipient and the District of Columbia will need to enter their final report information into their specific location in OLDC by January 31, 2024. Pre-populated information will be entered into OLDC for funds available during FY23. For questions regarding accessing the OLDC, contact your regional LIHEAP liaison.
• Once your LIHEAP Performance Data Form for FY23 has been submitted, OCS’ contractor APPRISE will review your submitted report, notify you of any reporting questions, and assist with resolving any potential reporting issues.  Each state LIHEAP grant recipient and the District of Columbia will be notified to confirm their report is considered complete.

To maintain the LPDF data that were submitted through BaseCamp for FY20, FY21, and FY22, the reports have been entered and accepted in OLDC.

REPORTING RESOURCES

This action transmittal includes Attachment A (PDF) - Instructions for the LIHEAP Performance Data Form for FY23 to assist grant recipients with preparing their report.

On behalf of OCS, APPRISE recently conducted training webinars on completing the FY23 LPDF that are located on the LIHEAP Tools Training Resources webpage.

KEY REPORTING TIPS

Please review the following reporting tips as they will enhance the quality and timeliness of submitting and finalizing reported LIHEAP data:

• Cross check for consistency. Check that the types of LIHEAP assistance reported on the LIHEAP Household Report and LPDF are consistent with each other. Also, the types of LIHEAP assistance provided in FY23 need to be consistent with what is indicated in your state’s plan for FY23, with all amendments included. Indications of unobligated funds carried over to the next FY in the LPDF should match your FY23 Carryover and Reallotment Report and your FY23 Federal Financial Reports (SF-425s).
• Use the “Notes” section. Clarify data in the “Notes” section of the form to explain why there may be missing or incomplete data and what is being done to rectify the problem(s).

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• "Uses of Funds" represents a state’s obligation of federal LIHEAP funds, not expenditure of federal LIHEAP funds. In some cases, obligated funds are not actually expended until after the end of the FY.
• The total “Sources of All Funds” (shown in Item 15 of Section III of Module 1) must equal the total “Uses of All Funds” (shown in Item 49 of Section IV of Module 1).
• Report the annual or annualized maximum income cutoff for a four-person household in effect on October 1, 2022.
• Exclude the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program funds in reporting on obligated federal LIHEAP weatherization funds, if any, in Section IV of the form.
• Report on all federal LIHEAP funds used to provide "other LIHEAP assistance." For the most part, this would include "other crisis assistance" to provide furnace or air conditioner repairs or replacements.
• Report on all federal LIHEAP funds obligated for "Other Permitted Uses of LIHEAP Funds." This includes Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households that were provided a nominal non-crisis LIHEAP payment.
• OCS has pre-populated the “Sources of Funds” figures in Section III. Make sure that the figures on these items agree with those of your records. Items 5 and 12 of Section III are editable and can be updated by you, but all other items are locked from editing. Please review the instructions for further guidance on pre-populated data.
• The data reported in all sub-modules of Module 2 (Performance Measures) should include households assisted with federal LIHEAP funds. The average benefit amounts in Part V should reflect all LIHEAP bill payment assistance benefits.

AVAILABLE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:

OCS has contracted with APPRISE to assist state LIHEAP grant recipients and the District of Columbia in completing their LPDF for FY23. APPRISE will contact you, if necessary, to correct data errors or missing data identified in your report. The goal of the technical assistance available from our office and our contractor, APPRISE, is to assist grant recipients with identifying and resolving issues to facilitate successful and timely submission of reports.

Grant recipients requiring assistance to complete their report should contact their regional LIHEAP liaison and APPRISE as soon as possible.

INQUIRIES TO:

For questions regarding accurate completion of the LPDF, contact:

Peter Edelman, Program Analyst
Division of Energy Assistance
Office of Community Services
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
330 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201.
(202) 401-5292 (Voice)
(202)-401-5661 (Fax)
peter.edelman@acf.hhs.gov

Thank you for your attention to these matters. OCS looks forward to continuing to provide high-quality services to OCS grantees.

/s/

Megan Meadows
Director
Division of Energy Assistance
Office of Community Services