LIHEAP DCL-2022-05 Infrastructure Funding Release FY2022
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Dear Colleague Letter
DCL#: LIHEAP-DCL-2022-05
DATE: January 25, 2022
TO: States, Tribes, and Territories
SUBJECT: Supplemental FY 2022 LIHEAP Funding Release under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
ATTACHMENT(S): 1. State-by-State LIHEAP Allocations Under the Infrastructure Act (PDF)
2. Tribal LIHEAP Allocations under the Infrastructure Act (PDF)
Dear Colleagues,
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS), Division of Energy Assistance (DEA), is releasing $100 million in supplemental funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2022.
Congress appropriated these funds under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58 ), which the President signed into law on November 15, 2021. The legislation takes decisive action, providing $1.2 trillion to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen the nation’s resilience, including support for underserved communities that are most vulnerable. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided $500 million over five federal fiscal years in additional funding for LIHEAP. ACF has awarded 100 percent of the LIHEAP funding available to grantees under this act for FY 2022. Forty-nine states, the District of Columbia, five U.S territories, and almost all Native American tribes and tribal organizations that are current LIHEAP recipients received a supplemental award.
Recipients must obligate 90 percent of their award under this funding release by September 30, 2022 and may carryover the remaining 10 percent to obligate in FY 2023. Recipients may use these funds for any purpose normally authorized under the federal LIHEAP statute (42 USC 8621 et seq.), including heating, cooling, crisis, weatherization assistance, case management for the reduction of home energy burden, and administrative costs.
The supplemental LIHEAP funds from the Infrastructure legislation are part of the Biden-Harris administration’s strategy to help some of our most at-risk communities at a time when energy prices are projected to rise steeply this winter, particularly for people who heat their homes with deliverable fuels such as propane, heating oil, and natural gas. LIHEAP will continue to serve as a lifeline, particularly for helping seniors, the disabled, and households with young children stay warm in their homes this winter as these individuals are more vulnerable to illnesses caused by modest temperature changes. Recipients—the states, tribes, and territories that will accept and fund LIHEAP applications—can also use this funding to help people with low income cool their homes to avoid heat stress this summer. LIHEAP can also be used to help with immediate and temporary home energy needs caused by natural disasters, such as the recent, fatal tornadoes that struck the Midwest.
Please contact your federal LIHEAP liaison if you have any questions or need any assistance from our office regarding LIHEAP.
Thank you for your attention to these matters. OCS looks forward to continuing to provide high-quality services to OCS grantees.
/s/
Lauren Christopher
Director, Division of Energy Assistance
Office of Community Services
Files
- PDF COMM_LIHEAP_DCL-2022-05 Infrastructure Funding Release_FY2022 (175.29 KB)
- PDF COMM_LIHEAP_Infrastructure Release DCLAtt1_FY2022 (111.87 KB)
- PDF COMM_LIHEAP_Infrastructure Release DCLAtt2_FY2022 (130.46 KB)