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Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps pay the winter heating bills or summer cooling bills of low-income and elderly people. LIHEAP is funded by the federal government. Nevertheless, it needs much more attention. Congress provided $2.2 billion for LIHEAP in 2005. That was only enough to help about 14 percent of the estimated 32 million U.S. households eligible for assistance.

IPAA is a strong advocate of LIHEAP and is calling on Congress to fund this important program at its authorized level.

What Can You Do?

Many domestic oil and natural gas producers have shown an interest in contributing to these energy assistance programs. This can only be done at the local/state level. Listed below are links to the contacts and charities in each state that can provide more information on LIHEAP donations. Please let IPAA know if you or your company makes a contribution. Send an email to Jeff Eshelman at jeshelman@ipaa.org or call us at 800-433-2851.

TO MAKE A CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION...

• The National Fuel Funds Network.
  The National Fuel Funds Network consists of 250 members; nonprofit agencies, utilities, and government representatives that provide utility bill assistance raised as charitable donations. If you would like to contribute to these efforts in your state, please contact your state contact(s) on this list: www.nationalfuelfunds.org/directory.pdf.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LIHEAP AND ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS...

• The Campaign for Home Energy Assistance.
  A coalition representing advocates for LIHEAP -- social service agencies, utilities and energy industry trade associations -- and works in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the program nationally and ensure that it receives adequate federal funding. For information on how you can advocate for more LIHEAP funding from Congress, visit the campaign at www.liheap.org.
• The National Energy Assistance Directors' Association.
  This organization is the primary educational and policy group for the state and tribal directors of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Visit www.naeda.org for more information.
• LIHEAP Clearinghouse.
  This site is run by the federal governmentís Administration for Children and Families and provides information on LIHEAP and fund disbursement. For more information visit: www.liheap.ncat.org. The administration also maintains another website on LIHEAP that can be found at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/.
• National Association of State Energy Officials.
  Affiliated with the National Governors' Association, NASEO members are officials from the State and Territory Energy Offices and affiliates from the private and public sectors. The nonprofit association was created by the governors to improve the effectiveness and quality of state energy programs and policies, and to be a collector and repository of energy-related information. Its website is www.naseo.org.