Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons (81.042)

Program

81.042 Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Energy

Authorization

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; 10 CFR Part 440 ; Title IV, Energy Conservation and Production Act; Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007; Energy Policy Act of 2005; 10 CFR Part 600.

Program Number

81.042

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To improve home energy efficiency for low-income families through the most cost-effective measures possible. The program’s objectives are:
* To reduce fossil fuel emissions created as a result of activities within the jurisdictions of eligible entities; and
* To reduce the total energy use of the eligible units while ensuring their health and safety.
Submission deadlines will be published in the funding opportunity announcements at http://www.grants.gov.

Types of Assistance

Dissemination of Technical Information; Formula Grants

Uses and Use Restrictions

Improvement of the thermal efficiency and cooling of dwellings by the installation of weatherization materials such as attic insulation, caulking, weather-stripping, furnace efficiency modifications, certain mechanical measures to heating and cooling systems, and replacement furnaces, boilers, and air-conditioners. States may average expenditures per dwelling unit for materials, program support and labor costs not to exceed an average per unit of $6,500 adjusted annually for inflation. Up to 10 percent of each grant may be spent by a State and its subgrantees for administrative expenses (a State may not use more than 5 percent of the total State grant for such purposes).

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

States, including the District of Columbia, and in certain instances, Native American tribal organizations. In the event a State does not apply, a unit of general purpose local government, or community action agencies and/or other nonprofit agencies within that State becomes eligible to apply.

Beneficiary Eligibility

All low-income households are eligible to receive weatherization assistance. A low-income household is one whose combined income falls at or below 125 percent of the poverty level determined by the Office of Management and Budget's poverty income guidelines or the basis on which Federal, State, or local cash assistance payments have been made. A State may also elect to make all homes eligible under the HHS Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) eligible for weatherization assistance and may use either 150 percent of poverty or 60 percent of State median income.

Credentials/Documentation

Compliance with Federal, State and local environmental statutes and regulations, as required under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The Department of Energy (DOE) requires that grantees meet certain statutory and administrative requirements which can be found in the Weatherization Program Rules available at 10 CFR Section 440 et al and from DOE offices. Governors or their designated agencies must apply for grants to the appropriate DOE office and submit State Plans and applications pursuant to State applications at 10 CFR part 440.12. Any household at or below 200% of poverty, per the modified statute, is considered low-income. About 15 million of all eligible households are good candidates for Weatherization. Priority service is given to the elderly, people with disabilities, and families with children. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

No preapplication form or conference is required by DOE. Consultation and assistance will be available from DOE in the preparation of the application. A copy of the final State plan must accompany the grant application from the State. Consultation and assistance will be available from the DOE in the preparation of the application. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. State applications for the WAP Program must be submitted through FedConnect to be considered for award. Information on how to submit applications via FedConnect can be found at https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/PublicPages/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go.pdf.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to verify successful transmission.

ARRA Applications will be reviewed and awarded in accordance with the final 2009 Recovery Act Formula Allocations, set forth in the Weatherization Assistance Program Notice 09-1B

Award Procedure

States and tribes will submit applications for available allocation. Grant applications will be reviewed by DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) personnel. Grant procedures will be in accordance with Federal government regulations. Notification of grant awards will be issued DOE Procurement Office and/or EERE personnel serving the applicant State.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Submission deadlines will be published in the funding opportunity announcements at http://www.grants.gov.

Appeals

As required under 42 USC 6861 et al and 10 CFR Section 440.

Renewals

Renewals are subject to review by the DOE EERE Project Management Center and the headquarters program office and subject to the availability of funds. Financial assistance will be provided from sums appropriated for any fiscal year only upon annual application.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.
This program has no matching requirements.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Authorized funding is established by ECPA, NECPA, ESA and ARRA. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: No information was provided.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

No program reports are required. Cash reports are not applicable. Quarterly progress and financial status reports are required along with a final report at the end of the project. Quarterly financial reports. No performance monitoring is required.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. This Circular can be accessed at the White House website, https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/index.html

Records

The administrative requirements for DOE grants and cooperative agreements are contained in 10 CFR part 600 and 10 CFR part 440 (See: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov).

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2011: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

89-0321-0-1-270; 89-0331-2-1-272.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $224,438,793; FY 09 est $5,151,000,000; FY 10 est $225,000,000 - It is estimated that there will be an additional $5,000,000,000 of Recovery Act funds available in FY 2009.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$6,500.00 Average Per Home.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

As described under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Weatherization Assistance guidelines published June 1, 1977. Amendments to guidelines published January 2, 1979, August 29, 1979, February 27, 1980, June 1, 1981, March 1, 1982, January 27, 1984, January 4, 1985, December 5, 1985, March 4 1993, June 5, 1995, and December 8, 2000.

Related Programs

81.041 State Energy Program; 81.119 State Energy Program Special Projects

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None. Angela Young, Division Director, NETL Project Managment Center (PMC) Division, (412) 386-6042; EERE Information Center, (877) 337-3463.

Headquarters Office

Ronald Shaw, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, Room 6043, Washington, District of Columbia 20585 Email: ronald.shaw@ee.doe.gov Phone: (202) 586-6593.

Web Site Address

http://www.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/ and http://www1.eere.energy.gov and http://www.waptac.org; https://www1.eere.energy.gov; https://www1.energy.gov/informationcenter

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2011: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

As described under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. DOE requires that grantees meet certain statutory and administrative requirements which can be found in the Weatherization Program Guidelines at http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/.