13 Reduction of home energy needs,2605(b)(16) - Assurance 16

13.1 Describe how you use LIHEAP funds to provide services that encourage and enable households to reduce their home energy needs and thereby the need for energy assistance? Include information on level payment plans during energy education, targeted to vulnerable populations and fixed income participants; • In-home energy education to support installation of utility-provided kit materials; • Purchase of low cost/no cost energy conservation items for non-regulated electric utility customers; • Leverage supplemental payments for participants who were unable to obtain their LIHEAP benefits; • Referral to the Weatherization Assistance Program; • Referral to available utility-funded energy conservation programs/services; and • Advocacy on behalf of households with home energy vendor to prevent disconnection. • 13.2 How do you ensure that you don't use more than 5% of your LIHEAP funds for these activities? We calculate up to 5% of the LIHEAP award as the maximum amount of funding. This amount is divided between the Subgrantee’s using a funding formula. Assurance 16 funds are assigned a project number that is used by the Subgrantee’s when they submit invoices. Program reviews each invoice for allowable costs and to ensure expenditures do not exceed the funding allocated. 13.3 Describe the impact of such activities on the number of households served in the previous federal Fiscal Year. A large impact of A16 services is utility shut off prevention and referral to the weatherization program. In the previous federal fiscal year, 11,576 households were in danger of having their utilities shut off and 9,975 of those households were identified as receiving services that preventing them from being shut off. In addition, 8,637 of 9,617 households experienced improved energy efficiency and/or energy burden reduction in their home. 13.4 Describe the level of direct benefits provided to those households in the previous federal Fiscal Year. 5.9% of LIHEAP benefits were paid directly to households. 13.5 How many households received these services? 21,230 If any of the above questions require further explanation or clarification that could not be made in the fields provided, attach a document with said explanation here.