LIHEAP DCL 2022-03 Preparation for Data Collection and Reporting Enhancements

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Dear Colleague Letter

DCL#:   LIHEAP-DCL-2022-03

DATE:  January 11, 2022

TO:   Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Grant Recipients

SUBJECT:   Preparation for LIHEAP Data Collection and Reporting Enhancements

ATTACHMENT(S):  N/A

This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) is being sent to remind you of the Office of Community Service’s (OCS) current Federal Register Notice regarding the LIHEAP Performance Data Form. Additionally, in the next several weeks, OCS plans to release reporting revisions and instructions for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This DCL provides information for grant recipients on what to expect and how to prepare for these reporting revision requirements.  

Background

In 2021, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) received a historical level of funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support low income households, including newly eligible households, with utility assistance. The $4.5 billion in supplemental funding from ARPA will be augmented by an additional $500 million in funding to support utility assistance through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which is in addition to the $3.37 billion in annual LIHEAP funding that was released on November 1, 2021.

This unprecedented level of funding, combined with the rising cost of energy prices this winter, creates a critical need to not only reexamine benefit levels and ensure we are serving additional households, it also requires a shift in reporting practices to ensure we can:

1. Track key information, such as the number of households served, in “real time” versus in the new fiscal year
2. Demonstrate an equitable approach to administering benefits
3. Effectively address challenges in a timely manner, including supporting emerging training and technical assistance needs, addressing challenges with obligating funds, and addressing outreach and intake issues, such as reaching newly eligible households.

Given the great work that LIHEAP grant recipients are already doing to support data collection efforts, the modifications and changes that are listed in this DCL are meant to strengthen the program and enhance OCS’ ability to highlight the impact of LIHEAP.

OCS is preparing to make two additional  changes to the reporting requirements and will release Federal Register Notices in the coming weeks and months to provide grant recipients with an opportunity to provide feedback to inform the final changes. These proposed reporting changes fall into two main groups: 1) implementing a LIHEAP Quarterly Performance and Management Report, and 2) revisions to the LIHEAP Household Report to include demographic data.

LIHEAP Quarterly Performance and Management Report

The federal fiscal year runs between October 1^st and September 30^th. Currently, LIHEAP grant recipients are required to report on critical performance indicators, such as the number of households served, by December 31^st of each year. This means that OCS does not receive comprehensive performance and management data until approximately three months after the end of each federal fiscal year. The LIHEAP Quarterly Performance and Management Report will assist OCS in receiving data and information about LIHEAP during the federal fiscal year.  This almost real time data will be particularly important this fiscal year as LIHEAP grant recipients both administer historical levels of LIHEAP funding and develop and implement plans to reach the most vulnerable households this winter.

What to Expect from Quarterly Reports

During FY 2022 and beyond, all grant recipients, including states, tribes, and territories, will submit brief quarterly reports with critical information on the status of LIHEAP. The Quarterly Report forms will include questions on:

• Total households assisted,
• Performance management including the number of occurrences in which  LIHEAP funding prevented the loss of or restored  home energy services, and
• The estimated percentage  of LIHEAP funds that have been obligated by funding component.

In FY 2022, grant recipients will also be asked to provide an overview of changes made to their program due to anticipated increases in energy bills, collaboration with other utility assistance programs, and additional or creative outreach initiatives.  Finally, grant recipients will also have an opportunity to highlight additional training/technical assistance needs/suggestions.

Reporting Periods and Quarterly Report Due Dates - The LIHEAP Quarterly Performance and Management Report will be due one month after the end of each quarter (quarters are based on the federal fiscal year).

FY 2022 reporting will begin with data from October 1, 2021, however the first and second quarters will be combined and due on April 29, 2022. For FY 2022, OCS has consolidated quarters 1 and 2 to provide grantees with time to gather the requested data and get used to reporting on a quarterly basis.

FY 2022 (October 1, 2021 — September 30, 2022) reporting periods:

Quarter 1 & 2: October 1, 2021 — March 31, 2022 (Report due on April 29, 2022)

Quarter 3: April 1, 2022 — June 30, 2022 (Report due on July 29, 2022)

Quarter 4: July 1, 2022 — September 30, 2022 (Report due on October 31, 2022)

Preview Version of LIHEAP Quarterly Reporting Forms

OCS is currently completing the final formatting of the quarterly reporting instruments. A preview version of the LIHEAP Quarterly Report will be disseminated in a DCL in late January.

The Federal Register Notice will also include a web link to this reporting form along with instructions for public comment.

Enhancements to the LIHEAP Household Report Short and Long Form

The LIHEAP Household Report will be revised to include number of assisted households by demographic information. Household demographic information, along with information on income levels, will be critical for assessing the success of our efforts to conduct outreach and distribute resources equitably, while also assessing ongoing needs. OCS acknowledges that this data collection element might be new to some recipients and therefore have made some of these elements optional for FY 2023 to allow recipients time to make changes to their reporting systems.  This demographic information will include:

1. Number of Assisted  Applicants by Race and Ethnicity. Grant recipients will report on assisted applicants by race and ethnicity according to standard census categories. This measure will be required starting in FY 2023.
2. Number of Assisted Household Applicants by Sex. Grant recipients will report on LIHEAP assisted applicants by sex. This measure will be required staring in FY 2023.
3.  Assisted Household Members by Race and Ethnicity. This measure will quantify LIHEAP assisted household members by race and ethnicity and be optional for FY 2023 but required starting in  FY 2024.
4. Number of Assisted Household Members by Sex. This measure will quantify LIHEAP assisted household members by sex and be optional for FY 2023 but required starting in FY24.

This revision will be published in a Federal Register Notice for public comment.

 Key Questions and Answers

Q. Will any changes be made to the forms after they are released?

Answer: OCS will assess and consider public comments on the LIHEAP Quarterly Performance and Management, and the LIHEAP Household report forms before finalizing the tools. The Federal Register Notice will provide instructions for input.

Q. How will Quarterly Reports be submitted?

Answer: Reports will be submitted via an Excel spreadsheet. Before the first report is due, OCS will issue additional instructions for submission via an Action Transmittal.

Q. Will training and technical assistance be available?

Answer: Yes, OCS will announce training and technical assistance opportunities in the Winter of FY 2022.

LIHEAP Performance Data Form

OCS will be issuing an Action Transmittal (AT) for the LIHEAP Performance Data Form.  The current revision of this form and instructions were published December 16, 2021, through a Federal Register Notice .  Public comment is being accepted through January 16, 2022. OCS encourages grant recipients to review this Federal Register Notice concerning changes made to Module 2: Performance Measures to include CARES and ARPA funding. Given the Federal Register Notice timeline, OCS will extend the deadline for submitting the LIHEAP Performance Data Form submissions until March 31, 2022.  

INQUIRIES TO:
For questions regarding LIHEAP and Reporting Enhancements data  contact:
Peter Edelman
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 
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.