Program Purpose

Program Purpose. The purpose of LIHEAP is to provide appropriate and timely assistance to eligible households to pay home energy bills and to assist with other energy related services. The amount of financial assistance an eligible household will receive will be determined by the amount of the bill at the time the bill is due. Assistance will be provided in the form of payments made directly to energy vendors on behalf of eligible households. A. LIHEAP is offered in each of the 82 counties in Mississippi, pending the availability of funds. Once income eligibility criteria are established, priority is then given to vulnerable households. Vulnerable households include those households with members who are elderly, disabled, or with children age 5 or younger. The State of Mississippi may elect to use up to 12% of the state’s LIHEAP allocation for LIHEAP Weatherization (WX). *The administration of LIHEAP WX follows the Department of Energy rules for weatherization. The eligibility criteria for LIHEAP WX is 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. B. Subgrantees are required to refer households with high energy bills to the weatherization program. WX funds are used to improve the conditions of eligible clients’ homes. The program is designed to reduce home heating and cooling costs by improving energy efficiency and ensuring health and safety. Priority is given to low-income elderly, disabled individuals and households with children five (5) or younger. C. Program Operation Dates: LIHEAP is available year-round based on availability of funds. Clients are eligible to receive heating and cooling assistance regardless of season. D. The State allocates ten percent (10%) of the total state allocation for administrative cost and ninety percent (90%) for program cost. Administrative cost refers to the cost of central executive functions that do not directly support a specific project or service. The Cost are incurred for common objectives that benefit multiple programs administered by the organization and are not readily assignable to a particular funding stream.