Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Division of Energy Assistance/OCS/ACF

Announcement of the Availability of Funds under REACH for FY 2000

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THIS CONTAINS INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES IN LIHEAP ACTION TRANSMITTAL NO. LIHEAP-AT-2000-3, DATED 12/20/99

(NOTE-The Complete Application Kit will be available in the near future on OCS' web site at
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ocs/kits1.html)

TO:              LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP)
                 GRANTEES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES

SUBJECT:         Announcement of the Availability of Funds under the
                 Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Option Program
                 (REACH) for FY 2000

RELATED
REFERENCES:      Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act, Title XXVI of the
                 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, Public Law
                 97-35, as amended; the Human Services Amendments of 1994
                 (Public Law 103-252); and program announcement for the
                 Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Option Program
                 (REACH).

PURPOSE:         To advise grantees that a program announcement is hereby
                 being issued requesting applications for funds by March
                 31, 2000, under the Residential Energy Assistance
                 Challenge Option Program (REACH) for FY 2000.

BACKGROUND:      The Human Services Amendments of 1994 (Public Law 103-252)
                 amended Section 2607B of the LIHEAP statute to establish a
                 new Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Option Program
                 (REACH), funded for the first time in FY 1996.  REACH is
                 designed to help low income households reduce their energy
                 vulnerability.

                 REACH funds are available only to LIHEAP grantees (States,
                 Indian tribes/tribal organizations, and Insular Areas that
                 expend their funds for implementing a LIHEAP program).
                 LIHEAP grantees that wish to receive REACH funds must
                 submit an application for those funds.  Up to 25% of the
                 funds set aside for the leveraging incentive program may
                 be earmarked for the REACH program.  In FY 2000, $27.5
                 million has been set aside for leveraging incentive grant
                 awards.

CONTENT:         By means of this information memorandum, the Office of
                 Community Services in the Department of Health and Human
                 Services is advising that funds are available to LIHEAP
                 grantees to run demonstration programs under the
                 Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Option Program
                 (REACH).  LIHEAP grantees that wish to receive REACH funds
                 must submit an application for the funds following
                 requirements laid out in the program announcement.  These
                 applications must be postmarked or submitted to a delivery
                 service no later than March 31, 2000. 

                 To be considered for funding, application submissions must
                 bear a legibly dated official POSTMARK of the United
                 States Postal Service, or a legibly dated machine produced
                 postmark of a commercial mail service, showing a date no
                 later than March 31, 2000.  To be acceptable as proof of
                 timely mailing, a postmark from a commercial mail service
                 must include the logo/emblem of the commercial mail
                 service company and must reflect the date the package was
                 received by the commercial mail service company from the
                 applicant.  Postmarks of private postage metering machines
                 WILL NOT be considered as evidence of timely submission of
                 applications.  Faxed or electronically submitted
                 applications will not be accepted regardless of the date
                 or time of submission and time of receipt.

                 It is expected that approximately $5,000,000 will be made
                 available for grants under the REACH program announcement,
                 including supplemental grants for energy conservation
                 education activities.  States, the District of Columbia,
                 and Puerto Rico may apply for funds under Priority Area
                 1.0 of the program announcement.  Indian tribes, tribal
                 organizations, and insular areas other than Puerto Rico
                 that expend their funds for implementing a LIHEAP program
                 may apply for REACH funds under Priority Area 2.0.
                 (Insular areas that consolidate their LIHEAP funds under
                 another HHS block grant may not apply for REACH funds.)
                 If insufficient numbers of applications for funds are
                 received under Priority Area 2.0, any unused funds will be
                 assigned to Priority Area 1.0.  If sufficient numbers of
                 qualified applications for REACH funds are not received
                 under Priority Area 1.0, unused funds will be awarded
                 under the leveraging incentive program.  See the program
                 announcement for details.

ATTACHMENT:      Program announcement for availability of funds under the
                 Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Option Program
                 (REACH) for FY 2000


INQUIRIES TO:    Anna Guidery, Program Analyst
                 Demonstration and Special Projects Division
                 Office of Community Services, ACF, HHS
                 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
                 Washington, D.C.  20447
                 Telephone:  (202) 401-5318
                 E-Mail:  aguidery@acf.dhhs.gov

                            or

                 Richard Saul, Director
                 Demonstration and Special Projects Division
                 Office of Community Services, ACF, HHS
                 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
                 Washington, D.C.  20447
                 Telephone:  (202) 401-9341
                 E-Mail:  rsaul@acf.dhhs.gov



                                       _____________/s______________
                                       Janet M. Fox
                                       Director
                                       Division of Energy Assistance
                                       Office of Community Services

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