State LIHEAP Administering Agencies by Component

Heating, Cooling, Crisis, Weatherization

Note: The tables include information from LIHEAP grantees, state plans and LIHEAP websites.

The survey and resulting tables show the following administrative overlap among components of LIHEAP (heating and cooling, crisis and weatherization assistance) and among related human services programs: the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), the Department of Energy's Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families TANF), formerly Aid to Families with Dependent Children).

• In 49 states, the same department administered LIHEAP heating, cooling and crisis assistance. (Although all states provided heating and crisis assistance, only 19 reported providing cooling assistance).

• In 30 states, LIHEAP heating, cooling and crisis assistance were administered by the state department that administered the state's welfare program (TANF). In Michigan, LIHEAP administration was split between two state agencies, but the lead department was the state welfare department.

• In 21 states, agencies other than the state welfare department administered LIHEAP heating, cooling and crisis assistance; these included Departments of Commerce, Development, Housing and Community Development and the State Energy Office.

• In 32 states, the same department that administered LIHEAP also administered LIHEAP weatherization assistance and the Department of Energy's WAP. Go to state LIHEAP Directors and WAP Directors

• In 23 states, the same department administered LIHEAP, WAP and CSBG. (These states are highlighted in bold). These are split between state welfare departments (9) and other departments (14).

• In 14 states, the same department that administered LIHEAP also administered TANF and CSBG; in 20 states the same department that administered DOE WAP also administered CSBG.

Local Administration: State level administration by the welfare department did not necessarily mean that LIHEAP was administered locally by county welfare offices. In the majority of states, the welfare department contracted primarily with community action agencies (CAAs) and/or other community-based nonprofits to administer the program. In other cases, the state welfare department contracted primarily with county offices as well as with CAAs and other nonprofits.

While at least 30 states reported that CAAs were their primary local administrator for LIHEAP heating, cooling and crisis, 13 states reported that counties were the primary local administrator. Among other states, administration is centralized at the state level, or is provided through a mix of nonprofits.

For weatherization, the majority of states reported CAAs as the primary intake site.

Page Last Updated: July 9, 2008