Georgia Low-Income Home Energy Assistance

In the state of Georgia, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, helped 98,000 out of 1.3 million eligible households stay warm and keep cool in 2009. Federally funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, LIHEAP is available on a first-come, first-served basis to low-income households in need of utility bill payment assistance.

Funding

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provided Georgia with $102 million in LIHEAP block grants in 2010, up from $74.5 million in 2009 and $24 million in 2008. LIHEAP funding for the state of Georgia is based on a total aid package of $5.1 billion nationwide, as of the 2010 budget.

Distribution

• In Georgia, LIHEAP funds are distributed year-round by the Georgia Department of Social Services. LIHEAP provides for cooling or heating assistance grants in the amount of $350 per year per household, as of October 2010. Funds are paid directly to the applicant's utility provider. If funds aren't available when a household applies, a waiting list is created, which opens up when the funding is deposited into the state's budget.

Eligibility

• To be considered eligible for the LIHEAP Cooling Assistance Program in Georgia, applicants must be responsible for their home cooling or heating costs, be citizens or legal residents of the United States, and meet income requirements no more than 200 percent above the federal poverty level. You can view a list of Georgia's LIHEAP maximum income levels by family size (see Resources).

  Eligibility for the Georgia LIHEAP Winter Heating Program is based on income as well, but the elderly, homebound and individuals with life-threatening circumstances are given priority, and income level restrictions vary by Community Action Agency, or CAA.

Application

• The Georgia Cooling Assistance Program opens annually on August 3, while the Winter Heating Program starts on November 1 for the elderly, disabled, homebound or special-circumstance applicants, and December 1 for all other households. To apply for either first-come, first-served program, you must contact your local CAA (see Resources).

Weatherization

• If your household doesn't qualify for a Georgia LIHEAP home cooling or heating assistance grant, you may still qualify for weatherization project assistance. Also funded by LIHEAP, weatherization programs are administered through the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authorities and include weather-stripping, home insulation and sealing services. To determine if you're eligible, contact your local CAA for more information (see Resources).