LIHEAP assists low-income households that pay a high portion of their income to meet their energy needs, and provides one-time financial assistance to help balance an eligible household's utility bill.

Eligibility:
Varies, depending on sources of income and other factors.

NCIDC received a Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) grant from the Federal Government last year to assist 48 Tribes located in California. Each Tribe enacts an authorizing resolutions indicating that their funding will be administered through NCIDC.  LIHEAP provides financial support to help American Indian families heat their homes during the winter months and cool them during summer. Assistance checks are sent directly to the fuel and utility companies and other vendors on behalf of the eligible clients. This method of payment is extremely efficient, as the vendors quickly receive the money, thus enabling the eligible families to receive the maximum benefit from the assistance. Tribes who utilize the services of NCIDC can also avoid much of the administrative burden of the LIHEAP program, while still having a mechanism to provide this valuable service to their membership in a timely fashion. In the last year, over 384 American Indian households were served through the LIHEAP program.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program is called LIHEAP. They assist low income people and families with their heating and cooling bills. This program is therefore, a year long program that is available 12 months a year. To qualify for the LIHEAP assistance, you need to qualify. We provide the current Federal Poverty Rates nationwide below.

You are automatically qualified for LIHEAP assistance if you participate in the SNAP food stamps program, TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or the SSI program through Social Security.

Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2024

Persons In Family	Earnings (100% Fed Poverty Guideline)
1	$15,060
2	$20,440
3	$25,820
4	$31,200
5	$36,580
6	$41,960
7	$47,340
8	$52,720

*Alaska and Hawaii have different rates for HUD federal poverty guidelines.
These numbers above represent 100% of the Federal Poverty Rate. In order to get legal aid from some offices, they use a sliding fee scale. When they use a sliding fee scale, the 100% rate can be different than 100%. In those cases, using for example a 200% federal poverty level, you will only need double the 100% number listed above to 200%.

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