The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a grant program that helps low-income households meet their home energy needs. Households targeted by the program typically spend a large proportion of their income on energy bills. LIHEAP funding is available in all 50 states to households that meet specific income guidelines. To be eligible, a household's income may not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level or 60 percent of the state's median income. For more information, including where you can apply for LIHEAP, contact the National Assistance Energy Referral Project.
National Energy Assistance Referral Project
1-866-674-6327
E-mail: [email protected]
Going to college doesn't have to be a financial burden. The U.S. Department of Education offers four types of federal aid grants: Pell grants, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, the Academic Competitiveness Grant, and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant. Unlike loans, grants usually don't have to be repaid. Remember, federal grants are awarded to students with visible financial need.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers assistance to low-income families in rural areas who seek home upgrades. Grants can be used to repair, improve or simply modernize dwellings to remove health and safety hazards. The individual applying for assistance must be at least 62 years old, own and occupy the home, and have proof of taxes paid on the home. The grant limit is $7,500. If you're younger than 62 and need home repairs, you can apply for the home repair loan program (Section 504). Loans have a 1 percent interest rate with a 20-year term. Loans are available for up to $20,000.