Patterns and Variations in Energy Assistance Implementation

• In Event: The Role of Policy Design and Implementation in Shaping Energy Program Performance

Abstract

As climate change accelerates and temperatures rise, energy affordability has become an increasingly urgent challenge, particularly for low-income households. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the United States’ primary mechanism for delivering energy assistance to low-income households, increasingly faces growing demand but constrained capacity. This paper investigates how state-level variations in LIHEAP implementation affects program reach. Drawing on state model plans from 2015 to 2024, we examine variation across three key dimensions: (1) timing and duration of assistance relative to shifting seasonal energy needs; (2) the type of administering state agency and the degree of application coordination across the social safety net; and (3) outreach strategies. Through descriptive analyses and linear regression, we evaluate how these implementation features influence both the total number of households served and the share of income-eligible households assisted. We find agency type matters: states where LIHEAP is administered by community service or welfare agencies are associated with greater participation. Moreover, programs that actively coordinate application processes with other social safety net services are associated with reaching more eligible households, whereas passive outreach methods show limited effectiveness. Climate indicators, such as cooling degree days, are not yet statistically associated with participation, suggesting a lag between evolving climate conditions and program adaptation. Finally, we observe descriptive evidence of misalignment between local weather trends and funding periods. Together, these findings highlight the importance of program design, implementation, and coordination in shaping access to energy assistance. We also offer actionable, state-specific insights to improve LIHEAP’s responsiveness and enhance the program’s capacity to support low-income American households amid a changing climate.

Authors

• Ryan Elliott Anthony, Georgia Institute of Technology
  Presenting Author

• Michelle Graff, Georgia Institute of Technology
  Non-Presenting Co-Author