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.
Counties served: Humboldt County