The Weatherization Assistance Program for Low-Income Persons

The Weatherization Assistance Program for Low-Income Persons, a DOE’s Weatherization Assistance (Wx) Program, is the nation’s largest residential energy efficiency program.

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. Funds are used to improve the energy performance of dwellings families in need using the most advanced technologies and testing procedures available in the housing industry. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provides funding to states, U.S. overseas territories, and Indian tribal governments, which manage the administration of the program. These governments, in turn, fund a network of local community action agencies, nonprofit organizations, and local governments that provide these weatherization services in every state, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and among Native American tribes.

This grant program is federally funded, but administered at the state and local level. Interested individuals can apply for assistance through more than 970 local community action agencies that provide weatherization services.

General Program Requirements
As many as 20 to 30 million U.S. families are eligible for weatherization services nationwide. Services are provided by the states, and each state has slightly different criteria. All energy services are handled by local weatherization agencies.

If you receive Supplemental Security Income or Aid to Families with Dependent Children, you are automatically eligible to receive weatherization services. In other cases, states give preference to:

• People over 60 years of age
• Families with one or more members with a disability
• Families with children (in most states)

One of the primary factors affecting eligibility is income. Depending on what state you live in, you are eligible for weatherization if your income falls below the 200 percent poverty level. Some states use a third alternative to set eligibility if your income is less than 60 percent of the median income in your state; and minimum incomes for Hawaii and Alaska, respectively, are slightly higher.

How to apply for the Weatherization Assistance Program
To apply for this program contact your local state office to begin the application process immediately.

More information here