The National Association for State Community Services Programs' (NASCSP) most recent survey of the 50 states and the District of Columbia shows an estimated $1,088,197,305 was available to the states and their respective local agencies to operate the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) in Program Year 2011.
The figure represents an increase of $69.2 million in overall funds from the PY 2010 funding level of $1,018,996,148. A national network of grantees, local agencies, and private contractors used these funds to weatherize an estimated 175,722 low-income homes.
Of the total, about $252.4 million was from the Department of Energy WAP allocation, with another $836 million leveraged from federal, state and private sources, or approximately $3.31 in federal and non-federal resources for every dollar invested by DOE. Leveraged funds come from two major sources: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) LIHEAP set-asides (states may use up to 25 percent of their LIHEAP block grant to fund weatherization-related activities) and 'other funds' from utility companies, states, and property owner contributions. (See chart below).
Thirty-nine grantees transferred an estimated $598 million in LIHEAP funds into the WAP in PY 2011, representing about 55 percent of the total WAP funds available in 2011.
The 'other funds' category represented nearly $238 million or 22 percent of the total funds available for WAP in 2011. As in previous years, utility companies were the primary source of 'other funds', followed by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, state general revenues and property owners.
Additionally, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) added $4,746,249,999 to the network for use from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2012, with an additional $90,000,000 for Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers (SERC) Grants and $29,055,310 for WAP training centers. Many Grantees have received grant modifications to amend the end of their grant periods for up to 18 months in order to expend all funds. Recovery Act funds allowed for an additional 352,382 low-income homes to be weatherized in the second year of the Recovery Act period (April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011) of a projected 590,194 total.
The report reflected concern for the program's future funding saying: "The WAP community recognizes that, due to funding levels, maintenance of the Recovery Act level of production will likely be impossible. In fact, some Grantees and sub-grantees have already been forced to lay off workers and shrink their operations. The WAP network faces the challenge of sustaining as close to its total funding level and capacity as possible after the Recovery Act period concludes. Significant changes in funding are predicted in all categories: annual DOE grant funds are currently uncertain due to the unpredictable political atmosphere, LIHEAP funds will shift in accordance with the Congressional appropriations, and 'Other' funds may increase as leveraging becomes even more of a focus to fund the WAP post-Recovery Act."
Historical funding from the major sources is shown in the graph below:
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Source: WAPTAC
