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ACF webinar outlines FY2026 LIHEAP quarterly-report changes, deadlines
Summary
The Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services and APPRISE held a webinar explaining changes to the LIHEAP quarterly reports for FY2026: Section 3 now includes carryover/reallotment data and is required for all recipients, IIJA funds cannot be carried over, and Q3 is due July 30 (Q4 Oct. 30).
A federal webinar hosted by the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) Office of Community Services (OCS) and presented by APPRISE explained changes to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) quarterly reporting for fiscal 2026 and urged grant recipients to confirm OLDC access and submission roles.
OCS senior adviser Mary Watts opened the session and introduced the presenters. Dan Bausch, senior project director at APPRISE, said the quarterly report provides near-real-time indicators of program activity, including households served, prevention and restoration events, and how award funds are being obligated. Melissa Torgerson of Verve Associates LLC walked through the specific data elements recipients must collect.
The most important changes for FY2026 are in Section 3 of the quarterly report. ‘‘That section is now required for all grant recipients,’’ Bausch said, describing the first major revision: Section 3 now collects the same carryover and reallotment information that previously appeared in a separate report. The quarterly submission will therefore ask for the cumulative amount of FY2026 funds obligated by quarter end and a projected unobligated balance as of 09/30/2026, plus explanatory text if funds are being carried over.
Bausch highlighted the statutory carryover limit for regular LIHEAP funds: ‘‘That means you have to obligate 90% by 09/30/2026.’’ He and the presenters also said supplemental Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds cannot be carried into FY2027. The webinar reminded recipients that OLDC will prepopulate award amounts and compute some fields, but grant recipients must enter line 3 (cumulative obligations) and line 4 (projected unobligated balance) for regular and IIJA funds.
Presenters described four categories of data recipients should track for reporting: assisted-household records (counted by household for the quarter), household energy status (prevention and restoration events counted as occurrences), fiscal obligation data (cumulative obligations for FY2026 awards), and program implementation narratives documenting changes since the prior report. ‘‘To complete it, youre gonna need 4 different kinds of data and information,’’ Melissa Torgerson said while outlining the inputs.
The speakers urged recipients to define ‘‘obligation’’ consistently within their state, tribe or territory, and to work with fiscal staff to reconcile obligations and projections. Dan Bausch provided a numeric example showing how cumulative obligations and projected unobligated balances are entered across quarters; presenters noted the OLDC system will calculate related totals once inputs are provided.
OCS and APPRISE said submitted reports will be reviewed for accuracy (not compliance) and that the LIHEAP inbox, OCS program specialists, and the APPRISE technical-assistance team (including Luxe Consulting) are available for help. Presenters reminded attendees to log in to OLDC well before deadlines to confirm access and submission permissions.
Q3 covers April 1–June 30 and is due July 30; Q4 is due Oct. 30. The webinar recording, slides and handouts will be posted to ACF/OCS resource pages and the ACF YouTube channel; presenters encouraged recipients to contact the LIHEAP inbox or APPRISE for follow-up questions.
The webinar concluded with a brief Q&A clarifying examples of obligations (credit lines, encumbrances), reiterating that the separate carryover/reallotment report is being eliminated, and promising templates and the recording to attendees.
