[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38452-38453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18830]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
[Program Announcement No. OCS-96-08A]


Notice of Clarification of Applicant Eligibility Under the 
Request for REACH Plans Under the Office of Community Services' FY 1996 
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Residential Energy 
Assistance Challenge Option (REACH) Program

AGENCY: Office of Community Services, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This is a Clarification of Applicant Eligibility under Program 
Announcement No. OCS-96-08 (61 FR 35518-35545) for the Office of 
Community Services' Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Option 
(REACH) Program. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), 
Office of Community Services (OCS) wishes to make clear that 
``community-based nonprofit entities'' which are to be the CBO 
Recipients through which REACH services are to be delivered pursuant to 
Section 2607B(e) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, 
as amended, 42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq., includes those organizations 
described in section 673 of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 
U.S.C. 9902(1)) which are public agencies, that is, a department, 
agency or unit of local government.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Community Services, 
Administration for Children and Families, Division of Community

[[Page 38453]]

Demonstration Programs, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Fifth Floor, 
Washington, D.C. 20447, Attention: Richard Saul--(202) 401-9341; Anna 
Guidery--(202) 401-5318.
    This Notice is accessible on the OCS Electronic Bulletin Board for 
downloading through your computer modem by calling 1-800-627-8886. For 
assistance in accessing the Bulletin Board, a Guide to Accessing and 
Downloading is available from Ms. Minnie Landry at (202) 401-5309.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program 
is 93.568.

I. Clarification of Definition

    A. Section 2607B(e)(2)(A) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance 
Act of 1981, as amended, requires that each State REACH Plan include 
``an assurance that such State will deliver services through community-
based nonprofit entities in such State * * *''
    B. Section 2607B(e)(2)(B) requires that ``in awarding grants or 
entering into contracts to carry out its REACH initiative, the State 
will give priority to organizations that--
    (i) are described in section 673 of the Community Services Block 
Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 6863 et seq.) * * *'' That is, priority is to be 
given to Community Action Agencies. (This is one of three criteria for 
priority consideration.)
    C. In its Program Announcement of July 5, 1996 (OCS-96-08), 61 FR 
35518-35545, OCS included a definition of ``Community-based, 
nonprofit'' that defined it as ``a corporation or association * * *'' 
which has caused some confusion among prospective applicants as to 
whether a public Community Action Agency which is a unit of local 
government is eligible to be the ``community-based nonprofit entity'' 
through which REACH services are to be delivered. The answer is yes. 
``Community-based nonprofit entities'' includes organizations described 
in section 673 of the Community Services Block Grant Act that are 
public agencies or entities such as public Community Action Agencies 
that are a unit of local government.

    Dated: July 19, 1996.
Donald Sykes,
Director, Office of Community Services.
[FR Doc. 96-18830 Filed 7-23-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P