Beyond LIHEAP: How Community Solar Can Protect Low-Income Families

A couple meetings now could unlock decades of savings for the families you serve.

A Pivotal Moment for Energy Assistance

Recent developments at the federal level have created growing uncertainty about the future of programs like LIHEAP and Weatherization. While no formal cuts have been announced, the departure of key staff and lack of clear direction suggest a shift in how energy assistance may be handled moving forward. For Community Action Agencies that have long relied on these resources to support vulnerable households, this is a moment to plan proactively and consider new tools that can strengthen local energy security. What remains certain is that the need for energy support is growing, and our communities will continue to depend on us to help keep the lights on.

What CAAs Can Do Right Now

Through CAP Solar and the eCAP partnership, we are providing CAAs with two aligned ways to stabilize energy costs, one of which guarantees 20 years of utility savings for low-income households. The eCAP initiative was created by CAP Solar, NCAP and The Kresge Foundation specifically to support CAAs in moments like this, offering long-term solutions without added burden.

First, we help agencies install renewable energy systems at their own buildings to reduce operating costs, with no capital or staffing burden. Second, we are preparing for the deployment of community solar, which delivers long-term savings directly to the households you serve. Because CAP Solar is a Community Action Organization, both approaches are built with our network in mind, prioritizing accessibility, impact, and local benefit. That means more resources stay with CAAs and their clients, especially when every dollar matters more than ever.

This Won’t Replace LIHEAP, But It Will Help

Community solar will not replace LIHEAP. But it can cushion the uncertainty. It can create predictability where volatility is growing. And over time, it can provide measurable, lasting financial relief for the clients CAAs serve, while helping agencies stabilize their own energy footprint.

Community Solar: Simple, Scalable, and Ready

Community solar allows low-income households to subscribe to a portion of a larger off-site solar project and receive guaranteed savings on their utility bills. No installation. No credit checks. No on-site maintenance. Just real, reliable savings that CAAs can help bring to their clients, at no cost to the agency itself. In a moment where federal dollars may disappear, community solar offers a way to keep delivering tangible benefits to families who need them most.

Where authorized by state legislation, community solar offers an efficient way to deliver savings at scale, but it still requires one critical ingredient: space. This could include land, large rooftops, parking lots, or other viable surfaces made available by a CAA, municipality, or mission-aligned partner. In many cases, CAA properties could generate revenue through a 20-year lease agreement with CAP Solar, along with other partnership opportunities we can structure to fit the agency’s needs.

Where Community Solar Is Most Favorable

Community solar programs are fully authorized and favorable in states like: CO, DC, IL, MA, MD, ME, MN, NY, NJ, VT, OR and WA.

In these states, CAP Solar can move a little faster to bring savings to CAA clients through existing community solar regulations.

But regardless of whether your state has formal legislation, CAP Solar is actively pursuing partnerships with rural electric cooperatives and foundations to bring similar benefits to low-income households. If your agency serves clients in a co-op territory, we encourage you to reach out, there may still be an opportunity to deliver guaranteed savings to your clients.

Moving from Crisis to Stability

Federal support for energy security is weakening, but the need among low-income families is only growing. Community solar offers a way for CAAs to deliver real, lasting savings without new costs, staffing, or risk. By putting existing assets to work, land, rooftops and parking lots, agencies can help stabilize their own operations and support the families they serve.

The sooner we move, the more we can protect.

If your agency is interested in participating, or just wants to learn more, please reach out directly to me at steven.leitner@capsolar.org.  Whether or not your agency has space available, there are multiple ways to be part of this effort.