▁energy ▁waste . ▁SE P ▁emphas izes ▁each ▁state ' s ▁key ▁role ▁as ▁the ▁decision ▁mak er ▁and ▁administrator ▁for ▁program ▁activities ▁within ▁the ▁state ▁that ▁are ▁tail ored ▁to ▁their ▁unique ▁resources , ▁delivery ▁capacity , ▁and ▁energy ▁goals . ▁ ▁The ▁We ather ization ▁Ass istance ▁Program ▁( W AP ) ▁reduces ▁energy ▁costs ▁for ▁low - in come ▁households ▁by ▁increasing ▁the ▁energy ▁efficiency ▁of ▁their ▁homes , ▁while ▁ens uring ▁their ▁health ▁and ▁safety . ▁The ▁program ▁provides ▁fund ing ▁to ▁states ▁and ▁territ ories ▁for ▁locally - run ▁weather ization ▁services ▁to ▁approximately ▁ 3 5 , 0 0 0 ▁homes ▁every ▁year . ▁States ▁contract ▁with ▁community ▁action ▁ag encies , ▁non - prof its , ▁and ▁local ▁govern ments ▁that ▁use ▁in - house ▁employees ▁and ▁private ▁contract ors ▁to ▁deliver ▁services ▁to ▁low - in come ▁families . ▁W AP ▁has ▁served ▁more ▁than ▁ 7 ▁million ▁families ▁since ▁program ▁in ception ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁Part ners hips ▁and ▁Techn ical ▁Ass istance ▁Team ▁( P & TA ) ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁ne x us ▁of ▁state ▁and ▁local ▁govern ments ▁to ▁catal y ze ▁lead - by - example ▁programs ▁by ▁developing ▁tools ▁and ▁solutions ▁to ▁bar riers ▁facing ▁state ▁and ▁local ▁govern ments ; ▁conven ing ▁and ▁creating ▁peer ▁ex changes ▁to ▁show case ▁public - se ctor ▁leadership ▁and ▁effective ▁public - private ▁partners hips ; ▁and ▁providing ▁information ▁from ▁leading ▁technical ▁exper ts .