ENERGY ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It provides help to low income households by paying a portion of their heating bills. Households with the lowest income and the highest heating costs receive the greatest benefit. LIHEAP services include: Financial aid to pay a portion of heating costs. Crisis intervention for no heat situations. Negotiations between utility companies and consumers to allow bill payment, thereby avoiding disconnections. Funds to help homeowners with furnace repairs/replacements. Referral to weatherization and other human service programs.
FACTS ABOUT ENERGY ASSISTANCE
- Help is for people of all ages with all types of income and heating fuels.
- You should apply for help before you get a past-due bill or run out of fuel.
- The program will not pay all of your heat costs.
- You can apply if your heat costs are included in your rent.
- We can tell you about other help available.
- All information you give us is private.
INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
Below are the income guidelines for the FFY24 program year, which is October 1, 2023 through
September 30, 2024. The FFY24 guidelines are based on one month of income, rather than three months. Also, the maximum income guidelines are again based on 50% SMI, due to a reduction in federal LIHEAP funds awarded to Minnesota for FFY24. These guidelines are based on 50% of State Median Income (SMI) for household sizes 1-16 and 110% of Federal Poverty Guidelines for household sizes 17-20.
| HOUSEHOLD SIZE | ANNUAL INCOME | ONE MONTH MAX. GUIDELINES |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
$32,667 |
$2,722 |
|
2 |
$42,719 |
$3,559 |
|
3 |
$52,770 |
$4,397 |
|
4 |
$62,822 |
$5,235 |
|
5 |
$72,874 |
$6,072 |
|
6 |
$82,925 |
$6,910 |
|
7 |
$84,810 |
$7,067 |
|
8 |
$86,695 |
$7,224 |
|
9 |
$88,579 |
$7,381 |
|
10 |
$90,464 |
$7,538 |
SERVICE AREA
BENEFIT PROGRAMS
PRIMARY HEAT
The Primary Heat benefit addresses low income households’ ability to maintain affordable and continuous energy by providing grants to lower their energy burden. Primary Heat can be used for:
- Future fuel costs.
- Past due and current bill amounts for electricity and heating fuels.
- Delivered fuel or emergency fuel.
- Fees including pressure tests, leak seek, line bleeding, tank setting, tank rental, membership, after-hours delivery costs, reconnection and service deposits.
- Removal of load limiters.
CRISIS BENEFIT PROGRAM
EAP Crisis benefits are used to prevent shut-off of residential energy sources, to reinstate service of residential energy sources, and to enable delivery of residential fuel. Crisis requests must be addressed immediately to avert life threatening and no heat situations. The Crisis Benefit Program assists Energy Assistance eligible households facing any of these situations:
- Potential electric/natural gas disconnection.
- Less than 20% heating fuel remaining, and are on a cash-only basis with vendor.
- Energy Related Repair
Eligible energy assistance households who own their home (wholly owned or making mortgage payments) qualify for repairs or replacement of non-functioning furnaces.
ENERGY RELATED REPAIR PROGRAM
The Energy Related Repair (ERR) benefit is a crisis benefit addressing hazardous and life threatening situations or cases where a home has no heat due to malfunctioning or nonfunctioning heating systems. ERR funds may serve a household that:
- Is currently eligible for EAP assistance
- Is a homeowner
- Is occupying the dwelling at the time the ERR benefit is determined, and
- Occupies a qualified dwelling
- Has a hazardous and life threatening situation, has no heat, or has a malfunctioning heating system.
REACH OUT FOR WARMTH
ROFW income guidelines are somewhat higher than the Energy Assistance program. Reach Out for Warmth (ROFW) is a special fund that helps families with limited resources that are facing any of these situations:
- Potential electric/natural gas disconnection
- Less than 20% heating fuel remaining, and are on a cash-only basis with vendor
- Furnace repair for homeowners
FORMS &
INFORMATION
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
The 2023-2024 Energy Assistance Program will begin October 1st, 2023. If you were approved for the program in 2022-2023 season, the State of Minnesota will automatically mail out a new application for the new heating season in September.
Energy Assistance Online Applications will be available September 1, 2023! To complete the application online: https://energy-assistance.web.commerce.state.mn.us/
Click here to download a PDF version: To mail the application: Northwest Community Action, Inc. ATTN: EAP PO Box 67 Badger, MN 56714 Fax: 218-528-3259 Email: eap@nwcaa.org Applications must be received or postmarked by May 31, 2023 to be processed for EAP benefits for the 2022-2023 program year. Applications received after May 31 may be eligible for the Weatherization Assistance Program, local funds, referrals, advocacy, etc. Applications denied due to end of program year will be put on the mailing list to automatically receive an application for the next program year.
EAP provides a financial grant to assist with heating costs to households who qualify, crisis intervention for threat of or no heat situations, energy-related repairs for home heating systems and referrals to weatherization and other human service providers.
Income guidelines can be viewed in the Energy Assistance Program section of our website and are available within application.
Households can apply for energy assistance from October 1 thru May 31.
No, not every year, but every heating season. The heating season is from October 1 thru May 31.
Apply as soon as you can. Your application will be processed in the first-in, first-out priority.
Yes, unless you take steps under the Cold Weather Rule to protect yourself. You must contact your utility company to apply for protection from having your heat shut off. This is true for all residential customers, including families with young children and senior citizens.
All utilities must follow some level of the Cold Weather Rule. Rate-regulated utilities (Otter Tail Power and Minnesota Energy Resources) must follow a more expanded rule than municipal utilities and electric cooperatives. There are separate laws that have similar protections for municipal and electric cooperative customers. Delivered fuels, such as fuel oil, propane and wood are not covered.
The CWR regulates the conditions under which gas and electric utilities may disconnect residential service in the winter (from October 1 to April 30). The CWR requires that ratepayers who have difficulty paying heating bills contact their utility to work out a mutually acceptable payment plan to preserve service. The type of plan available depends on your household income level.
No, this is not a monthly grant. Upon your approval into the program, the entire amount you are eligible for will be sent to your selected vendor(s) within four months.
No, the energy assistance grant is not based upon the amount of your bill. The grant amount is determined by your consumption use, household size, and household income.
Yes, you should always continue to pay your bill on a monthly basis to avoid past-due balances. Ask your vendor about the budget plan to make your payments affordable to your needs.
Processing your application can take anywhere from one to four weeks, depending on the number of applications received in the office. Applications are processed in a first-in, first-out priority.