October 30, 2019 – Ohio’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Winter Crisis Program will begin on November 1, 2019 and operate until March 31, 2020. The program assists eligible Ohioans who have received a utility service disconnection, have been threatened with a utility disconnection or have a bulk-fuel supply with less than 25 percent of fuel left in their tank.

October 23, 2019 – Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) agencies around the country, including states, tribes and territories, will be accepting applications for the 2020 Fiscal Year throughout November. Start and end dates for heating, crisis and weatherization programs may vary from state-to-state. To learn about program dates in your area, visit the LIHEAP Clearinghouse Program Duration web page.

October 17, 2019 – Minnesota’s moratorium protection, known as the Cold Weather Rule, goes into effect from October 15 through April 15. As the cold, winter months approach, it is important that utility customers understand they are protected from shut-offs through utility moratoriums put in place by Public Utility Commissions (PUC).

October 10, 2019 – With the cold, fall and winter months approaching, households can take measures to help lower their heating bills. Some of these tips, such as adjusting their thermostat, can result in as much as a ten-percent decrease in heating bills.

Unplugging small electrical appliances, taking shorter showers, and other actions taken by a household can all contribute to decreasing the heating bill. Personal finance expert, Rebecca Gramuglia, offers these ten tips to help a household reduce their heating bills during the fall and winter months.

October 3, 2019 – As many heating programs around the country begin accepting applications on or around October 1, Western New York’s Neighbor to Neighbor Heat Fund re-opened on October 1, 2019. Qualifying western New Yorkers may be eligible to receive a one-time heating assistance payment directly to their energy supplier of up to $300.

September 26, 2019 – Qualifying utility customers in Madison County, Illinois will be able to submit their applications for energy assistance starting on October 1. Applicants can apply through the Madison County Community Development Energy Assistance Office (CDEAO).

September 19, 2019 - Michigan residents who have filed for and received the 2018 MI–1040CR–7 Home Heating Credit Claim will receive an additional $22 credit towards their heating bills. The one-time credit will be applied to approximately 288,000 Michigan residents who received a home-heating credit in 2018.

September 12, 2019 – Missouri’s North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC) will be receiving an additional $102,000 in federal funding for energy assistance. Missouri’s NECAC distributed over $400,000 in utility assistance between June 1 and August 28, 2019.

September 5, 2019 – Households who find themselves in the path of natural disasters may be eligible for crisis assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Crisis assistance benefits vary from state to state, so it is important that a household find out what they may qualify for in their area. Households can view crisis assistance benefits for LIHEAP in their area on the LIHEAP Clearinghouse web site.

August 27, 2019 – The Ohio Development Services (ODS) Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program will end on August 31. The program provides Ohioans with electric bill assistance and providing central air conditioning units and repairs.

In 2018, more than 423 households received crisis assistance through the Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program. Recipients received monetary benefits of up to $300 or a window air conditioning unit. $63,000 was spent by the Miami Valley CAP to help “beat the summer heat.”