Colorado LIHEAP Energy and Utility Bill Assistance Program

Low income families in Colorado may receive help from LIHEAP, or the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Applications are accepted at your local community action agency or social service office, while the program is run at the state level by the Colorado Department of Human Services. Financial assistance and cash grants can be paid out to eligible households to help them pay the cost of energy related services, including home utility and energy bills.

The most well known federal government and state of Colorado utility assistance program is LIHEAP. Tens of thousands of lower income families, seniors, and disabled receive help from the program every year. There are two primary components, and they include regular cash assistance and also funds to pay a bill if someone is faced with an emergency or Energy Crisis. The Crisis component provides services to Colorado households who are subject to disconnection and which can result in life-threatening conditions without immediate intervention. So people who need assistance to address their critical energy-related needs may benefit here from this crisis component.

It does not matter your heating or utility source, and money can pay for electricity, natural gas, wood, liquid petroleum propane/butane gas, oil, and other energy related services. The exact amount paid out to each qualified applicant will vary based on the applicant’s income and number of family members.

As funds become available, the LIHEAP Program provides benefits to low income and otherwise qualified Colorado households to assist them with paying heating costs and utility bills. The government resource can also help households during a heating emergency crisis or some other hardship by securing an emergency delivery of fuel or cash grants, referring clients to another source of assistance, or delaying a shut-off notice. All money paid out by the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is done so as a grant and does not need to be paid back to the government. The Colorado Low-Income Energy Assistance Program accepts applications in September and October, and provides energy assistance from November 1 through April 30.

 

 

As indicated above, the exact amount paid out will depend on the applicant’s household income and overall energy costs. Your benefits will calculated by looking at many factors, including taking into account household income, number of heating degree days within a region, overall energy bills, and the applicants housing type. A key is what percentage of their income they pay for their bills. So those families in Colorado with the lowest incomes and highest energy costs should gain the highest benefits from LIHEAP.

The Colorado Low Income Energy Assistance (LEAP) will help with paying heating bills if you have a gross monthly income below the established program income limits, you or any household member is a permanent legal resident, and it can even help with utilities if your heat and other costs are included in your rent.

In addition to contacting a community action agency below, in order to receive an application for LEAP assistance, you can dial 1-866-432-8435. You can also call upon a county LEAP office, and will need to return your application there.

Adams County Community Development - 4430 South Adams County Parkway, 1st Floor, Suite C1900, Brighton, CO 80601-8205. Telephone number is (720) 523-6200

Arapahoe County Community Resources is located at 1690 West Littleton Boulevard, Suite 300 in Littleton, CO 80120. The phone number of the LIHEAP agency is (303) 738-8040

Boulder County Community Action Programs, 3482 N. Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304. Call the center at (303) 441-3975.

Colorado East Community Action Agency provides coverage for the regions and counties of Cheyenne, Elbert, Lincoln, and Kit Carson. 310 Kansas Avenue, Stratton, CO 80836, telephone is (719) 348-5303.

Larimer County Human Development - 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80524, dial (970) 498-7000.

M.A.D.A. is the name of the community action agency for Montrose, Delta, San Miguel, Gunison, and Ouray. 17 N. 6th Street, Montrose, CO 81401, telephone number is (970) 249-4774.

 

 

Pikes Peak Community Action Agency, Inc., Colorado Springs, CO 80901-2468. Dial (719) 633-8994. Offers utility and heating assistance from LIUHEAP in El Paso County.

Pueblo County Housing & Human Services, 2631 E. 4th Street, Pueblo, CO 81001. Dial (719) 583-6318. Counties are Baca, Bent, Crowley, Custer, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo.

Southwest Community Resources, 295 Girard St., Durango, CO 81301, telephone number is (970) 259-1086.
Weld County Human Services, Greeley, CO 80632. Call (970) 353-3800. This location is an LIHEAP application site for local residents.