Energy Assistance Program

Funding Update: Please check back regularly, as our funding status changes irregularly.

Lewis County:  FULL: PSE Natural Gas appointments only.   Please call 360-736-1800 for more information on appointment scheduling.

Mason County: OPEN- Please call for limited availability. There is PUD#3, PUD #1 and Cascade Natural Gas funds available. Please call 360-426-9726 for more information on appointment scheduling.

Thurston County:  OPEN- scheduling PSE Natural Gas customers only via phone 360-438-1100. If  your PSE electricity and/or natural gas have been disconnected, please call 360-438-1100 for emergency appointment updates.

For safety and security, we do not take walk-ins during the opening days to schedule appointments.  All staff are answering phones to schedule clients. 

NOTE: If you have already been to our office for Energy Assistance, we will be processing your benefits for the LIHEAP program as quickly as possible.  You will receive a yellow benefit estimate in the mail to notify you that your file has been completed.  Thank you for your patience.  

Due to the large volume of clients accessing our website at once on scheduling days, the webpage may be slowed or need to be reset. If you reach an error or are kicked out of the site, please continue to attempt the scheduling process. You MUST receive a red confirmation number or you DO NOT have an appointment through our online scheduler. You can also call the county office in which you live to schedule. The phone lines are also extremely busy in all offices. Please be patient as your call is being answered as quickly as possible.

Fuel Funds

Fuel funds are funds donated by customers of local utilities to help people in need pay their utility bill and avoid disconnection. To qualify for assistance, your household must be in the service area of the specific utility, meet the corresponding income guidelines and energy service connection requirements . Other factors may apply to determine eligibility. Funds are limited to availability and individual utility restrictions. Refer to the table below for fuel funds administered by the Community Action Council.

Thurston County residents who are customers of Puget Sound Energy should contact the Olympia Salvation Army at (360) 352-8596, to apply for help from the PSE Warm Home Fund.

How are Energy Assistance benefit amounts determined?

Assistance amounts are determined by household size, income, heat source and the previous year’s energy usage and are based on availability of funds.

How do I receive Energy Assistance services?

The program usually begins in the Fall and continues until all funds are committed. Contact us for further information. We will ask pre-qualifying questions to determine if you appear eligible. You will be asked to provide required documentation to establish eligibility at the time of your appointment.

How do I make my Energy Assistance appointment?

Due to the high volume of people in need trying to access these services, it is imperative to process all applicants fairly and equally. Our policy is to make appointments over the phone or through our web site scheduler. Please remember appointments are made on a first come, first served basis. To be fair to all applying, we do not accept requests for appointments by email, voicemail, or fax. Please show patience (as well as persistence) when calling to schedule. Our phone lines become extremely busy when we first start scheduling appointments. We strongly encourage people not to give up calling if they get a busy signal. Eventually, you can get through. To schedule an appointment online, click here or please see the link at the top of this page. Or you may call our office in your county.

• What do I need to bring to my Energy Assistance appointment?
  • Social security cards for everyone in the home 18 years or older
  • Photo identification
  • Address verification
  • Verification of all sources of income/monies received by every household member for the three previous months to the month of your appointment (for example: appointment date in July, please bring in April, May, June verification)
  • A current heat bill or proof of your heat source.  (If your heat source is propane/oil/pellets/firewood and you do not have a vendor who provides you with a bill, go to Forms, under Energy, use the Heat Source Statement for proof of heat source)

Anyone with zero ‘0’ income and who is 18 or older is required to complete paperwork explaining how he/she paid for food, shelter and heat at the time of the appointment.  If you are a student, your Financial Aid award letter is required.

For low-cost or no-cost energy conservation tips, please click here.

 Do we get enough funding to serve everyone in need?

No!

Who is eligible?

See below if your household may be income eligible for heating assistance through the LIHEAP program.

See below if your household may be income eligible for assistance through the PSE HELP program.