Funding Update
Please refer to the county in which you live for appointment and funding information for Energy Assistance.
If you have no heat of any kind, or your electricity and/or natural gas have been disconnected, please call the county office in which you live for emergency appointment information.
Lewis County: FULL- all regular appointments (booked through end of March 2012). Scheduling emergency appointments only. Check back periodically for updates.
Mason County: FULL- all regular appointments(booked through end of March 2012). Scheduling emergency appointments only. Check back periodically for updates.
Thurston County: FULL- all regular appointments (booked through end of May 2012). Scheduling emergency appointments only. Check back periodically for updates.
Click here to schedule an appointment.
Community Action Council distributes funds from a variety of sources for Energy Assistance. The two main sources are the federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and the Puget Sound Energy Help (PSE Help) fund.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program that provides assistance to help low-income families and individuals pay heating bills during the winter. Assistance is paid directly to the utility or energy provider on the client’s behalf. Homeowners may also qualify for limited heating system repairs. Assistance is limited to eligible households, one time per year.The Puget Sound Energy Help (PSE Help) program is funded by Puget Sound Energy from a tariff, or small tax, included in all their utility customer’s bills. Assistance from this program is limited to PSE customers who meet the program’s income guidelines and other utility requirements. Grants are applied directly to qualified client’s Puget Sound Energy electric and/or gas account(s), one time per year. Additional energy assistance may also be available from specific private utility Fuel Funds.
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.
| Fuel Fund | Utility | County |
|---|---|---|
| Project Share | Lewis County PUD #1 | Lewis |
| Project Share | Mason County PUD #3 | Mason |
| Winter Help Fund | Cascade Natural Gas | Mason |
| Canal Comfort Fund | Mason County PUD #1 | Mason |
| WEAF (Washington Energy Assistance Fund) | Cascade Natural Gas | Mason |
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.
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.
