On Friday, August 30, 2024, at 10:00 AM, a Public Hearing will be held via ZOOM, for the purpose of receiving comments on the draft Department of Public Health and Human Services “2024-2025 LIHEAP State Plan Application”. Please use this Zoom Link for the 2024-2025 LIHEAP State Plan Public Hearing.
Written comments can be emailed to HHSliheap@mt.gov and must be received by 5:00 PM, Friday August 30, 2024.
You may apply for assistance at any time during the year by contacting the local eligibility office or Tribal LIHEAP office serving your community. Click on "local eligibility office" to access phone numbers.
The State of Montana, through the Department of Public Health and Human Services, offers two programs aimed at helping eligible Montanans.
To apply for assistance, Montanans can submit a combined LIHEAP and Weatherization application. The application can be completed online but must be printed and delivered or mailed to the local eligibility office listed on the last page of the application. See the Income and Resource Guidelines below to see the limits based on family size and income.
You may apply for LIHEAP during the heating season, which is October 1 through April 30 of each year, by contacting the local eligibility office or Tribal LIHEAP office serving your community.
You may apply Weatherization assistance at any time during the year by contacting the local eligibility office or Tribal LIHEAP office serving your community.
Eligibility for assistance is based on your income and resource limits. Both homeowners and renters may apply for these programs.
If your household receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, you may qualify automatically for assistance.
Income and Resource GuidelinesThe upper limit amounts are 60% of the state median income for household sizes one (1) through eight (8). The upper limit amounts for household sizes nine (9) and greater are 150% of the poverty threshold for the household size. For households at 150 percent of HHS poverty guidelines with more than nine (9) members add $7,710 for each additional member.
Non-Business Resources include, but are not limited to: cash on hand, savings, checking account, CD's, stocks, and rental properties.
Business Resource limit is $25,000.
Additional Weatherization AssistanceHouseholds who qualify for LIHEAP are also eligible for weatherization and Energy Education. Discounts on electric bills may be available. All approved LIHEAP applications are ranked according to degree of need and placed in "priority groups." Special priority is given to older adults and disabled individuals. If your application is approved but you're not in a priority group and if you don't receive assistance within a year of your application date please reapply.
An energy auditor will set up a time to visit with you about your home's needs for weatherization materials. The auditor is trained to determine the most cost-effective weatherization measures for your home. These measures may include a furnace tune-up, caulking, client education, insulation, weather-stripping, storm windows, replacement of broken glass, or repair of exterior doors.
Weatherization workers may not be able to install all the materials you need, but they will do the most important weatherization within the dollar limits allowed. In some cases it may not be cost effective to install any weatherization measures.
When your home is scheduled for weatherization work, a crew or an independent contractor will come to install the necessary materials in your home. After the work is completed, you will be asked to sign a statement indicating that you believe the work was done properly and to your satisfaction.
