DPHHS Accepting Applications from Low Income Homes for Energy, Water, and Weatherization Programs

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.

If you cannot reach your local eligibility office, call Montana’s toll-free number at 1-833-317-1080.

The State of Montana, through the Department of Public Health and Human Services, offers three programs aimed at helping eligible Montanans.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) pays part of winter energy bills and may be able to assist with furnace emergencies for eligible people.

The Low Income Home Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) helps pay a portion of eligible household’s water bills; helps avoid shutoffs; and helps support household water system reconnections related to non-payment.

The Weatherization Assistance Program helps participants to improve the heating efficiency of their homes and thus reduce their energy consumption.

When & Where to Apply

To apply for assistance, Montanans can submit a combined LIHEAP, LIHWAP and Weatherization 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 for LIHWAP and Weatherization assistance at any time during the year by contacting the local eligibility office or Tribal LIHEAP office serving your community.

Who Is Eligible

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.

Households 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.