There’s Still Time to Apply for the Heating Assistance Programs in MN & ND

The application deadline is May 31

FARGO, N.D. — As the temperatures continue to drop, North Dakota and Minnesota are reminding residents there’s still time to sign up for heating assistance.

If you plan to take advantage of the program, here’s what you need to know about the application process.

In a normal year, Cass County Social Services says they receive about 25-hundred applications for their heating assistance program.

“They come in fast in October. However, with the seasonal temperatures being up and down in the last few years, we’ve seen people come in when it’s really, really cold. That’s when they’ll apply,” said Jane Backlund, with the Cass County Social Services.

The organization has received more than 17-hundred applications so far. The West Central Community Action Partnership, covers seven counties in western Minnesota, says it has received more than 42-hundred applications and expect more than 53-hundred.

“The households or families that we work with are faced with ‘ok do I pay for my heat this month or do I pay for groceries or medication?’ Or for other needs in their life so this definitely alleviates that financial burden that may be put on families,” said Michelle Link, with the West Central Community Action Partnership.

Applications for Minnesota and North Dakota are due by May 31. In addition to providing help with the heating bill, the energy assistance programs also help out with furnace cleanings and repairs, chimney cleanings and inspections and weatherization services. In North Dakota, a person must make at or below 60 percent of the state’s median income to receive heating assistance.

“And it depends on how many bedrooms they have, are they a single-family dwelling, are they in a duplex or are they in an apartment, the type of heat: fuel, oil, propane,” Backlund said.

In Minnesota, someone qualifies if they make at or below 50 percent of the state’s median income. Energy assistance coordinators say even if you don’t think the program is a good fit for you, it might just be for someone you know.

Click here for a Minnesota application. Click here for a North Dakota’s application online. If you live in Cass County, you must return it to the Annex or mail it in.