As colder months loom, Wisconsin residents are being urged to apply for energy assistance, even as federal funding delays persist. The state’s energy assistance program, vital for low-income households, continues to face challenges due to these delays.
The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) combines both state and federal funds to support families with their heating, cooling, and energy bills throughout the year. Last year, over 180,000 households in Wisconsin benefited from this federal assistance.
WHEAP typically secures its federal funds each November. However, this year, the funds from the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program have been delayed due to a 43-day federal shutdown. As of Tuesday, these funds have not yet been disbursed, according to the state’s Department of Administration.
Diana Maas, the Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Department of Administration, is encouraging individuals to submit their applications despite the funding hiccup.
“Our applications at this point in the year seem to be down. (But) we still anticipate the same need over the program year,” Maas explained on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” “We’re accepting applications right now so that as soon as we receive the federal dollars, we can disburse them as appropriate.”
Eligibility for Energy Assistance in Wisconsin
WHEAP provides energy assistance through state partners to those earning less than 60% of the state’s median income. For individuals, this threshold is slightly above $38,000, while for a family of four, it is approximately $78,000.
The assistance is typically a one-time payment during the heating season but may also include weatherization services, furnace repairs, and crisis intervention if heating systems fail unexpectedly.
Diana Maas emphasized the importance of reapplying if circumstances change, stating, “If their life circumstances change — maybe someone loses a job in the family, or maybe they have a child — we would recalculate that eligibility.”
One major partner in this effort is Energy Services, Inc., a nonprofit that aids over 100,000 households annually. According to its Executive Director Tim Bruer, “In many respects, we’re the clearing house for people who are applying for the first time.”
Energy Services, Inc. also manages initiatives like the Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund and Heat for Heroes, which assist veterans and provide temporary relief while awaiting federal funding.
Bruer advises residents to contact Energy Services, Inc. at 1-800-506-5596 or apply online at kwwf.org. County-specific resources are available on the Division of Energy, Housing, and Community Resources website.
Efforts to Prevent Energy Disconnections
Tim Bruer noted that rising utility costs have outpaced wages for many residents, making heating unaffordable for numerous households. “Heat, which is a basic necessity, has become an unaffordable luxury for literally tens of thousands of Wisconsinites,” said Bruer. “Those who are the most vulnerable — the elderly, the disabled, young families — their incomes just simply haven’t kept pace.”
Currently, Wisconsin’s heat moratorium period prohibits utility companies from disconnecting heating services from November to mid-April. Maas added that utility companies are accepting “promise to pay” agreements to mitigate service disconnections while awaiting federal funding.
Bruer commended the collaboration among state agencies, utility companies, and nonprofits, describing the delay in federal funds as creating a “collision course.” However, with support from the governor, the Department of Administration, and utility companies, they have managed to assist individuals effectively.
