LIHEAP in North Dakota
Living in North Dakota means putting up with long, cold winters. LIHEAP assistance is crucial to the health and well-being of low-income households when temperatures reach below zero and heating costs skyrocket. The LIHEAP program is designed to work with utility companies to provide monetary benefits for qualifying applications. The money is distributed directly to the utility companies where it is applied to the customer account. In addition to LIHEAP, some utility companies work with customers to provide assistance above and beyond LIHEAP funds. Utility companies working with low-income families in North Dakota include:
- Capital Electric Coop
- Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative
- Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative
- Nodak Electric Cooperative
- Northern Plains Electric Cooperative
North Dakota LIHEAP Assistance
The LIHEAP assistance provided to the state of Nebraska helps more than 16,000 families each year. Due to the cold winters, the average heating benefit for qualifying applicants is nearly $1,000. This is not the maximum benefit. The minimum benefit is $50. Heating applications must be submitted between October 1 and May 31 every year. If you are in a crisis situation and your heat is going to be disconnected, bring your disconnect notice to the local Department of Human Services and apply for crisis benefits.
LIHEAP Applications & How to Apply
All residents must visit an office of the Department of Human Services to apply for Energy Assistance. You can call 1-800-775-2716 for the address to your local office or search for a local office online. There are offices located in each county of North Dakota.
The application process starts with income verification. If you meet the income guidelines, you will need to supply proof of income, proof of family size and a current bill from your heating company. Crisis applications require a disconnect notice. General applications take around 45 days to process, but crisis applications may be processed immediately or within a few days. The money supplied to your utility company by LIHEAP will help pay your heating bills, but it will not likely cover your bills for the entire winter.
LIHEAP Eligibility – Am I Eligible?
North Dakota government uses the 60% of state median income guideline to qualify applicants for LIHEAP.
Family Size | 60% of State Median Income |
1 | $23,143 |
2 | $30,264 |
3 | $37,385 |
4 | $44,506 |
5 | $51,627 |
6 | $58,748 |
The state median income used to calculate maximum income for 2012 is $74,177. 60% of the state median income is $44,470. Families with six members can earn up to 132% of $44,470 to qualify for LIHEAP. If you have more than six family members, you can add 3% for each family member. A family of seven, for instance, can earn 135% of $44,470 or $60,035.
