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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Minnesota Announces $111 Million for Heating Assistance as Households Prepare for Winter Bills
Renters and homeowners may qualify for help with energy costs, emergency fuel and heating-system problems through local providers.
ST. PAUL, MN (October 28, 2026). Approximately $111 million in federal funding is available to help eligible Minnesota households pay heating bills and address winter energy emergencies, the Department of Commerce announced October 26.
The Energy Assistance Program operates through 28 local providers. Assistance can help with energy payments, preventing disconnection, restoring service, fuel deliveries and certain repairs or replacements of homeowners’ heating systems.
The program is free to eligible households, and both renters and homeowners can apply.
Eligibility and Benefit Amounts
Eligibility depends on household size and income. Commerce’s current guidance uses the most recent month of household income, an important consideration for people whose earnings have recently declined.
Initial benefits can reach $1,400, depending on income and fuel costs. Payments go directly to the household’s utility or delivered-fuel provider.
Additional emergency grants of up to $600 may help qualifying households facing disconnection, reconnection needs or an emergency fuel delivery. People who have lost heat, exhausted their fuel supply or experienced a furnace failure should contact their local provider immediately.
Apply Before a Crisis Develops
The application deadline for the 2026–27 heating season is May 31, 2027. Applications are reviewed in the order received, and processing can take longer when volumes are high or documentation is incomplete.
Applicants should gather household information, income records, housing details and heating and electric account numbers. The application also asks about emergency heating needs.
An online application and a mail-request option are available through Commerce’s application page.
Local Contacts Across MinneapoliMedia’s Coverage Area
Commerce’s provider directory identifies the following contacts:
- Anoka County: Anoka County Community Action Program, 763-783-4712.
- Minneapolis and suburban Hennepin County: Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County, 952-930-3541.
- Ramsey and Washington counties: Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties, 651-645-6470.
The state provider directory also lists participating Tribal governments and providers elsewhere in Minnesota.
Cold Weather Protection Requires Action
Energy assistance operates alongside Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule, which runs October 1 through April 30.
The Public Utilities Commission emphasizes that protection is not automatic. Customers must contact their electric or natural gas utility, establish a payment arrangement and maintain it.
The rule does not cover delivered fuels such as propane, heating oil or wood, although those households may qualify for energy assistance. Residents should therefore pursue the program appropriate to their heating source rather than assuming winter temperatures alone prevent a loss of service.
For help locating an energy-assistance provider, call 800-657-3710 and press 1. Utility-rights questions can be directed to the PUC at 651-296-0406 or 800-657-3782.
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