In today’s post, we are going to continue our series about the Georgia Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Georgia energy assistance program, also known as LIHEAP is available to all low-income households. Energy assistance is distributed on a first come, first serve basis.
If you are currently a Georgia food stamp or SNAP recipient, you may qualify for energy assistance. This post will address one of the most popular questions about Georgia energy assistance – How much energy assistance will I receive?
To find out the answer to this question and to see if you qualify to receive Energy Assistance in Georgia, keep reading below.
What is Georgia LIHEAP?
The Georgia Energy Assistance program provides qualified, low-income Georgia households with financial assistance towards their energy bill. The Georgia Energy Assistance program helps those low-income households with:
- Weatherization services
- Heating and cooling repairs
- Help to those with a life-threatening heating or cooling emergency
LIHEAP provides assistance to each household based on their current situation. The Energy Assistance Program is run by the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) – the same division that is responsible for administering the food stamps program.
For more information about the Georgia Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the types of assistance they offer, check out our detailed post about the Georgia Energy Assistance Program – LIHEAP on our EBT Discounts page.
What determines the amount of Energy Assistance I will receive?
Your local Community Action Agency (CAA) is responsible for determining the amount of financial assistance that you will receive through Georgia LIHEAP.
There are several factors that come into play when your local CAA is determining the amount of energy assistance you will receive. However, before the CAA reviews these factors, you must first be deemed as eligible for the Energy Assistance Program.
Georgia LIHEAP Eligibility
In order to receive assistance from the Georgia Low Income Household Energy Assistance Program, you must meet three basic eligibility requirements. The requirements that need to be met are:
- You must be a U.S. Citizen or legally admitted immigrant.
- Your total Gross Household Income must be at or below 60% of Georgia’s Median Income (refer to the chart below).
- You must accept full responsibility for paying the cost of the energy bill for the primary home heating source.
If you do not meet all three of the requirements listed above, then you are not eligible to receive energy assistance in Georgia. However, if you do meet all three eligibility items listed above, then you may be eligible to receive financial assistance through Georgia LIHEAP.
With that said, if you believe that you are eligible to receive Energy Assistance in Georgia, continue reading our post below.
We will provide you with an estimate of how much financial assistance you can expect to receive from LIHEAP, including an answer to the question – How much Energy Assistance will I receive?
How much Energy Assistance will I receive?
The Georgia Community Action Association (GCAA) and your local Community Action Agency (CAA) is responsible for determining the amount of financial assistance you will receive from the Georgia LIHEAP program.
There are several factors that they consider when determining the amount of Energy Assistance you will receive. The following factors are considered when determining your household’s Energy Assistance amount:
- Projected Total Gross Annual Household Income (including taxes)
- Total Number of People in your Household
- Current Energy Bill Amount
- Current Energy Bill Payment Schedule
- Projected Increased Cost of your Home Heating Energy
The average amount of financial assistance that Georgia LIHEAP recipients receive is between $310 and $350. The program is projected to serve 190,000 low-income families each year (based on funding).
If you think that you may be eligible to receive financial assistance through Georgia LIHEAP, follow our instructions on how to apply for the program below.
How to Apply for Georgia Energy Assistance
Apply for Energy Assistance in Georgia by visiting your local Community Action Agency (CAA) to submit an application. You can apply for assistance once the application date has opened for your current calendar year. For the 2018 and 2019 application dates for Georgia LIHEAP, continue reading our post below.
To locate the Community Action Agency in your county, please go to the use the agency finder tool on Georgia Community Action Association (GCAA) website listed below:
Find your Georgia LIHEAP Location – GCAA Agency Finder
For additional assistance or information on CAA’s in your area, please call 1-877-423-4746.
Georgia Energy Assistance Application Dates
You cannot apply for Energy Assistance until the Georgia LIHEAP application date has opened for that current year. The application period for the homebound, elderly (over the age of 65), and those with a life-threatening crisis opens on the first workday of November every year. The 2019 Georgia LIHEAP application dates are below.
2019 Georgia LIHEAP Application Date
Friday, November 1, 2019
The application date for the general public falls on the first workday in December every year. The 2018 and 2019 Georgia LIHEAP Winter application dates are below.
2019 Georgia LIHEAP Winter Application Date
Monday, December 2, 2019
All LIHEAP applicants are served by the agency in their county on a first-come, first serve basis. The program operates until the end of April of the following year or until funding runs out, whichever comes first. It is important that you apply as early to the application as possible to avoid funding running out.
Application Requirements for Georgia LIHEAP
If you are applying for Georgia LIHEAP assistance, you must provide income and expense documents. You must submit this information when you apply for Energy Assistance in Georgia. If you do not provide the following information, you will not be approved for assistance.
All applicants must provide the following documents:
- Proof of Income (W-2, Pay Stub, Tax Document)
- Information pertaining to Household Size
- Current Energy Bill
Be sure that all information you provide is up-to-date and accurate. Any fraudulent information provided will result in financial restitution from the applicant.
Georgia Energy Assistance for SNAP Recipients
Thank you for taking the time to read our post about the Georgia Energy Assistance Program – LIHEAP. We hope this post was helpful to you and that we successfully answered the question – How much Energy Assistance will I receive?
If you have any additional questions regarding Georgia LIHEAP or need help applying, please leave those in the comments section below. We are always happy to help you! If you have a new topic you would like us to cover, please also leave those in the comments section below.
Our goal is to provide you, the reader, with the best possible information that you’re looking for.