Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP / LIHEAP)

Maine's Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP, is the state's LIHEAP heating help, run by MaineHousing. It helps qualified homeowners and renters pay for heating costs, including help with fuel costs and emergency fuel delivery. Local Community Action Agencies take the applications, not MaineHousing directly. You can apply online at the ECOS portal, find your local agency by zip code, or call the hotline at (877) 544-3271. Because the agencies handle the paperwork, the fastest path is often to reach out to the one that serves your area and let them walk you through it.

The income rules are set each heating season. For the 2026-2027 season, the most a household can earn in a year and still qualify is $38,070 for one person, $49,784 for two, $61,498 for three, $73,213 for four, and $84,927 for five. If your income is a little over the line, do not stop there, because Maine lets some households deduct part of the medical costs they paid, which can bring them under the limit. So even if your yearly income looks a little too high at first, it is worth applying and asking the agency about that medical deduction before you assume you do not qualify.

The benefit amount is not one flat number. It varies depending on your household size, your income, and your other household expenses. Eligible households may also get help with energy-related repairs and some utility payments. Because the amount depends on your own situation, the agency figures it out after they see your application. That is why two households of the same size can get different amounts, since the program weighs what you earn against what you spend to heat your home.

Watch the calendar, because timing matters. For the 2026-2027 program year, regular HEAP applications run from August 3, 2026 through May 29, 2027, or until the money runs out. You are encouraged to apply as early as you can, since applying early gives you a better chance while funds last. Funds are limited each season, so an early application is the surest way to be covered before the money is spent.

There is a separate crisis track for emergencies. The Emergency Crisis Intervention Program, or ECIP, runs from November 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027 for households facing a heating emergency. If your heating fuel is almost gone, fill out a HEAP application and contact your local Community Action Agency about crisis help right away, and say clearly that this is an emergency. Naming the emergency helps the agency treat your case with the urgency it needs, since the crisis track is built to move faster than a regular application.

Stack your help so this winter and next both improve. Applying for HEAP also puts you in line for free weatherization, which fixes the home so future bills drop. And if a shut-off is looming, you can dial 2-1-1 to find other local utility funds near you. Taking both steps in the same visit saves time, and it means help for this winter and lower bills next winter can start from one application.