Vermont energy assistance: Seasonal Fuel, Crisis Fuel and weatherization (2026-27)
Vermont spends its federal LIHEAP grant on heat. The Department for Children and Families (DCF) Economic Services Division pays Seasonal Fuel Assistance once a year to households at or below 185% of poverty. Five Community Action Agencies run Crisis Fuel Assistance from late November to April, and the DCF Office of Economic Opportunity runs free weatherization. Vermont has no cooling program.
Figures apply to 2026-27 heating season (income guidelines); FFY 2026 LIHEAP State Plan (benefit levels)
Contents11 sections
Key takeaways
- Seasonal Fuel Assistance for 2026-27 is open to households with gross income at or below 185% of poverty: $5,088 a month for a household of four 2.
- Crisis Fuel Assistance uses a higher line, 200% of poverty ($5,500 a month for four), and is run by five Community Action Agencies from the last Monday in November into April 25.
- The seasonal benefit is one payment a year; Vermont's FFY 2026 plan put it between $21 and $2,089 per household 3.
- A Vermont crisis is a fuel tank at 25% or less, a week or less of wood, pellets or coal, or a disconnect notice from the utility that supplies your heat 3.
- Every active Seasonal Fuel household qualifies for free weatherization; others qualify at or below 80% of area median income, from $89,200 to $99,750 for four depending on county 910.
Quick facts
| Administered by | Vermont DCF Economic Services Division (seasonal); five Community Action Agencies (crisis) 3 |
|---|---|
| Income limit (seasonal) | 185% of poverty: $3,336 a month for 2, $5,088 for 4 (2026-27) 2 |
| Income limit (crisis) | 200% of poverty: $5,500 a month for 4 2 |
| Seasonal benefit | $21 to $2,089, paid once a year (FFY 2026) 3 |
| Crisis season | Last Monday in November to the second Friday in April (bulk fuel) or last working day of April (gas, electric) 5 |
| Cooling assistance | None; Vermont budgets 0% of LIHEAP for cooling 3 |
| Where to apply | myBenefits or 1-800-479-6151 (seasonal); your Community Action Agency (crisis) 15 |
Programs at a glance
| Program | Type | Help available | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal Fuel AssistanceVermont Department for Children and Families, Economic Services Division | Voucher/subsidy | One benefit per season toward the primary heating fuel, paid to a certified fuel dealer or utility (cash to wood and pellet users and renters with heat in rent); FFY 2026 range $21 to $2,089 | Open (applications accepted year-round) |
| Crisis Fuel AssistanceVermont DCF, through five Community Action Agencies | Voucher/subsidy | Up to 125 gallons of oil, kerosene or propane, one cord of wood, one ton of coal or pellets, or one month of metered service per crisis; FFY 2026 maximum $2,479.64 | Seasonal (last Monday in November to April; funds limited) |
| Emergency Heating SystemVermont DCF Office of Economic Opportunity, through Community Action Agencies | Free service | Emergency repair of the home's primary heating system (boiler, furnace, heat pump, stove) | Seasonal (November 1 to April 29) |
| Weatherization Assistance ProgramVermont DCF Office of Economic Opportunity, through five regional agencies | Free service | Energy audit, air sealing, insulation and health and safety work; about $10,000 of improvements per home on average | Open (waits set by each regional agency) |
| Green Mountain Power Energy AssistanceGreen Mountain Power, enrollment through Vermont DCF | Bill credit | 25% off monthly charges | Open (GMP customers; reapply yearly) |
| Vermont Gas Energy AssistanceVermont Gas Systems, enrollment through Vermont DCF | Bill credit | 20% off the monthly natural gas bill | Open (VGS customers; reapply yearly) |
Income limits
Seasonal Fuel Assistance (Vermont LIHEAP): 185% of the federal poverty level, gross monthly household income, effective 2026-27 program year (DCF chart posted March 23, 2026).2
| Household | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per month | $2,461 | $3,336 | $4,212 | $5,088 | $5,963 | $6,839 | $7,715 | $8,590 |
Add $875 for each person above 8. The same 185% limits apply to the GMP and Vermont Gas discounts. Crisis Fuel Assistance uses 200%: $5,500 a month for four.
Vermont’s FFY 2026 LIHEAP State Plan puts 64% of the grant into heating assistance, 6% into winter crisis aid, 3% into year-round crisis aid, 15% into weatherization, 10% into administration and 2% into carryover. Nothing goes to cooling 3. Vermont splits the work. DCF’s Economic Services Division decides eligibility and pays the seasonal benefit statewide. The five Community Action Agencies handle every crisis intake 3. Which office you call depends on whether you are planning for the winter or already running out of fuel.
One statewide application for Seasonal Fuel Assistance
Seasonal Fuel Assistance is Vermont’s name for LIHEAP heating help. DCF takes applications year-round and pays one benefit per heating season 3. It covers owners and renters, whether you pay a fuel dealer directly or pay for heat through your rent 1. You can apply on the myBenefits portal, on a paper application (call 1-800-479-6151), at a DCF district office, or with the fuel-only application form, ESD Form 201SF. Households already enrolled get a review form each year instead of a new application 1. Most applicants never have an interview. A worker calls or sends a written request only when something needs to be checked, and you can upload pay stubs and fuel bills from a phone 3.
If you also apply for 3SquaresVT (Vermont’s SNAP program), and everyone in the fuel household receives it, the household is categorically eligible. Its fuel certification then follows the SNAP certification period of 12, 24 or 36 months 3. Categorical eligibility changes only how long you stay certified. It does not raise the benefit 3. To qualify at all, you must live in your Vermont home as your primary residence for at least 150 nights between November 1 and April 30 3.
The 185% and 200% lines for 2026-27
DCF’s 2026-27 chart sets two monthly gross-income limits. Seasonal Fuel Assistance and the GMP and Vermont Gas discounts use 185% of the federal poverty level. Crisis Fuel Assistance uses 200% 2. The federal State Plan form lists 60% of state median income as the plan’s threshold 3, but DCF publishes the 185% and 200% charts, so check your income against those 2.
| Household size | Crisis Fuel limit (monthly) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,660 |
| 2 | $3,606 |
| 3 | $4,554 |
| 4 | $5,500 |
| 5 | $6,446 |
| 6 | $7,394 |
| 7 | $8,340 |
| 8 | $9,286 |
| Each person over 15 | add $946 |
DCF’s chart lists every household size up to 15 people 2.
DCF counts gross income: wages, self-employment, Social Security, SSI, pensions, unemployment, child support, alimony and Reach Up (TANF) grants 3. There is no asset test for heating, crisis or weatherization 3.
How DCF sizes the seasonal benefit
Vermont’s benefit matrix multiplies two figures 4. The first is a standard heating cost, which DCF calls a proxy table. It sets an annual cost for your fuel type, home type (multi-family, or single-family and mobile homes) and number of bedrooms. In the published table, a single-family home with four or more bedrooms heated by oil is set at $4,552. An apartment with one bedroom heated by natural gas is set at $923 4. The second figure is a heat cost percentage based on where your income falls against the poverty line 4.
| Income as % of poverty | Share of heating cost |
|---|---|
| 0-74% | 90% |
| 75-84% | 87% |
| 95-104% | 81% |
| 115-124% | 75% |
| 135-144% | 69% |
| 145-154% | 66% |
| 155-164% | 33% |
| 175-185% | 27% |
Bands not shown step down by 3 points each (85-94% 84%, 105-114% 78%, 125-134% 72%, 165-174% 30%) 4.
Watch the drop at 155% of poverty, where the share falls from 66% to 33%. A small raise can cut a household’s fuel benefit in half. The proxy table in the posted 2026 matrix is labeled for the 2024-25 season. DCF updates the proxy tables at least every three years, using data from certified fuel dealers and the Department of Public Service 4. The State Plan estimates FFY 2026 benefits from $21 to $2,089 per household 3. That top figure is lower than 90% of the largest proxy costs, so treat the matrix as a ranking tool, not a promise of a dollar amount.
DCF pays the benefit to a certified fuel dealer or utility. Two groups get a check instead: households heating with firewood or wood pellets, and renters whose heat is included in the rent 3. You get a mailed notice with the amount and the dealer that received it. Certified dealers must send periodic statements showing the credit and the remaining balance 3.
When Crisis Fuel Assistance applies in Vermont
Crisis Fuel Assistance is not a second seasonal payment. It is for households close to losing heat. Vermont’s plan counts three situations as a crisis: a primary fuel tank at 25% or less of capacity, a week’s supply or less of firewood, pellets or coal, or a disconnect notice from the gas or electric utility that supplies your heat or powers your heating equipment 3. The Community Action Agency must resolve the crisis within 48 hours, or 18 hours when it is life-threatening 3. To qualify as life-threatening, the medical condition must be documented in a letter or email written within 30 days by a Vermont-licensed medical practitioner 3.
Each crisis grant is limited to 125 gallons of oil, kerosene or propane, one cord of firewood, one ton of coal or pellets, or enough of a payment to keep metered gas or electric service on for one month 3. The FFY 2026 plan sets the winter crisis maximum at $2,479.64. Agencies can also lend a space heater or authorize a 5-gallon can of oil or kerosene to tide you over until a delivery 3. If you have not yet received your seasonal benefit, the agency asks DCF to fast-track the seasonal application 3.
Bulk-fuel crisis applications (oil, kerosene, propane, wood, pellets, coal) run from the last Monday in November through the second Friday in April. Metered gas and electric crises are taken through the last regular working day in April 5. For the 2026-27 winter, that means bulk-fuel crisis help is available November 30, 2026 to April 9, 2027, unless funds run out first 53. Two other programs come out of the crisis budget: the Emergency Heating System program repairs a broken primary heating system from November 1 to April 29 for households at or below 200% of poverty 8, and a year-round, limited-fund program replaces fuel tanks that have been red-tagged 3.
Getting crisis help from your Community Action Agency
Find your agency
The five agencies are BROC (Rutland, 802-775-0878), Capstone (Barre, 802-479-1053), CVOEO (Burlington, 802-862-2771), NEKCA (Newport 802-334-7316, St. Johnsbury 802-748-6040) and SEVCA (Westminster, 802-722-4575). Together they run 19 intake offices 73.
Call before you go
Intake is in person, and the agency tells you which documents to bring 5. If the head of household is elderly or disabled, or you have no transportation, you can apply by phone and finish the paperwork by mail 3.
Bring proof of the crisis
Bring a recent fuel delivery slip or a reading showing the tank level, or the utility disconnect notice, plus income for everyone in the household. If someone’s health is at risk, bring a practitioner’s letter dated within the last 30 days 3.
Use the after-hours lines for nights and weekends
If a household member is 60 or older, under 6, or receives federal disability benefits and you run out of fuel on a weekend or holiday, call 1-866-331-7741 (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.). For a furnace that has failed or is unsafe, call 1-877-295-7998 (weekdays 5 to 10 p.m., plus daytime hours on weekends). No vulnerable member is required for furnace calls 6. DCF has not yet posted the 2026-27 after-hours dates. In 2025-26 the fuel hotline opened January 24, 2026 6.
Check the result
The agency gives you a copy of the grant showing the amount, the fuel and the dealer paid. If you are denied, you get a letter with the reason and your appeal rights 3.
Appeal if you disagree
Ask DCF for a fair hearing in writing or through the Benefits Service Center, or contact the Human Services Board directly. Vermont reported 12 fuel hearings in the prior federal year. One decision was reversed 3.
Free weatherization through five regional agencies
The DCF Office of Economic Opportunity oversees the Weatherization Assistance Program. Work is done by Capstone (central Vermont), CVOEO (Champlain Valley), NETO (Northeast Kingdom), SEVCA (southeast) and BROC (southwest) 9. You qualify if no one has weatherized the home for free in the past 15 years and you meet one of these tests: you are an active Seasonal Fuel Assistance household, someone in the home gets SSI, an adult received Reach Up or a Reach Up Post-Secondary Education grant in the past 12 months, or household income is within the program limit 9. That limit is 80% of area median income, not the 200% of poverty used in many states, and it varies by county 10.
| County | 1 person | 2 people | 4 people | 8 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle | $69,850 | $79,800 | $99,750 | $131,700 |
| Addison | $64,550 | $73,750 | $92,150 | $121,650 |
| Washington | $63,850 | $73,000 | $91,200 | $120,400 |
| All other counties | $62,450 | $71,400 | $89,200 | $117,750 |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Figures from the Vermont Housing Finance Agency’s May 1, 2026 guidance, based on 2026 HUD area median incomes 10.
The average job adds about $10,000 of improvements, 1,500 square feet of insulation and a 40% cut in drafts 9. Measures include energy audits, air sealing and insulation, plus safety work such as knob-and-tube wiring repair, exhaust ventilation, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors 3. Priority goes first to fuel assistance households, then to high energy burden, older adults, people with disabilities and families with children 3. Renters qualify if the landlord signs an agreement 3. To apply, download your regional agency’s form from the DCF weatherization page and send it to that agency 9.
Utility discounts and winter disconnection rules
Four bill discounts use the same 185% line as Seasonal Fuel Assistance. Each requires a new application every year 11:
- Green Mountain Power Energy Assistance: 25% off monthly charges. Mail the form and your latest bill to DCF in Waterbury, or call 1-800-775-0516 11.
- Vermont Gas Energy Assistance: 20% off the monthly natural gas bill, applied for the same way 11.
- VPPSA member utilities (Barton, Enosburg Falls, Hardwick, Jacksonville, Johnson, Ludlow, Morrisville, Northfield, Orleans and Swanton): $29.55 a month off. The 2026 enrollment window ran April 7 to August 31, 2026, so it is closed until next spring 11.
- Burlington Electric Department: 12.5% off for income-eligible households. Apply directly with BED 11.
Public Utility Commission Rule 3.300 adds protections from November 1 to March 31. A gas or electric utility must try to reach you by phone within 96 hours before a winter disconnection. It may not disconnect if the forecast low is below 10°F in the next 48 hours, or below 32°F if a household member is 62 or older and you have told the utility so in writing 12. Year-round, a physician’s certificate stops a disconnection for 30 days (or the length of the hazard, if shorter). It can be renewed once, and the rule generally caps its use at three 30-day periods in a calendar year. The utility must also offer a reasonable repayment plan before disconnecting 12. A disconnect notice from your heating utility counts as a crisis, so call your Community Action Agency as soon as it arrives 3.
For other Vermont programs, see the Vermont assistance hub, or compare states on the energy and utility assistance page.
Verified resources
Where to apply
- Vermont DCF myBenefits portal dcf.vermont.govApply online for Seasonal Fuel Assistance (alone or with 3SquaresVT and other benefits) and upload pay stubs and bills. Paper applications: 1-800-479-6151.
- Vermont Community Action Agencies directory dcf.vermont.govBROC, Capstone, CVOEO, NEKCA and SEVCA take Crisis Fuel and Emergency Heating System applications. Call before you go.
- DCF Weatherization Assistance page (regional agency applications) dcf.vermont.govPick your region's agency (BROC, Capstone, CVOEO, NETO or SEVCA) and submit its application.
- DCF Energy Assistance (utility discounts) dcf.vermont.govGMP and Vermont Gas discount forms; mail with your latest bill to 280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-1500 or call 1-800-775-0516.
Sources
- 1 Vermont Department for Children and Families, Fuel Assistance Checked Oct 20, 2026 · Back to text ↑
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- 5 Vermont Department for Children and Families, Crisis Fuel Assistance Checked Oct 20, 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 6 Vermont Department for Children and Families, Crisis Fuel: After Hours Information Checked Oct 20, 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 7 Vermont Department for Children and Families, Community Action Agencies Checked Oct 20, 2026 · Back to text ↑
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11 Vermont Department for Children and Families, Energy Assistance Checked Oct 20, 2026 · Back to text ↑
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