Frequently Asked Questions

If you live in Colorado, have low income and resources, and are struggling to pay your utility bills:

• The Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) helps pay heating bills during the "heating season" from November 1 to April 30. Enrolling in the LEAP program also means you qualify for other energy programs that offer help repairing or replacing a broken heating system, upgrades to make your home more energy efficient, and other services. Learn more about LEAP.
• The nonprofit Energy Outreach Colorado provides year-round help, and lets you search for nearby agencies that help with paying utility bills.

Colorado's Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) offers emergency help if your heating system quits working. CIP helps with:

• Repairing your broken heating system (this does not include routine maintenance)
• Replacing your broken heating system, if needed, and
• Snow removal in rural areas to make it possible to deliver fuel.

To get emergency help through CIP:

• You must be qualified for and enrolled in Colorado LEAP, and
• Your main heating source must not be working

Note: If you qualify for LEAP but are not yet enrolled, CIP will explain how to file an immediate LEAP application.

To apply for CIP, call 1-855-4-MY-HEAT (1-855-469-4328). The phone line operates 24 hours a day, every day, so you can call at any time.

If you are a Colorado resident and have low income, you can get help making your home more energy efficient:

• The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) helps lower your heating costs with free or low-cost improvements to make your home more energy efficient. Learn more about WAP.
• Colorado's Affordable Residential Energy Program (CARE) offers free energy efficiency, health, and safety upgrades to your home if you live in a participating county, meet the income limits, and get service from a participating utility company. Learn more about CARE.

The Colorado Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) helps pay heating bills for low-income Colorado residents. If you qualify, LEAP looks at your current income and your heating costs for last year, and then makes one lump-sum payment directly to your heating company. The money helps pay some of the costs of heating your home throughout the heating season (applications are accepted November 1 to April 30). You can only get one LEAP payment in each heating season.

Note: When you are enrolled in LEAP, you also qualify for other energy programs, including help with a broken heating system or upgrades to make your home more energy efficient.

You can apply for Colorado LEAP:

• Online through Colorado PEAK, or
• By calling 1-866-HEAT-HELP (1-866-432-8435)

Learn more about Colorado LEAP.

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) helps low-income Colorado residents pay for repairs to make their homes more energy efficient, which lowers their heating costs. WAP services are available whether you own or rent (your landlord has to agree) for single-family houses, multi-family buildings, and manufactured residences (mobile homes).

You automatically qualify for WAP if you get public benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or Low-Income Energy Assistance (LEAP). You can also qualify for WAP if your income is below the WAP limits. The Colorado Energy Office answers frequently asked questions about WAP, which includes a chart of the current income limits.

To apply for WAP services, contact your local agency for an application, and they can help you complete it. The Colorado Energy Office provides a list of local agencies for WAP.

Learn more about WAP.

Colorado's Affordable Residential Energy Program (CARE) offers a wide range of free home improvement help to some low-income Colorado residents. The nonprofit Energy Outreach Colorado runs CARE in partnership with local companies, utilities, and other agencies. To get CARE services you must:

• Live in a participating county
• Meet the income limits for your county
• Get your service from a participating utility company

Learn more about CARE.

The nonprofit Energy Outreach Colorado uses a combination of government and private funding to offer low-income Colorado residents year-round help with:

• Paying energy bills
• Repairing or replacing an aging heating system
• Making your home more energy efficient
• Fixing energy, health, and saftey issues in your home
• Learning about small changes you can make to save on your energy bills

If you are enrolled in Colorado LEAP, you automatically qualify for Energy Outreach Colorado's programs. For details or to apply, contact Energy Outreach Colorado by phone at 1-303-825-8750 or by email at info@energyoutreach.org. Learn more about Energy Outreach Colorado.