Energy Assistance Program

Roanoke City Department of Social Services offers two types of fuel assistance--heating and cooling. The first program helps eligible households with the costs of heating their homes. To be eligible for fuel assistance, there are certain income guidelines, resource maximums and living arrangements that must be met. The household must also be responsible for paying the heating bill. Fuel Assistance applications are accepted from the second Tuesday in October through the second Friday in November at the Department of Social Services. Fuel Assistance applications are processed as soon as possible, and applicants should expect notification of their eligibility determination by mid-December.



The second program is for cooling assistance. Applications for Cooling Assistance are accepted at the Department of Social Services from June 15 through August 15 to help eligible households with their cooling needs. To be eligible for any type of Cooling Assistance, fuel eligibility criteria must be met, the household must contain at least one vulnerable person and there must be a cooling need. The following types of assistance are available if eligibility conditions are met: purchase of a portable or installed fan, purchase and installation of an air conditioner, payment of an electric utility security deposit, or payment of the electric bill to operate the cooling equipment.