Payment Assistance

Apply for a Home Heating Credit (HHC) to help pay winter heating bills if you meet the listed household income guidelines and exemptions. You may claim an exemption for yourself, your spouse, and other dependents. Additional exemptions may also be available. HHC is supported by the Federal LIHEAP.

To apply, call the Treasury at (517) 636-4486, or visit the Michigan Department of Treasure website. To find an agency that assists with tax preparation, contact 2-1-1.

View the Home Heating Credit Checklist (PDF).

MI Impact COVID recovery program provides assistance for heat, electricity, water, sewer, and waste, with the intent to reduce utility burdens. Approved households are encouraged to redirect the funds saved toward healthy food, medication, car repairs, and other necessities. Ml Impact funds are administered by the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity (LEO).

View the MI Impact Funding Flyer 

State Emergency Relief (SER) is a crisis intervention program that provides assistance for energy-related expenses such as heating fuel, electricity, and home repairs. SER is supported by the Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Eligibility is based on one of the following:

  • Demonstration of immediate need (past due/shutoff notice)
  • Declared need for a deliverable fuel such as propane
  • Verified need for energy-related home repair
  • Income
  • Assets

Apply online at the MI Bridges website.

Need help applying? visit the Michigan Bridges website to find community partners.

Michigan’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is a federally funded, low-income residential energy conservation program providing free home energy conservation services to eligible homeowners and renters with a household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. You are also eligible if you participate in the Department of Health and Human Services Family Independence Program or receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These weatherization services can help reduce your energy use and lower utility bills.

If you qualify, a trained inspector will assess your home and determine which measures will be the most beneficial for you. Measures may include adding caulking and weather stripping; wall, basement, and attic insulation and ventilation; and smoke detectors. Contact your local Community Action Agency or go to the Michigan Community Action website for more information or to find the community action agency in your area. For additional information on saving energy and money, visit the Department of Energy website.

The Homeowner Assistance Fund was established under section 3206 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the ARP) to mitigate hardships associated with the coronavirus pandemic by providing funds to prevent homeowner mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosure, loss of utilities or home energy services and displacements of homeowners experiencing financial hardship on or after January 21, 2020 or for those homeowners who experience a coronavirus pandemic financial hardship that began before January 21, 2020 but continued after that date.

Who is Eligible? 

  • Homeowners with household incomes less than 150% of Area Median Income (AMI)
  • Homeowners who own and occupy the property as their primary residence
  • Homeowners must have and explain a financial hardship directly related to COVID-19 on or after January 21, 2020

Up to $25,000 Grant Per Household to Pay:

  • Delinquent mortgage/housing expenses, including property tax and insurance escrow shortages
  • Delinquent land contract payments, mobile home consumer loan payments or mobile home park lot payments
  • Delinquent property taxes
  • Delinquent condominium/homeowners’ association fees
  • Delinquent homeowner’s insurance,
  • Delinquent utilities, gas, electric, water, sewer
  • Delinquent internet broadband services

Apply for the Michigan Homeowners Assistance Fund 

Michigan 211 is a one-stop, around-the-clock free phone and online service that links people with information or agencies that can help with utility assistance and other needs such as rent payment help, child and elder care, emergency shelters, job training, counseling, etc. Simply dial 211 on your phone or visit the 211 Michigan website and click Search Resource Database to get connected to available services.

The Salvation Army’s Energy Assistance Services (EAS) seeks to walk alongside low-income households to address energy crises.  In this process an applicant may be offered bill payment assistance, energy company subsidy program enrollment, and case management services.  The goal of these services is to support household financial stability and support the customer in achieving goals they have set for themselves.  In most situations, an EAS Case Specialist will meet with an applicant one on one to determine eligibility and to assess the need or opportunity for additional supports.

Funding for EAS is provided by a grant from the State of Michigan, partnerships with Consumers Energy, DTE Energy, and Michigan Gas Utilities as well as donations from individuals and other corporations.

Apply Online 

The cooperative may restore or postpone the shut-off of service for non-payment for a minimum of twenty-one (21) days if the member-consumer or a member of the member-consumer’s household is a critical care member-consumer and requires home medical equipment necessary for a life support system, and who has provided appropriate documentation from a physician or medical facility to the cooperative identifying the medical equipment or life support system and certifying that an interruption of service would be immediately life-threatening. The following medical certification form must be provided to the cooperative in advance of the shutoff occurring.

Medical Certification Form

 

If you or your spouse is the cooperative member of record and either of you are called to full-time active military service by the President of the United States or the Governor of Michigan, during a national or state emergency or war, you may apply for shutoff protection of your electric service for up to 90 days. You may also reapply for extensions of this protection. Cloverland may request verification of active duty status. In addition, you must notify the cooperative when your status changes. Contact the cooperative to set up a payment plan for all past due amounts to be paid within 12 months. You will still be required to pay for services used while in the program.

The Trust Fund provides temporary assistance to veterans and their families facing a financial emergency or hardship including the need for energy assistance. For more information call the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund at (517) 284-5299 or visit the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency website.

Once you submit a State Emergency Relief application, additional assistance can be sought through agencies that provide MEAP energy assistance programs that include services that will enable you to become or move toward becoming self-sufficient, including assisting you in paying your energy bills on time, budgeting for and contributing to your ability to provide for energy expenses, and assisting you in being energy-efficient.

Need help applying for State Emergency Relief? Find a MI Bridges Navigator near you by visiting the Michigan Bridges website to find community partners.

The MEAP is supported by the state’s Low Income Energy Assistance Fund (LIEAF). An electric utility that chooses not to collect for the LIEAF shall not shut off service to customers for non-payment between November 1 and April 15. For a list of electric providers that opt-out of collecting the LIEAF go to the State of Michigan website.

Program specifications and requirements are updated in the Fall. Please check this page annually for program updates.