Heating help is open: LEAP applications run through April 30 in Eagle County
The state energy assistance program pays part of winter heating bills for income eligible households. Eagle County says applications for the 2026-27 season are open now, online, by phone and on paper in Edwards, Eagle and El Jebel.
Eagle County households that need help with winter heating bills can now apply for the Low-income Energy Assistance Program, known as LEAP, for the 2026-27 heating season. In an announcement published Nov. 6, the county said the program helps pay a portion of home heating bills for the season that runs from Nov. 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027, and that in Eagle County the program is administered by Goodwill Industries of Southern and Western Colorado.
LEAP is a statewide program run by the Colorado Department of Human Services. The department says it helps eligible families, seniors and individuals stay warm during the winter months, and that it is not meant to cover an entire heating bill. Applications are accepted at any time between Nov. 1 and April 30.
Who qualifies
Under the county announcement, households qualify at gross incomes up to 60 percent of the state median income. The monthly limits are $3,774 for a household of one, $4,936 for two, $6,097 for three, $7,258 for four, $8,420 for five, $9,581 for six, $9,799 for seven and $10,017 for eight. The county says the benefit amount also depends on the type of heat a household uses, the type of dwelling and the size of the household.
At least one person in the home must be a United States citizen or a legal permanent resident, according to the county, and the state department asks applicants born outside the country to provide proof of lawful presence. The state says LEAP usually pays between $200 and $1,000, and that the payment is normally sent directly to the household's heating fuel company or utility. A household can receive one LEAP benefit per heating season.
Residents whose heat is included in their rent may also qualify. The county says a benefit may be paid to qualified residents if heating costs are included within rent, and the state department says the same for households that pay heating costs as part of rent to a landlord, as long as they do not live in subsidized housing.
How to apply
Applications can be filed online through Colorado PEAK, the state benefits portal. Paper applications can be downloaded in English or Spanish, and printed applications can be picked up at any Eagle County Department of Human Services location in Edwards, Eagle or El Jebel. The county says residents can also request information or a mailed application through Discover Goodwill or through the statewide HEAT HELP line. The state department notes that no interview is required to apply, that most applications that are not emergencies are processed within 30 days, and that households should keep paying their heating bills while an application is pending.
Repairs and weatherization
Help does not stop at the heating bill. The county says funds for home heating system repairs may also be available to LEAP households, and the state department describes a Crisis Intervention Program that helps repair or replace a main heating system, such as a furnace or a wood burning stove, and operates year round.
Participation in LEAP or in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program also brings automatic eligibility for the Colorado Energy Office Weatherization Assistance Program, the county said, which covers services such as insulation, air sealing, furnace repair or replacement and LED lighting retrofits, delivered locally through the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments. A second program in the county announcement, the Colorado Affordable Residential Energy Program, known as CARE, offers free energy efficiency upgrades at higher income limits than LEAP, with homeowners and renters both eligible, through Energy Outreach Colorado.
The application window closes with the heating season on April 30, 2027. The state department advises applicants to answer every question and include all requested documents, because missing information can slow an application down. For valley households budgeting around a long winter, the essentials are simple: the benefit is paid a single time each winter, so a complete application filed well before the April 30 close is the surest route to help.
