Fuel Assistance

This free service helps pay for part of your winter heating costs.

Deliverable fuels, such as:

– oil

– kerosene

– propane

– coal

– wood

– pellets

– biobricks

Utilities, such as:

– natural gas

– electricity

We may even be able to assist with:

– heat included in rent

– You are a homeowner or renter in Franklin or Hampshire counties.

– Your income is within the income guidelines.

– At least one person in your household is a citizen, legal resident, or has qualified alien status.

We can expedite review of your application during the heat season, November 1st through April 30th if you have a heating emergency.

You may have a heating emergency if…

– You have delivered heating fuel as your primary heat source (oil, propane/LPG, kerosene, wood, pellets, and coal), and you are out of fuel, within 3 days of running out of fuel, or have 1/8^th tank of oil/20% tank propane/LPG.

– You have electric or natural gas heat, and you receive a shut-off notice.

– You have an electric account that turns on your primary heat, and you have received a shut-off notice.

– You have your heat included in the rent, and you are being evicted within 3 days.

– Your heating system no longer works, or is too dangerous to use.

If it is between November 1st 2025 and April 30th 2026, and you tell us you are in a Fuel Emergency as defined above, and you have submitted your 2026 Fuel Assistance application, we will reach out to you within 24 hours.

If we need additional documents or information, we’ll reach out to you during the processing of your application. Please note it may take up to one day for us to review your emergency application.

Please note: if you are approved as a deliverable or utility heat emergency, Fuel Assistance will reach out to your vendor to authorize a delivery or try to rectify a termination notice. Please only use the Emergency process if you are experiencing a heat emergency.

To report a no fuel or heating emergency between November 1st and April 30th:

Please call us at 413 774 2310 and report the nature of your emergency. Please leave a detailed message if there is no answer. If you would like to email us at fuelassistance@communityaction.us, please include either your name or your application number (not both) and write “Emergency” or “Priority” in the subject line.

To safeguard your personal information, please do not use email to send confidential information or documentation (like a Social Security Number or banking statements) to Community Action Pioneer Valley.

This is based on the size of the entire household (everyone who benefits from the heat).

2025-2026 income guidelines

 1 person $51,777
2 people $‎67,709
3 people $83,641
4 people $99,573
5 people $‎115,504
6 people $131,436
7 people $134,423
8 people $‎137,410

If you haven’t applied before:

You can apply anytime between October 1st and April 30th in person, on the phone or online.

If you have applied in the last few years:

We will automatically send you a recertification application between September and December. Please complete any updates to your information, sign the back, and mail it to us.

We have provided a list of many of the forms you may need for your application in the Forms, Documents & Downloads section of this page.

Please note we cannot post the application on our website. The application must be requested from us.

If the form you need is not listed, or you are looking for a form in a language other than the ones available here, please request the form by contacting us at 413 774 2310 or FuelAssistance@communityaction.us.

You will need to provide proof of identity, proof of address, and proof of income among other documents. Every household is unique; additional documents may be required upon review.

First-time intake:

– State or federally-issued photo ID for the applicant

– Proof of citizenship or qualified alien status. Examples: Social Security card, birth certificate, Permanent Resident card, etc.

– Verification of all sources of income for the 30 days prior to the appointment. Examples: wages, unemployment, child support/alimony, interest/dividends, retirement, veteran’s benefits, TAFDC/EAEDC/SSA/SSI/SSP/SSDI/RSDI, odd jobs, capital gains, lump sums, lottery/gambling winnings, self-employment, rent.

– Homeowners: mortgage, homeowner’s insurance, and property tax bills

– Renters: copy of lease (and verification of rental subsidy, if applicable)

– College students: Current financial aid awards showing all grants, loans, scholarships, and work study

– Dates of birth for all household members

– Heating vendor, account number, and name of account holder

Each time you apply, these are required for all household members regardless of age:

– Proof of identity

– Birth dates

– Proof of citizenship/qualified alien status/unqualified alien status

– Proof of homeownership or rental agreement

– Company name of your primary heat vendor

– All income for the four weeks prior to the application

Further verification may be requested after your application is reviewed.

It can take up to 6 weeks to review your application.

Upon review of your application, we may mail you a letter to request additional information to complete your application. It is important to check your mail regularly and open any mail from CAPV Fuel Assistance, or use the application portal.

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The application is completely free. No fee is ever required to apply, and we offer free help to complete applications.

During the Winter Moratorium

From November 15th to March 15th, the Winter Moratorium helps protect most low-income utility customers from having their services shut off, but this does not happen automatically.

To get shut-off protection during the winter, you must complete and submit a financial hardship form to your utility company. Forms are available on your utility company’s website.

The rest of the year

When the Winter Moratorium is inactive, there are additional steps needed to obtain utility shut-off protection.

To get shut-off protection from March 16th through November 14th, you must complete and submit a financial hardship form and document one of the following circumstances to your utility company:

– Everyone in the household is over 65.

– All adults living in the home are over 65 and a minor child resides in the home.

– At least one person in the home is seriously ill.

– There is a child under the age of one living in the home.

General information about shut-off protection

You may qualify if you receive Fuel Assistance, SNAP, SSI, Mass Health, Subsidized Housing, Chapter 115 benefits, WIC, EAEDC/TAFDC, or other means tested benefits.

Forms are available on your utility company’s website.

Municipal-owned utility companies are not required to provide shut-off protection. Please contact your vendor to see if they offer this service.