Stark County HEAP: Eligibility, Documents, and How to Apply

If you live in Stark County and need help with your heating bill, the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can put a one-time credit on your utility account through the Stark County Community Action Agency. For the 2025–2026 program year, a single-person household qualifies with gross annual income at or below $27,387, and a family of four qualifies at or below $56,262.¹ The payment goes straight to your utility company, not to you. One change to watch: effective April 6, 2026, HEAP moves from the Ohio Department of Development to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, which may affect how applications are processed.

Who Qualifies

Your total gross household income (before taxes and deductions) must fall at or below 175% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.² For 2025–2026, the annual limits by household size are:

1 person: $27,387
2 people: $37,012
3 people: $46,637
4 people: $56,262
5 people: $65,887
6 people: $75,512
7 people: $85,137
8 people: $94,762

For nine or more household members, the threshold shifts to 60% of the State Median Income. The Stark County Community Action Agency can confirm the exact figure.¹

“Household” means everyone living at your address who shares energy costs, whatever the relationship. Roommates, adult children, and aging parents all count. Income from every member age 18 or older is added together; wages earned by dependent minors under 18 are excluded.³

Mixed-Status Households

If some household members are U.S. citizens or qualified immigrants and others are not, the household can still receive help. The income of all members counts toward the income limit, but only eligible members are counted when the benefit amount is calculated. Someone who is not personally eligible can still submit the application on behalf of eligible members, as long as they are old enough to apply.⁴

What To Bring

Gather everything before you start. The 2025–2026 application requires:⁵

Social Security numbers for every person in the household.
Proof of income for each adult, covering either the last 30 days or the past 12 months. Pay stubs, benefit award letters, and pension statements all work.³
Recent utility bills for both your main heating source and your electric service, showing account numbers and current balances.
Proof of citizenship or legal residency for each household member (birth certificate, U.S. passport, or immigration documentation).

Self-employed applicants should bring their most recent federal tax return with Schedule C, plus a current profit-and-loss statement or business ledger covering the applicable period. For a brand-new business with no return yet, detailed records of income received and expenses for the past 30 days or 12 months will do. One common mistake: bringing net income figures. HEAP looks at gross income before business deductions, so bring the underlying records if your documents only show net.

How To Apply in Stark County

There are two paths. For in-person help or a paper application, the Stark County Community Action Agency handles intake at 1366 Market Avenue North, Canton, OH 44714. Drop off a completed application or call (330) 454-1676 to schedule an appointment.⁶

You can also apply online through Ohio’s Energy Assistance Portal. First create an OHID account at ohid.ohio.gov, then request access to the Energy Assistance Portal tile in the app store. The online application only runs on a desktop computer using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge; it does not work on phones or tablets. You’ll need to upload your income proof, utility bills, and citizenship documents.⁷

For the Winter Crisis Program or Summer Crisis Program, you can start online, but you still have to schedule an appointment with the Community Action Agency to finish the process.

How Long It Takes and How You Get Paid

Plan on 12 weeks of processing time whether you apply online or by mail. There is no speed advantage to applying electronically.⁷ During peak winter demand the timeline can stretch further, so applying early in the season matters.

Once approved, you’ll get a determination letter with the benefit amount. The payment is credited directly to your utility account. You will not receive a check. If your energy costs are bundled into your rent, contact the Stark County Community Action Agency to see how your situation is handled.

Winter Crisis Program

The Winter Crisis Program runs from November 1 through March 31 and adds emergency help on top of the regular HEAP benefit when you’re at immediate risk of losing heat.⁸ You qualify if any of the following applies:

You have a disconnection notice from your utility.
Your service has already been shut off.
You need to establish new utility service and face a security deposit.
Your propane, oil, wood, or coal supply is at 25% of tank capacity or less.
Your furnace needs repair or replacement, or your fuel tank needs testing or replacing.

The same 175% income limit applies. Unlike regular HEAP, the Winter Crisis Program requires an appointment with the Community Action Agency; you cannot complete it entirely online. Bring your disconnection notice along with all the standard documents. The furnace repair-and-replacement piece is where this program does the most work that regular HEAP cannot.

Summer Crisis Program

From July 1 through September 30, Ohio runs a Summer Crisis Program for cooling costs. The benefit caps at $500 for regulated-utility customers and $800 for customers of unregulated utilities such as electric co-ops or municipal providers. Beyond bill assistance, the program can cover central air conditioning repair or provide a window unit or fans.⁹

Your income must be at or below 175% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and you also need to meet at least one additional condition:

Someone in the household is 60 or older (no medical documentation needed).
A household member has a documented medical condition, verified by a medical professional, that makes cooling essential.
You have a disconnect notice, service has been shut off, or you need to establish new service.

If your balance exceeds the maximum benefit, you’ll need to make a co-payment on the rest. PIPP Plus customers cannot use the Summer Crisis Program to cover their PIPP default payment or first PIPP payment.

PIPP Plus for Year-Round Relief

The Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP Plus) is a separate program worth knowing about. Instead of paying your full utility bill each month, you pay a flat percentage of household income: 5% for electric or gas service, or 10% if your home is all-electric. The minimum monthly payment is $10.¹

Eligibility matches HEAP at 175% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. You must have an active utility account in your name with a PUCO-regulated utility, and you have to apply for HEAP and any weatherization programs you qualify for as part of enrollment.

The reason to stay current: every time you pay your PIPP Plus bill in full and on time, your outstanding balance receives a credit equal to 1/24th of that old debt. Pay on time for 24 consecutive months and the entire pre-PIPP arrearage is wiped out. Miss a payment and the forgiveness clock resets. Enroll year-round by scheduling an appointment with the Stark County Community Action Agency.

If You Are Denied

You have 30 days from the date you receive (or would reasonably receive) your determination letter to file a written appeal. The letter must include your name, address, phone number, client number from the determination letter, the reason for the appeal, any supporting documentation, your signature, and the date.¹⁰

You can appeal for reasons beyond an outright denial: if your application wasn’t processed within 12 weeks, if you disagree with the benefit amount, if the wrong utility provider was listed, or if your household composition has changed since you applied. Important exception: if the denial was because you didn’t submit the required documentation, an appeal won’t be granted. Reapply with the missing paperwork instead.

Key Dates

The regular HEAP program accepts applications from July through the following May. The 2025–2026 window opened in July 2025 and runs through May 2026.⁵ With a 12-week processing time, applying well before the coldest months matters if you want the credit posted before your highest bills arrive. The seasonal programs layer on top:

Winter Crisis Program: November 1 – March 31
Summer Crisis Program: July 1 – September 30⁹

Effective April 6, 2026, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services takes over administration of HEAP from the Ohio Department of Development. The Stark County Community Action Agency is expected to continue as the local intake point. Confirm any changes by calling (330) 454-1676 after that transition date.⁶

1
Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel. Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP Plus)
2
Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging. Home Energy Assistance Program
3
Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission. HEAP
4
Administration for Children and Families. LIHEAP IM HHS Guidance on the Use of Social Security Numbers and Citizenship Status Verification
5
Ohio Department of Development. Energy Assistance Programs Application July 2025 – May 2026
6
Stark County Community Action Agency. Contact SCCAA
7
Ohio Department of Development. Apply for Ohio Energy Assistance Programs
8
Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel. Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and Winter Crisis Program
9
Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel. Summer Crisis Program
10
Step Forward. HEAP/WCP/PIPP Appeal