The grant goes to the utility
Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County opened its 2026-27 Energy Assistance season October 1. Its current instructions say eligible households can receive a grant paid directly to the utility to reduce bills through May 31, 2027. It is not an unrestricted cash payment to every applicant.
The agency says applications can arrive early but grants are not issued until funding is received, usually between October 1 and November 15. The date the season opens therefore is not a promise of an immediate bill credit. Eligibility depends on gross income and required documentation.
A shutoff needs its own follow-up
The listed monthly gross-income limits include $3,205 for one person and $6,164 for four people. The instructions also describe possible crisis help of up to $600 for specified disconnections, low delivered fuel or older applicants with bills. That is a potential maximum subject to qualification, not an automatic addition to every grant.
People who already applied and later receive a disconnection notice should contact the agency about crisis funds. Its current page also says returning 2026-27 applicants and Safe at Home participants cannot use the online application route. Check the correct filing method rather than assume last season's award renewed itself. Local program instructions are the source for these details; a state page redirected to a verification challenge during this check, so no unverified statewide grant amount is substituted.