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Additional Eligibility Criteria In addition to meeting the income requirement, applicant households must meet the following conditions to be eligible: ● The household must not have already received energy assistance benefits during the current program year (see Chapter 3.3, Application Requirements).

● The applicant must be at least 18 years of age or an emancipated minor.

Application Process Applications must be submitted to the Local Administering Agency (LAA) based on the applicant’s delivery address, which must be within the State of Maryland. If an applicant submits an application to the wrong office, the LAA should accept the application and forward it to the appropriate office. The applicant must be informed of the correct office location and directed to contact that office for further questions regarding their application. 1.6 Benefit Levels OHEP determines benefit levels to ensure that households with the greatest need receive the largest benefits. Benefit amounts are based on several factors, including income, household size, fuel type, annual energy costs, and geographic location. As a result, larger families with lower incomes and higher energy costs typically receive the highest benefits. 1.7 Crisis Assistance The State provides energy crisis assistance year-round through two distinct programs: Year-Round Crisis Assistance and Winter Crisis Assistance. Year-Round Crisis Assistance offers expedited processing of energy assistance to resolve immediate crises, such as preventing utility service termination, restoring service to a household that has been disconnected, or delivering fuel to a household with less than two days' worth of fuel. Winter Crisis Assistance provides a crisis grant in addition to the regular MEAP grant to address "heat-related" emergencies during the designated crisis season, which runs from November 1st through March 31st. The maximum grant amounts are determined annually based on available program funding. Customers may apply

Updated May 2025