Pace Prepares Clients for Upcoming Energy Assistance Season

Pace Community Action Agency will begin accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Energy Assistance season on October 1, 2026. The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) provides income-qualified households in Daviess, Greene, Knox and Sullivan Counties with a one-time benefit to help offset the cost of their home’s primary heating source. Last season, approximately 2,800 households received assistance through the program, totaling more than $1.6 million in benefits.

“Households struggling to pay electric or heating costs should apply for assistance,” said Lisa Ritterskamp, Client Services Manager at Pace. “EAP is not designed to pay a household’s entire utility bill, but to help ease some of the burden of energy costs so families can put more of their resources toward other essential needs like food, rent and medication.”

Beginning October 1, applications will be available on Pace’s website to print or complete through the online portal. Paper applications will also be available at Pace sites and most local libraries. Elderly clients who received assistance during the 2025–2026 season will receive an application by mail.

Households applying for assistance will need to provide:

• A completed application

• Social Security numbers for all household members

• Proof of income for all adult household members

• Current full electric and heating bills

It can take up to 55 days to determine eligibility, so households are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Once an application is processed, applicants will receive a letter from Pace stating their benefit amount. Approved benefits are paid directly to the household’s utility provider. Receiving Energy Assistance also places eligible households under a utility shutoff moratorium during the program season, providing important protection from disconnection.

The amount of assistance a household receives is determined using a point system and is not based on the amount of the household’s utility bill. Additional funds may be available for households experiencing a disconnect situation. Household income limits and other program information are available on Pace’s website.

Pace will host application assistance events across its four-county service area to help community members complete their applications, as well as monthly application assistance opportunities in Knox County.

For more information about Pace’s Energy Assistance Program, eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit www.pacecaa.org/energy-assistance.

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