The program includes electric, landline telephone, Vermont Gas and private water companies [Note: municipal water department service is not eligible for this program.]
VCAAP provides eligible Vermont households and businesses with a grant to pay for past-due balances for regulated utility bills. Residential households and non-residential account holders who have suffered an economic hardship due to loss of income precipated by COVID-19 may apply for assistance. Residential applicants may only apply for a grant for their primary residence.
Applicants must attest to economic hardship caused by the pandemic among other attestations that are designed to ensure the integrity of the application.
Before you apply:
- Have a copy of the most recent bill(s) handy because you'll need to know the account number, service address and the account holder's name
- If you intend to apply for assistance with your telephone bill, you'll need to have an electronic copy of your most recent bill that you can upload to the online application. [Note: as should be evident on the application, the bill upload requirement does not apply to a handful of mostly traditional landline carriers.]
- Funds awarded from this grant may be considered taxable income. For more information, please visit https://tax.vermont.gov/coronavirus/grants-faqs
To apply for the VCAAP:
- You do not need to upload a copy of your electric, natural gas or regulated private water bill
This is a two-step process: you'll first need to Register and create a password (just start filling in the blank and there's a handy tool tip to help out)
Register and Apply Online Now for Arrearage Assistance
Once you have registered and started an application, IF you lose connection or time out and later need to finish applying, first be sure to check your email inbox or your junk/spam email folders for an email that confirms you have Registered. This email will include your Login User Name (which is your email address with added text on the end) and your password. YOU WILL NEED TO RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL BEFORE YOU CAN GO ON TO STEP 2: LOGIN.
It may take several minutes before you receive an email. Once you have received your Login User Name and password, you may Log in to your application. You can also keep track of your application going forward. [Note: if you have already Registered and try to start all over again with a new Registration you will receive a message that your account is already Registered under that User Name or password. In that case click on the “Login” button either in the message you receive or below on this webpage. At that point you can request a new password by clicking on the “Forgot password” button, or file a new application by clicking on the “+New application” button in the upper right corner.]
Login for arrearage assistance
You must apply before November 30, 2020. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis until funding runs out or the program ends in December.
Funds for this program were made available through the federal CARES Act and the State of Vermont Coronavirus Relief Fund. There is limited funding.
Questions? The Department has prepared a Frequently Asked Questions. You can also call your utility to ask questions; contact your local Vermont Community Action Agency, or contact the Department's Consumer Affairs and Public Information (CAPI) Division at 1-800-622-4496, via email at [email protected], or through CAPI's online form.
Source: Vermont Department of Public Service https://publicservice.vermont.gov 10.20.2020