Denial Status Definitions

The applicant has applied for assistance for bulk fuels (ex: heating oil, propane, Kerosene, wood pellets, etc.) outside of the Fuel Fund’s “bulk fuel season” which runs from November 1 to March 31.

The Fuel Fund has run out of funding for the bulk fuel (ex: heating oil, propane, Kerosene, wood pellets, etc.) this season.  Please make sure you have applied to Energy Assistance and request that your MEAP grant go to your bulk fuel vendor, For additional assistance, contact your local Salvation Army.

One of the better reasons an applicant is denied for Fuel Fund assistance, this means that an applicant’s bill has been paid by their Energy Assistance (OHEP) grants and the applicant can save Fuel Fund for another time.

The applicant has applied for Energy Assistance from OHEP, but their application has been denied due to incomplete information. The applicant will need to contact OHEP in order to complete their application. The Fuel Fund needs a fully completed energy assistance application in order to verify income eligibility.

Note: If an applicant has been denied by OHEP for being over income guidelines, they may still be eligible for Fuel Fund assistance and would not be denied for this reason.

The applicant needs to complete an application for Energy Assistance (OHEP) before they can apply for the Fuel Fund. If the applicant still needs assistance after receiving Energy Assistance grant, they can reapply for the Fuel Fund.

Fuel Fund is only able to assist applicants in the BGE service territory and applicants with bulk fuels (Ex: heating oil, propane, kerosene, wood pellets, etc.).

Note: Fuel Fund’s standard operating procedure is to re-direct these applicants to their local Salvation Army for assistance.

The applicant received a previous Fuel Fund grant within the past 365 days. Fuel Fund is only able to provide financial assistance once every 365 days.

The applicant didn’t include their utility account number in their application, or the account number they entered was invalid. All they need to do is send Fuel Fund their account number.

Fuel Fund has provided the applicant with an amount to pay, but the applicant has not contacted Fuel Fund in the last 30 days. To reopen their case, the applicant needs to respond to the latest email from Fuel Fund. When the applicant’s case is reopened, the applicant will receive a new payment amount from Fuel Fund staff.

Fuel Fund cannot locate the applicant’s Energy Assistance application in the OHEP database. This does not mean that the Fuel Fund is assuming the applicant has not applied for Energy Assistance through OHEP, just that Fuel Fund staff cannot find their application in the database.

Note: Common reasons why an applicant’s application cannot be found in the OHEP database include, application was lost, data entry delay at OHEP office, misspelling applicant’s name on OHEP application. 

Note: Fuel Fund staff can sometimes tell if an applicant has applied for OHEP because the BGE portal will reflect the applicant’s 55-day extension. However, the applicant’s data is not present in the OHEP system.

The applicant may have been issued a turn off notice recently, but the turn off notice has been removed from their account. Fuel Fund needs to see an active turn off notice in the BGE system in order to provide assistance.

The applicant had a previous turn off notice but the turn off notice has been removed because the applicant received a 55-day extension from Energy Assistance (OHEP).

The applicant has been approved for Energy Assistance (OHEP), but the grants have not been committed to BGE yet. The applicant should contact OHEP to have their grants committed to BGE.

The applicant’s income exceeds Fuel Fund’s income eligibility guidelines. The Fuel Fund uses the household income verified by Energy Assistance (OHEP) for the applicant.

The applicant’s OHEP application is listed as pending in the OHEP database. Applicant should contact the Energy Assistance office where they applied to find out what information is missing from their application so it can be completed. If they applied online, they need to contact their local office to make sure all documents we received.

Energy Assistance (OHEP) has committed grants to the applicant’s account with BGE but has not paid those grants within the last 30 days. This means that the grant has essentially expired and will not be paid unless it is recertified.

The Fuel Fund expects your BGE account will receive assistance from the State through the Relief Act. You do not need to do anything to receive this funding.  Credit should be applied to your BGE account automatically once funds are released by the State. The State has not determined the payment date for these funds.

There is a hold on the applicant’s BGE account. Until BGE resolves the issue and removes the hold, the Fuel Fund is not able to provide assistance.

BGE shows the applicant’s account balance is a zero. They don’t need Fuel Fund assiatance right now!

Note: Sometimes an applicant will have a zero balance on their account because they have entered into a payment arrangement with BGE. If an applicant has done this, but still wanted Fuel Fund help, they will need to cancel the payment arrangement. However, as soon as the payment arrangement has been canceled, the applicant could be returned to their previous turn off status.