Appeal procedures vary by program and service. 

HEAP/Winter Crisis/ PIPP

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), Winter Crisis Program (WCP), Summer Crisis Program (SCP), and Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) clients have 30 days from the date they receive or would reasonably receive their eligibility or benefit notification to appeal decisions.

The appeal request is required to contain all of the following information to be properly filed:

  • Client's name, address, telephone number
  • Client number as listed on Determination Letter (if available)
  • Reason for the appeal
  • Supporting documentation
  • Client's signature
  • Date of client's signature

Appeals must be submitted to:

Step Forward EAP Appeal
ATTN: EAP Coordinator
1801 Superior Avenue, 4th Floor
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Grounds for appeal include

  • Energy Assistance Application was denied
  • If the application was neither approved nor denied within 12 weeks after the application was uploaded in the State of Ohio's Energy Assistance Portal or received by the State of Ohio through Energy Assistance Programs, P.O. Box 1240, Columbus, Ohio 43216
  • A disagreement with the benefit/installment amount (HEAP, WCP, SCP, and PIPP)
  • Household composition has changed since the application was submitted
  • Utility provider has changed or is incorrect
  • Multi-program discount was applied to HEAP, but the client is not enrolled in PIPP
  • Step Forward's intake worker made an error in inputting client information
  • If an applicant is found noncompliant and placed under Compliance Review
  • Client is eligible for HEAP due to heat/energy included in rent, bill in landlord's name, etc.
  • If documentation of an income deduction was not submitted with the original application, and not deducted (documentation of disability, insurance premiums)
  • If documentation of an excluded income type was not submitted with the original application and income was counted/included (example: Title V wages, etc.)

In cases where an application was denied for lack of necessary and reliable documentation for eligibility determination, in accordance with funding guidelines, an appeal will not be granted.

Opportunity Centers

Denial appeals for Step Forward's Opportunity Center services are received and processed by the OC site administrators. 

The appeal request is required to contain all of the following information to be properly filed:

  • Client's name, address, telephone number
  • Reason for the appeal
  • Supporting documentation
  • Client's signature

A written appeal must be submitted with supporting documentation to:

Step Forward OC Appeal
ATTN: OC Coordinator
1801 Superior Avenue, 4th Floor
Cleveland, Ohio 44114