On-Bill Financing
Want to weatherize your home but wondering how to pay for it? The Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP) may be able to help you. WRAP is intended to assist both homeowners and renters in Vermont in pursuing energy-saving projects by allowing them to pay for the costs over time through a low-interest monthly charge on their utility bill.
WRAP can finance home weatherization projects like insulation and air sealing as well as heat pumps, electric water heaters, and advanced wood heating systems.
Through WRAP, we can help Vermonters make their homes more comfortable, save money on their energy bills and reduce emissions to help address climate change.
How does WRAP work?
Vermont homeowners and renters interested in WRAP should contact the Program Administrators at Vermont Gas Systems, Burlington Electric Department or Efficiency Vermont.
They can help answer specific questions about whether your project may qualify for WRAP. They will work with you on reviewing your eligibility, connect you with in-house staff or an approved contractor to complete a home energy audit, evaluate your project for utility rebates and incentives, and estimate potential energy savings.
Once your project is approved and you decide to move forward, Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) works behind the scenes with the Program Administrator to finance some or all of the remaining up front costs of the project.
After the project is completed, the WRAP charge will be added as a separate line item on the utility bill by your gas or electric provider, which will be paid back to VHFA over several years.
Currently, only homes that are serviced by Burlington Electric Department, Green Mountain Power, Ludlow Electric, Vermont Electric Coop or Vermont Gas Systems can participate in the on-bill program. We hope to continue adding new utility providers to the program.
For more details, review the FAQ page.
Benefits of WRAP:
- No credit checks - VHFA will not use credit scores for approving projects. Instead, your utility bill payment history will be used to verify your eligibility.
- Reduces upfront costs - Paying back costs on the utility bill with a low monthly payment over a multiyear period can greatly reduce or eliminate the upfront costs participants must pay for a weatherization project.
- Special VHFA incentives - WRAP participants may be eligible for special VHFA incentives to reduce their out of pocket costs, in addition to the significant incentives and rebates offered by your utility provider.*
- One less bill payment - Instead of paying a separate loan amount every month, the WRAP charge will be added to your existing utility bill payment.
- Payment tied to the meter – Since WRAP funding is tied to the meter, the customer is only obligated to pay the charge for the length of time that they live at the property. If you move, the new renter or owner of the property will pay the surcharge for the time they occupy the property and benefit from having lower net energy costs.
*Each project is reviewed on an individual basis. Not all projects will be eligible for all incentives.
How to get started
If your home is serviced by Vermont Gas Systems (VGS), please visit their website or call (802) 863-4511.
If you are a Burlington Electric Department (BED) customer who is not a Vermont Gas Customer, please visit their website or call 802-865-7300.
For all other customers please visit Efficiency Vermont's website or call 1-888-921-5990.