Attorney General Maura Healey announced a $3 million grant program to help Massachusetts residents pay and lower their monthly natural gas heating bills.  

The Natural Gas Fuel Assistance Grant Program supports funding programs that assist households in paying for their natural gas service. The grant includes programs run by state agencies, municipalities, charitable organizations and nonprofits. It also includes programs that both directly pay for the bill or indirectly assist by lowering the bill through energy efficiencies.  

The AG’s office is also focusing on proposals that would directly benefit families and households who do not receive assistance on their natural gas bills and are not eligible for it.  

The funds have been secured through a settlement with National Grid for improperly charging its customers reconnection service fees.  

The two-year grant program will start on Nov. 1 of this year and end on Oct. 31, 2020, and applications are due on Sept. 21, 2018.  

“Every year, tens of thousands of Massachusetts families struggle to pay their heating bills,” Healey said in a statement. “My goal with this new program is to make sure our residents have the financial assistance they need to stay warm during the cold winter months.”