Home Improvement Grant

How to find grants at the federal and local levels

Not all home improvement financing is loan-based. For low-income families with homes in need of emergency repair, a home improvement grant can provide critical financial assistance. Unfortunately in such cases, finding a home improvement grant is often more difficult than the home repairs. Here are some steps you can take that will help you locate a home improvement grant.

Federal home improvement grants

FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has become a familiar acronym to most Americans these past few years. FEMA provides housing assistance to families affected by natural disasters. This has led to the assumption that other governmental organizations such as HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) and the FHA (Federal Housing Administration) can provide home improvement grants to low-income homeowners. This is not the case.

However, HUD can assist homeowners who need to find a home improvement grant. Visit http://www.hud.gov/grants/index.cfmfor details on how to register with Grants.gov. There you can download a PDF file of a registration brochure that will help you apply for available home improvement grants. You can also visit Grants.gov directly.

Other home improvement grants

The process of finding a home improvement grant from state or local governments will obviously vary greatly from one region to another. Local lending companies may be able to assist with you that search. There are also fee-based online companies such as governmentfederalgrants.com that sell programs to help find home improvement grants and other financial assistance.

If those are not viable options for you, don't panic. You may be able to locate a home improvement grant through non-profit agencies. Numerous urban areas throughout the U.S. are home to a Fair Housing Resource Center. You can visit www.fairhousingresourcecenter.org, or search the Internet for fair housing and your city to locate a local branch. Fair housing centers primarily deal with discrimination issues, but they may be able to point you toward someone who can assist with a home improvement grant.

Another alternative is to contact your local municipality. Some cities offer emergency repair grants similar to a home improvement grant. Municipal emergency repair grants are intended for low-income homeowners with urgent problems such as a leaking roof or broken furnace.

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