Part of owning a home is keeping up with necessary repairs, so you’ll want to try to budget for home improvement costs. There may be times, however, when you don’t have the cash to pay for required work on your home. Many financing options are available to help cover home improvement costs, but some may not be able to afford additional monthly payments in their budget. Home improvement grants may be a good solution. Read on to learn about housing improvement grants and find out if they are right for you.

Government Home Grants

Unlike a loan, a grant is money that you won’t have to pay back. Government home grants may be offered by:

• Federal government
• Local governments
• State governments.

State and local housing improvement grants will vary, depending on where you live. There are, however, some universal programs across the United States’ Federal government.

Federal government home grants are offered by two main agencies:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): After a natural disaster, FEMA offers government home grants to pay for emergency home repairs, and restore homes to safe and livable conditions.
• Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): HUD offers grants both for necessary home improvements and to repair damage.

Qualifying for Home Improvement Grants

Most home improvement grant money is reserved for low-income families. To qualify for these grants, you generally can’t earn more than 80 percent of the median income of your community. Other government home grants are only available to people over the age of 62, and yet others are offered for homeowners in rural areas.

Qualifying home improvements for grant financing don’t cover luxury projects such as kitchen upgrades, Jacuzzis or swimming pools. Grant money is only offered for necessary repairs that ensure the safety and health of homeowners. Energy grants are also offered for efficiency and conservation projects.

Avoid Home Improvement Grant Scams

Unfortunately, many scam artists are trying to take advantage of homeowners who need home improvement grants the most. To protect yourself in your search for grants, contact government agencies directly, either by phone or through their websites. Ask about the proper application process, and if another non-profit agency is handling the paperwork.

Here are some additional tips to help you avoid government grant scams:

• If someone claims to represent the government, ask which agency, and then say you’ll have to call back. Look up the agency’s number and call in order to find out if that representative is legitimate.
• Never accept telephone offers for grants. The government doesn’t offer grants over the phone. Do not give any personal information to these callers.
• When you visit grant websites, be sure they are actually government sites. Other sites are usually scams.
• You shouldn’t ever have to pay any money for a home improvement grant application. If you’re asked for money during the grant application process, don’t pay anything and contact the National Consumers League’s fraud center.