Kentucky Welcome Home Grant (2026 Update)
The Kentucky Welcome Home Grant is a down payment and closing cost assistance program through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati (FHLB Cincinnati) and participating lenders. It is first-come, first-served when reservations open.
Last updated: January 6, 2026
FHLB Cincinnati has announced the Welcome Home Program will open on April 6, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET. Funds are limited and can be reserved quickly.
The Kentucky Welcome Home Grant (also searched as “Kentucky Welcome Grant”) is a down payment and closing cost assistance program offered through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati (FHLB Cincinnati) and participating member lenders. The goal is straightforward: reduce the upfront cash needed to buy a home.
- Grant funds can be used for down payment and/or closing costs.
- It is not designed as a monthly-payment product. Program rules determine any repayment risk if the home is sold early.
- Funds are limited and reserved first-come, first-served when the program opens.
Grant amounts vary by year, based on funding and published program rules at the time reservations open. In prior years, many eligible homebuyers received up to $20,000, and certain veterans, active-duty military, and some surviving spouses have qualified for higher grant amounts in some years.
- Down payment
- Closing costs
- Prepaid items (as allowed by the program/lender)
If you wait to start your loan file until the day the program opens, you are late. The buyers who win these funds are already qualified and ready.
Household income must be at or below 80% of the Mortgage Revenue Bond (MRB) income limit for the county where the property is located. Household income typically includes the income of all adults who will live in the home, not just the borrowers on the mortgage application. County limits and household-size rules are confirmed when reservations open.
You do not have to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify. However, first-time buyers (generally defined as not owning a home in the last three years) are commonly required to complete a homebuyer education course before closing.
Buyers are generally required to contribute at least $500 of their own funds toward the transaction. This contribution is typically not allowed to be a gift.
A fully executed purchase contract signed by both buyer and seller is typically required to reserve funds.
The Welcome Home Grant is for an eligible primary residence in Kentucky. Investment properties and second homes are not eligible.
- Single-family homes
- Townhomes
- Condominiums
- Duplexes and multi-unit properties (up to four units)
- Some manufactured homes (when permanently affixed and taxed as real estate, subject to program/lender rules)
Welcome Home Grant funds are commonly subject to a five-year retention period recorded against the property. During that period, the program administrator typically must be notified if the home is sold, refinanced, transferred, or foreclosed. If ownership changes before the end of the retention period, a portion of the grant may be subject to repayment based on the program’s published rules.
The Welcome Home Program is scheduled to open on April 6, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET, and reservations are first-come, first-served. Funding can move fast.
- Get fully pre-approved before the opening date.
- Verify household income early (this is where many buyers get disqualified).
- Have your documents clean and complete to avoid last-minute delays.
- Be realistic: the grant is competitive. Preparation is the advantage.
If you want a real shot at Welcome Home funding, do not wait until April. Get your file ready now so you can move immediately when reservations open.
- Start a full pre-approval with a participating lender.
- Confirm household income and household size rules early.
- Complete homebuyer education in advance if required.
- When you go under contract, move fast with documentation to reserve funds.
Call/Text: 502-905-3708 • Email: kentuckyloan@gmail.com
If Welcome Home funds run out, there may be other options depending on your county, income, and loan program. Explore these Kentucky loan program hubs:
Is the Kentucky Welcome Home Grant the same as the “Kentucky Welcome Grant”?
Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?
Is eligibility based on my income only or household income?
How fast do funds run out?
What happens if I sell or refinance during the five-year retention period?
Email: kentuckyloan@gmail.com
Call/Text: 502-905-3708
Joel Lobb
Mortgage Loan Officer – Expert on Kentucky Mortgage Loans
Website: www.mylouisvillekentuckymortgage.com
Office: 911 Barret Ave., Louisville, KY 40204
EVO Mortgage – Company NMLS# 1738461
Personal NMLS# 57916
