Find grants, rebates, forgivable loans, and free programs for Des Moines, IA, filtered to your situation.
As of June 2026, 49 home improvement grant, rebate, and forgivable loan programs are open to homeowners in Des Moines, IA, with individual awards up to $150,000. 9 programs target seniors, 5 serve veterans, and 29 require no income limit.
Data last verified 2026-06-12. How we verify our data.
| Funding type | Programs | Repaid? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grants | 35 | Never repaid | Income-qualified homeowners |
| Forgivable loans | 6 | Forgiven after a residency period | Larger repairs with no money down |
| Rebates | 1 | Refunded to you after purchase | Energy-efficiency upgrades |
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Teams of 5 or more neighbors unlock dollar for dollar matching grants for street-visible exterior work. $1,000 per prope...
50% match for renovation. 70% match for exterior aesthetics with artist collaboration. Pre-application meeting required.
Grants for homeowners. No credit check, no income requirements. Must include an exterior component.
Statewide CDBG program. Cities and counties apply to turn small unused lots into neighborhood pocket parks; residents wo...
Forgivable loans ($20K at below 50% AMI) or 50/50 lien funding (up to $40K at 51-80% AMI) for critical home repairs.
Rebates on ENERGY STAR windows, insulation, HVAC, water heaters, smart thermostats. Free HomeCheck for pre-2005 homes.
For homes built before 2005. A technician installs LED bulbs, aerators, pipe insulation, smart power strips on the spot....
$6M HUD grant for lead abatement. Covers testing, removal, and clearance at no cost. Pre-1978 homes. 160 homes over 4 ye...
Free insulation, air sealing, furnace repair for households at or below 200% FPL. Renters need landlord permission.
Forgivable loan up to $10,000 (forgiven after 5 years) plus up to $50,000 deferred loan. No income limit. Credit 600+.
No-cost critical repairs. Roof, plumbing, electrical, accessibility, weatherization. Forgivable loan for qualifying home...
Urgent repairs: roof leaks, furnace failure, plumbing. Income at or below 80% AMI, home value under $242K, assets under ...
Up to $25,000 for home improvements. Unsecured up to $7,500 (signature only). No equity requirement. Fills the gap when ...
Finance purchase + renovation in one loan. Limited 203(k) covers up to $75,000 non-structural repairs. HUD allows combin...
25% state tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs for historic properties. Applies to owner-occupied homes in histo...
30% credit on solar panels, battery storage, geothermal. Check current status, some energy credits were modified in 2025...
Iowa received $52.9M for FY2026. Frees up money for home improvements. Income at or below 200% FPL.
Four VITA locations in Des Moines. Tax credits are worthless if you don't file. The Iowa Center, Polk County River Place...
For veterans with permanent total service-connected disability. Buy, build, or modify home for wheelchair access, ramps,...
Most accessible VA grant, any service-connected disability. Covers ramps, grab bars, accessible bathrooms. Applied throu...
100% permanent VA rating or TDIU at 100% = zero property taxes. File once with Polk County Assessor. Surviving spouses a...
For any veteran who served during a qualifying war period or 18+ months peacetime. Stacks with other programs.
100% free volunteer labor for critical home repairs. Priority for veterans, elderly, disabled. Over 4,250 homes repaired...
Launched May 2025. Occupational therapist visits for fall-risk assessment, then funds: grab bars, ramps, lever handles, ...
Age 65+ with household income under $26,895. File with Polk County Treasurer.
Age 65+ or 18+ with disability. Household income under $26,895. Reimburses rent paid at tax-paying properties.
Grants up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62+. Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest. Check USDA eligibility map, some areas ...
Medicaid-funded home modifications: ramps, grab bars, roll-in showers, door widening, kitchen mods. Must be enrolled in ...
Low-interest and forgivable loans for home modifications. Ramps, roll-in showers, stair glides, lowered countertops. Age...
Totally disabled, age 18+, household income under $26,895. File with Polk County Treasurer.
Free insulation, air sealing, heating improvements for rental units. Landlord permission required. Applied automatically...
Emergency rent/mortgage assistance once per year. Also: CROSS Outreach for deposits/utilities, Polk County General Assis...
First-time buyers: $2,500 grant for down payment plus second loan up to 5% of home price with no monthly payments. Incom...
Free 4-week homebuyer class (English + Spanish). Individual counseling, credit repair, lending referrals. HUD-certified ...
Every Iowa homeowner should file this. Reduces your taxable property value. File once with the Polk County Assessor, sta...
Starting 2024, homeowners age 65+ get $6,500 reduction in taxable property value. Stacks with the Elderly Property Tax C...
Forgivable grants for major home system repairs: furnace, water heater, electrical, roof, siding, windows, HVAC. Des Moi...
Entire blocks get free exterior repairs, painting, and landscaping in a single weekend volunteer blitz. Separate applica...
Federal Home Loan Bank provides competitive grants through member financial institutions for affordable housing purchase...
For landlords who want to improve rental properties. Iowa Finance Authority provides funds for rental rehabilitation thr...
HMGP provides funding after a presidentially declared disaster to help communities reduce future disaster losses. Homeow...
ICC coverage is built into every National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy and pays up to $30,000 to help bring a s...
HUD funds state, county, and city governments to identify and fix lead-based paint hazards and other health hazards (mol...
EPA's WIIN Act grants and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) fund lead service line replacement programs in...
The American Red Cross installs free smoke alarms and creates home fire escape plans through their nationwide Home Fire ...
EPA provides State and Tribal Indoor Radon Grants (SIRG) to every state to fund radon risk reduction programs. While the...
NeighborWorks America supports a network of nearly 250 local nonprofit housing organizations across every state, DC, and...
Owners of historic homes may access funding through their State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which distributes H...
Iowa Workforce Development operates the Des Moines American Job Center, providing WIOA Title I Individual Training Accou...
The SBA Iowa District Office in Des Moines supports small businesses through the Microloan Program, 7(a) loans, and 504 ...
The Greater Des Moines Partnership and Iowa SBDC at Drake University provide small business financing assistance, busine...
Iowa Child Care Assistance (CCA) helps low-income working families pay for child care while parents work, attend school,...
Polk County Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition,...
Many of these programs can be combined. For example, you can use a city repair grant for the work, a utility rebate for the energy savings, and a federal tax credit on top, all for the same project.
Pick a project to see how much funding could stack on it from multiple programs in this city.
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49 programs are currently listed for Des Moines, including Invest DSM Block Challenge Grant, Invest DSM Commercial Grant, Invest DSM Homeowner Renovation.
Grants do not have to be repaid. Forgivable loans are forgiven over a residency period, and rebates refund your money after the purchase. In Des Moines, 35 programs do not require repayment, 6 are forgivable loans, and 1 is rebate.
Every program listing carries the official application link and phone number for the administering agency. Homeowners apply directly with that agency; there is no middleman and no fee.