There are over 64 approved Arkansas home improvement grants, grants for home repairs and repair assistance resources available for homeowners (most, but not all, programs are based on income). The programs below provide you with all the main resources offered throughout the state.
Updated: January 1, 2025
Your home repair or improvement can be quite expensive. You’re not alone, the homeowner repair survey shows:
- 35% of Arkansas homeowners have to delay repairs.
- 42% postpone repairs for financial reasons.
So you’re clearly not alone. The programs below are available to help in Arkansas.
Who provide home improvement grants in Arkansas?
There are 5 main sources of financial assistance for home improvement and repair in Arkansas:
- 1- Federal: (Housing and Urban Development)
- 2- State: Arkansas Department of Housing does not offer direct help for home repairs.
- 3- Rural: USDA provides home repair grants and loans for rural homeowners.
- 4- Communities organizations: Provide help for smaller repairs
- 5- Counties & cities: Main organizations with funds (over $25.4M).
The important thing to keep in mind is that most programs can help with a broad range of home repairs. For example, there’s not only 1 roof program but many programs can help with roof repairs. That’s why we created the projects’ summary below.
Jump to a project:
| Window (9) | Heating & HVAC (10) |
| Roof (8) | Foundation (8) |
| Electrical (8) | Bathroom (7) |
| Plumbing (8) | Remodel (8) |
| Sewer & water (7) | Asbestos & lead (7) |
Jump to a group:
| Seniors (10) | City & suburb (10) |
| Disabled (10) | Rural (9) |
| Veterans (8) |
FAQ
Can I get a $10,000 grant for home improvement?
What free grants for homeowners for repairs exist?
Who is eligible for government home improvement grant?
Confused about home improvement programs terms?
Who is eligible for government home improvement grant?
In general all homeowners are eligible for home improvement and repairs grants and assistance in Arkansas (find them all below). In reality, because the needs are so big, some groups like seniors, veterans, disabled and low-income households are given priority. Even in those case, you need to apply as soon as possible because funds are limited.
So it’s often first arrived first served basis: apply early.
Each program has their own eligibility, so you need to verify with programs in your area to see info you meet the income eligibility level.
You can start with this table as reference for programs eligibility:
| Cities & Suburbs | Rural | |
|---|---|---|
| Low income | HUD, WAP, Cities & Counties, State, Disasters | HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties, State, Disasters |
|
Medium/High income |
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters | HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters. |
Important reminder: Programs such as cities or counties assistance programs determine eligibility based on the median income in your area. This means that even if you have a moderate income, you might qualify for these programs if you live in a wealthier area. In other words, it’s better to verify your edibility with each programs first before thinking you won’t be able to receive funding for your project.
More Home Repair Help for Arkansas Homeowners:
Funding Urgent Repairs : Find out how to quickly pay home repairs.
Common Home Repair Cost : Get an idea of the costs for common repairs.
Home Improvement Guide : Your complete guide to planning your next project.
Funding Home Improvements : Learn about financing options to support your renovation.
More Home Improvement & Repair Resources.
Can I get a $10,000 grant for home improvement?
Can you get a $10,000 grant for home improvement? Quick answer is yes. Find on this page all the information you need for home improvement programs by the State of Arkansas, by cities and by counties. Learn: how much they provide, if you’re eligible and where to apply.
What free grants for homeowners for repairs exist?
In general in Arkansas, free grants for home repair help homeowners with:
- – Make sure your home does not harm the residents’ health.
- – Make sure your home structure is sound and may not hurt its resident.
- – Help renovate or repair some major part(s) of your home.
- – Help seniors and disabled residents stay in their homes longer and safer.
So yes, government grants for home repairs do exist and you can find them on this page.
Windows (7 programs)
Windows can be expensive in Arkansas; broken windows, no longer opening, warped frame, drafty and leaking air are few among many common signs homeowners’ windows need to be repaired or replaced. See also the Windows Replacement Guide for common window problems.
Window programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Window programs for lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Window programs for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Window programs for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Roof (7 programs)
Storm debris and damages, roof at the end of their lifespan, and wind is always signs of big expenses when it comes to a home roof in Arkansas. But not everyone have a sizable amount ready at any time to fix or replace its roof. You can also look at our Guide to repair or change your roof.
Roof help for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Roof help for lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Roof help for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Roof help for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Foundation repair assistance (7 programs)
Cracks, uneven settling/heaving, soil conditions and drainage system issues are the most common problems requiring foundation repair in the State of Arkansas.
Foundation help for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Foundation help for lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Foundation help for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Foundation help for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Safe Home, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Electrical & plumbing assistance (7 programs)
Electrical: Faulty wiring, circuit breaker problems, and electrical panel issues are major concerns.
Plumbing: Leaky pipes, water heater malfunctions, and clogged drains are common plumbing problems.
Electrical and plumbing help for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Electrical and plumbing help for lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Electrical and plumbing help for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, StateDisasters
Electrical and plumbing help for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Heating & HVAC assistance (8 programs)
AC and HVAC malfunctions, thermostat problems, and duct work leaks cause heating issues while AC compressor failures, refrigerant leaks, and airflow restrictions are major cooling problems for Arkansas homeowners.
Cooling and HVAC programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Cooling and HVAC programs for lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Cooling and HVAC programs for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Cooling and HVAC programs for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Asbestos, lead paints & pipes removal (6 programs)
Lead paint and asbestos in are still one of the main health hazard in older homes. Removing them is costly and most local governments have a program to help homeowners removing this hazard.
Asbestos and lead programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Asbestos and lead programs for lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Asbestos and lead programs for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Asbestos and lead programs for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Sewer & water line repair (6 programs)
Fortunately not frequent, replacing water line or sewers pipes is very costly. The programs below can help fund this repair or replacement depending of your income and where you live.
Water and sewer programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Water and sewer programs lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Water and sewer programs medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Water and sewer programs medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Home remodeling incentives (7 programs)
In some cases a home can be remodeled if they need major repairs as long as the cost is not prohibitive. Since the total amount vary by program you have to verify on this page for programs in your area across the State.
Lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, StateDisasters
Medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Bathroom remodel assistance (6 programs)
The programs’ goal in Arkansas is to bring bathroom to sanitary and health standards. Improving the bathroom finishing can be done with your own funds or a loan.
Lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, StateDisasters
Medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Home modifications for disabled (6 programs)
Having a disability create issues in a home. Most funding resources let you upgrade and make modifications to your home in order to be able to live in it much longer. Ramps, bathroom and kitchen modifications, installation of grab bars, doorways enlargement, are all covered by accessibility programs.
Accessibility modifications for lower income living in a city or suburb:
Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Accessibility modifications for lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Accessibility modifications for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State,Disasters
Accessibility modifications for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Home modifications for Seniors (8 programs)
Most programs help you upgrade and make modifications to your home in order to be able to live in it much longer as a senior. Ramps, bathroom and kitchen modifications, installation of grab bars, are all covered by home adaptation programs for seniors.
You can find resources below and the curated resource for senior home modifications.
Senior home modifications for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Senior home modifications for lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Senior home modifications for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, StateDisasters
Senior home modifications for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Cities and suburbs homeowners (8 programs)
Living in a Arkansas city is often more expensive and there are home improvement programs available to city and suburbs homeowners.
Home repair programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Home improvement for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Rural Homeowners (7 programs)
Homeowners in Arkansas rural areas have less external resources but there are still resources available to them for home repair and improvements.
Rural homeowner with a lower income:
HUD, USDA, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Rural homeowner with a medium and higher income:
HUD, USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Veterans Home Repair & Rehabilitation (7 programs)
The VA provide grants and loans to help veterans to adapt their housing to their needs when they have a disability.And naturally, veterans are also eligible to all existing home improvement programs:
Veteran with a lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Veteran with a lower income living in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters
Veteran with a medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State,Disasters
Veteran with a medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters
Seniors and Elders Help for Home Repairs
There are official free home repairs for senior citizens in Arkansas but they are not only for seniors. Seniors, just like all Arkansasans, are eligible to the same home improvement programs listed on this page.
Question: Are home repair for senior citizens free?
Answer: Yes, usually, but it’s often different for each program. Some programs are 100% free while some other require a contribution and in other case. In most case they are free if the senior have a low income. You find your programs and your eligibility with the programs on this page.
Contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn about home repair programs for seniors in your area as well as programs for seniors home modifications.
You can also find specific home modification programs for seniors.
HUD (Housing Urban Department) (2 programs)
HUD is the federal agency funding Arkansas’s Housing agencies; Counties and Cities. HUD have many programs from home buyer help, renter help, homeowners funding among many for home repairs and improvements.
2 loans programs helps people renovate, rehabilitate or improve their home (mobile homes included). Both are loan insurances for Arkansas’s homeowners who couldn’t otherwise get a loan:
Rehabilitation and repair loan: Known as “Title I Property Improvement Loan Program”, it helps you if you have not enough equity for a traditional loan, and the FHA (part of HUD) insure your loan for your lender.
- – House Loan amount limit: $25,000
- – Mobile home Loan amount limit: $25,090
203(k) Rehabilitation Loan: This a special FHA loan that allows you to finance both the purchase or refinancing of a house and the cost of renovations into a single mortgage.
- – Limited 203k loan: Projects less than $35,000.
- – Standard 203k loan: Projects over $35,000.
In both Tittle 1 and 203(k), the money for the renovations is put in an escrow account and is only released to the contractor when the work is completed and inspected by a qualified professional. This helps ensure that the renovations are done properly and that the money is used for its intended purpose. It protects both the lender and you the homeowner.
Arkansas Department of Housing (0 program)
Arkansas’s Department of Housing doesn’t have a direct home repair program for homeowners. That said, Counties, cities and local organizations below provide home repair programs as well as HUD and the USDA for rural homeowners.
Weatherization Assistance Program (1 program)
Arkansas’ weatherization program might not be able to help you fix everything that’s wrong with your home, but it can help you make valuable upgrades to the energy efficiency of your home. The program helps homeowners who qualify by upgrading insulation and flooring to make the home more energy efficient.
Types of assistance:
- – Address air infiltration with weather stripping, caulking, thresholds, minor repairs to walls, ceilings and floors, and window and door replacement
- – Install attic and floor insulation (floors in northern Arkansas counties only).
- – Install attic ventilation.
- – Apply solar reflective coating to manufactured homes.
- – Install solar screens.
- – Repair or replace inefficient heating and cooling units.
- – Repair or replace water heaters.
Contact your local Agency office.
Window Replacement Programs (many programs)
Most programs on this page can help with windows replacement in Arkansas. Look at the Federal, State, Cities and counties program plus community organizations.
Roof Replacement Programs (many programs)
Arkansas have lots of assistance programs helping with roof replacement. Major storms often damage roofs and different agencies and organizations can help low income residents fix or change their roofs. Most programs on this page cover roofs damages either in form of grants or free or low interest government loans.
Once it’s time to find a roofer, our community selection of Arkansas’s best roofers can help.
Arkansas Disaster & Emergency Management (1 program)
If you have been in a natural disaster, Arkansas Emergency Management can provide direct help to homeowners.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (many programs)
You can find FEMA’s Arkansas site and available programs after a disaster. These programs are available long after a disaster and you may claim housing, financial, food, medical, etc.
Arkansas Rural Residents (1 program)
The USDA provide home improvement loans and government grants to low-income homeowners in Arkansas’s rural areas.
Arkansas homeowner amounts:
Grant (average): $8,280
Loan (average): $7,173
Who may apply for this program? To qualify, you must:
- – Be the homeowner and occupy the house.
- – Be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere.
- – Have a family income below 50 percent of the area median income.
- – For grants, be age 62 or older and not be able to repay a repair loan.
What is an eligible area?
Applicants may check the address of their home to determine eligibility.
How may funds be used?
Loans may be used to repair, improve or modernize housing or remove health and safety hazards.
Grants must be used to remove health and safety hazards.
How much money can I get?
- – Maximum loan is $40,000
- – Maximum grant is $10,000
- – Loans and grants can be combined for up to $50,000 in payment assistance
What are the terms of the loan or grant?
- – Loans can be repaid over 20 years
- – Loan interest rate is fixed at 1%
- – Full title service is required for loans of $7,500 or more
- – Grants have a lifetime limit of $7,500
- – Grants must be repaid if the property is sold in less than 3 years
- – If applicants can repay part, but not all of the costs, applicants may be offered a loan and grant combination
Is there a deadline to apply to the USDA home repair grant application?
Applications for this program are accepted through your local USDA’s RD office all year round.
How long does an application take?
Approval times depend on funds availability in your area.
Seniors & Elderly Help for Home Repairs
There are official elderly home repair assistance in Arkansas but they are not only for seniors. Seniors, just like all Arkansasans, are eligible to the same home improvement programs listed on this page.
You can also contact your local Area Agency on Aging to find local programs for seniors home repairs and home modifications.
You can also find home modification programs for seniors
Veterans Home Repair and Rehabilitation (1 program)
The VA provide grants and loans to help veterans to adapt their housing to their needs when they have a disability.
Community & non-profits (35 programs & resources)
Habitat for Humanity in Arkansas (10 programs)
Habitat rehabilitates houses for families and people in need with the help of volunteers. They are able to help with home repairs and updates to make your home safer. Habitat relies on volunteers (you and/or some neighbors if you’re seniors), to put some of the work into your home repairs. You can apply through 1 of Habitat’s local chapters to learn about help available in your area.
Habitat for Humanity Arkansas ReStores (10 resources)
ReStores provide discounted used and surplus building materials, plus appliances and furniture in their stores throughout Arakansas.
Community Action Agencies of Arkansas (15 resources)
These non-profits offer many services and programs to Arkansas residents. Their service focuses mostly on low-income and seniors residents. Homeowners can benefit from emergency repairs, home modifications, weatherization and other money saving energy help for their home.
Counties & Cities Programs (23 programs)
Most Arkansas counties have approved home repair and government grant programs and most major cities also have similar help for homeowners. Cities and counties received over $25.4M ($17.5M CDGB + $8.9M HOME) last fiscal year to help homeowners with various programs.
Find your county or city web site and look for the housing or community development department, programs are usually managed by 1 of those 2 departments. Once you find them, you will see contact information and you can call them to know if they’ve 1 or more programs that could help you. They may also be able to refer you to other local resources helping homeowners.
Confused about home improvement programs terms?
It can be confusing to understand the terms. Lots of different organizations have different words for the same type of help programs: home improvement grant, home repair grants, programs, free grants, relief service, repair assistance, etc. They are all synonyms of programs designed to help low and moderate income homeowners repair and fix important parts of their house.