Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program

The Strengthen Kentucky Homes (SKH) Program is administered by the Kentucky Department of Insurance under the Public Protection Cabinet, with the aim of reducing property loss and promoting structural resilience against severe weather. This state-level initiative is designed to enhance the safety and durability of residential homes throughout Kentucky by offering financial grants that support roof improvements aligned with the FORTIFIED construction standards developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). The program is structured to provide support to homeowners for roof retrofitting projects that can resist wind and hail-related damages, a response to the growing frequency of catastrophic weather events across the region. SKH provides financial assistance in the form of grants up to $10,000, distributed to eligible homeowners to subsidize the costs associated with upgrading their roofs to meet or exceed the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof standard. The program’s funding is sourced from state appropriations and other supplemental grants, with $5 million allocated for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. Importantly, the program is not open-ended—funds are allocated by region and distributed on a first-approved, first-served basis, with reallocation permitted if regions underutilize their allocated funding. Eligible applicants must meet several requirements. They must be Kentucky residents who both own and occupy the property to be improved. Only primary residences are eligible, and the home must be insurable and in good repair. The program excludes condominiums, mobile homes, and homes built on dry-stack masonry foundations unless these are retrofitted. The dwelling types allowed include single-family homes, duplexes, and certain townhomes, as defined in the 2025 FORTIFIED Home Standard. Homes must pass a pre-inspection by a certified SKH Evaluator to determine if they qualify for mitigation. To apply, homeowners must use the SKH online portal and wait for approval before engaging an Evaluator or Contractor. Homeowners who start work without SKH approval forfeit eligibility. Upon approval, homeowners select an SKH-approved contractor from a provided list to submit a bid via the portal. Contractors and evaluators must be certified by IBHS and meet additional program requirements, including insurance coverage and state compliance. All mitigation work must be completed within 90 days of grant approval unless extended under specific circumstances. Projects must comply with IBHS technical standards, and funding covers construction costs only, not evaluation fees, which remain the homeowner’s responsibility. The grant award process involves a post-construction evaluation and certification. Contractors must submit final documentation, and evaluators must verify the completed work adheres to the IBHS FORTIFIED standard. Only after this verification and receipt of a FORTIFIED Designation Certificate will funds be disbursed directly to the contractor. Any costs exceeding the $10,000 grant amount must be paid by the homeowner. This ensures public funds are strictly tied to successful completion of qualifying improvements. While the program does not operate on a permanently open or rolling basis, it is recurring and expected to continue with future application rounds. As such, application status is dependent on funding availability within each cycle. All activities, from application submission to contractor payment, are processed through the official SKH online portal (https://skh.doi.ky.gov). Homeowners are encouraged to thoroughly review requirements and ensure eligibility prior to applying. For inquiries, they may contact the Department at [email protected] or the designated official listed in the program’s administrative regulations.

Do not begin roof work before grant approval; ensure home is in good repair; only select approved contractors.