MWPA Home Hardening Grant Program

How it works

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) says it administers grant programs that help residents pay for defensible space and home hardening work. The grants are tied to the MWPA Defensible Space and Home Hardening Evaluation program, so homeowners use the grant to fix the high-risk items found in that evaluation.

What the money covers

The program page says the grants are for expenses related to the creation of defensible space and home hardening. It does not give a full item-by-item list on this page, but it does say the grants are meant to remediate findings from the evaluation.

Amounts and matching

• Home hardening grants: up to $5,000, with the homeowner providing an equivalent investment.
• Some select items, such as vents and gutter guards, do not require a match.
• Defensible space grants: up to $1,000, with no match required.
• The page says FY 2022-23 home hardening funds were $125,000 on a first-come, first-serve basis, and defensible space funds were also $125,000 on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• For residents with financial hardship, MWPA says a grant manager may directly fund work needed to resolve items identified during an evaluation, subject to workforce availability and budget constraints.

How to apply

Homeowners must first receive a free Defensible Space and Home Hardening Evaluation. Then they can apply through the MWPA Resident Grant webpage.

Timing and deadlines

The MWPA project page says the grant programs are ongoing. It also says that beginning in the 2022-23 fiscal year, all Marin residents within MWPA’s jurisdiction became eligible to participate, and that the program is integrated with the evaluation program so residents can use grants to address issues found in that evaluation.