Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program

How it works

The Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program (SKH) is a state grant program run by the Kentucky Department of Insurance. It provides grants up to $10,000 for qualified homeowners to upgrade their roofs to standards set by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). The program is intended to help Kentucky homeowners strengthen roofs so they can better withstand high wind and hail damage.

Applications are accepted online. The official site says consumer applications were to begin in Spring 2026, and a separate state press release says the portal opened on March 1, 2026 and the program was open and taking homeowner applications as of March 12, 2026.

What the money covers

Grant funding is limited to construction costs. Funds are paid directly to contractors, not to homeowners. Homeowners are financially responsible for all costs beyond the full grant amount.

Amounts and matching

The headline grant amount is up to $10,000 per qualified homeowner. The program page does not state a matching requirement, but it does say homeowners must cover any project costs above the grant amount.

Timing and deadlines

The official site says the program has a spring 2026 consumer application launch. The state press release says the portal opened March 1, 2026. No closing date is stated on the official page.

What the upgrade must achieve

The completed project must meet the FORTIFIED Roof Standard for the grant to be issued. The program page highlights several FORTIFIED roof features: stronger edges, a sealed roof deck, better attachment with ring-shank nails, and impact-resistant shingles for the High Wind and Hail designation.