If you applied for a My Safe Florida (MSFH) grant last year but didn't get a grant before funds dried up, you may soon be in luck.
Florida's home hardening program received $280 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which will enable it to offer grants to the existing 45,000 applicants to strengthen their homes against storms and lower their home insurance premiums.
Florida homeowners who participate in the program have saved an average of $1,014, according to the state's former Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.
The new budget allocated $94 million toward MSFH mitigation grants, $1.5 million for free wind mitigation inspections to applicants (regardless of whether they apply for a grant), $4.7 million for administrative costs and a nonrecurring sum of $180 million for the program moving forward for the fiscal year.
The $280 million injection into the program provides the state with some relief, but falls short of the $600 million Gov. Ron DeSantis asked for in February to cover the growing backlog of applicants who have received inspections but weren't able to procure a grant.
According to Patronis, as of May, the Legislature has appropriated $576 million in funding for grants and over $28.5 million for 178,184 homes to be inspected.
My Safe Florida Home program explained
My Safe Florida Home is a program created during the 2022 legislative session that provides qualifying homeowners with free wind mitigation home inspections and awards wind mitigation grants to go toward storm-hardening homes.
A wind mitigation inspection alone could save homeowners money on their insurance premiums if they have never submitted a form to their insurance company. The inspection documents the presence of common wind-damage mitigation features like roofing materials, roof shape, storm shutters, attachments for walls and roofs like hurricane clips and more.
Homeowners that have received a wind mitigation inspection could also be eligible to apply for matching grant funds that will help homeowners pay for recommended improvements. The state will provide $2 to match every $1 homeowners spend, up to $10,000.
How Floridians can get a free wind mitigation inspection
Anyone who owns a site-built, single-family residential property can apply for and receive an inspection. You don’t have to apply for a grant to receive the inspection.
Who is eligible to apply for a mitigation grant?
Homeowners who have received a wind mitigation inspection can apply for a matching grant if they meet the following criteria:
The homeowner must have applied for, been approved for and received a free home hurricane inspection through the program.
They must provide proof of homestead exemption.
The home must be insured for $700,000 or less.
The initial building permit of the home must have been issued before Jan. 1, 2008.
The homeowner must allow the home to be reinspected after the work is completed.
The Florida Legislature established four prioritization groups for grant and inspection eligibility in 2025. Only applicants in the following categories are eligible for new inspections and grants this year.
Low-income homeowners who are 60 years old or older
Low-income homeowners of any age
Moderate-income homeowners who are 60 years old or older
Moderate-income homeowners of any age
Low-income homeowners are those with household incomes at or below 80% of the county median income. Moderate-income homeowners are households that earn below 120% of the county median income.
How to apply for My Safe Florida Home
Homeowners interested in applying for a free wind mitigation inspection and the matching grant should visit this website. Users will need to register an account, and then they will be taken through a step-by-step application process.
What mitigation projects does the grant cover?
The types of mitigation projects covered by the grant will be indicated on the associated wind inspection report. Grant funds can be used for all of the following improvements:
Upgrade roof coverings
Strengthen roof deck attachments
Reinforce roof-to-wall connections
Install a secondary water barrier (SWR) for the roof
Exterior door upgrades
Garage door upgrades
Window upgrades
Will the My Safe Florida Home program pay for a roof replacement?
Grants will not typically cover roof replacements. However, inspection reports that recommend adding SWR can be used to justify funds covering the replacement, according to the official site.
Do I have to perform all of the improvements if I’m approved for a grant?
Nope. The wind inspection report will provide you with information you can use to make an informed decision, but they’re just suggestions. Florida will still match homeowners' contributions as outlined above, provided they are the recommended improvements from the report.
If money is tight, the Department of Financial Services recommends making the least-costly improvement that will give your home the most protection.
Will My Safe Florida Home reimburse me for materials I’ve already purchased?
No. The grant only covers labor costs and materials accrued after grant approval.
Can I still claim the My Safe Florida Home program grant if I completed the inspection and paperwork?
Probably. You can verify your application's status by heading to MySafeFlHome.com and navigating to your account. From here, you will have the opportunity to withdraw your application or complete your application if your application status says "Grant app prioritization open."
You will receive an email with further instructions on the grant application once you have completed any of the remaining steps in your app.
About 30,000 people have completed inspections but did not complete the age and income questionnaire needed to complete the grant application, according to the release.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: My Safe Florida Home program opens for applications in August
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