Grant Directory

Verified government funding opportunities

Home Opportunity Program (HOP)

Open

Alaska Housing Finance CorporationAKFirst-Time Homeowner

Funding: Provides down payment and closing cost assistance to low-income individuals and families through nonprofit intermediary agencies in major urban areas of Alaska; assistance amounts vary by agency and funding availability.GrantScope: Multi-county/Regionstate

Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Summary

AHFC’s Home Opportunity Program (HOP) channels HUD HOME funds through nonprofit intermediaries to provide down payment, closing cost and mortgage buydown assistance for low-income Alaskans buying their primary residence. The program targets households under 80% of area median income and is designed to bridge the affordability gap in Alaska’s higher-cost markets.

Benefits

Down payment assistanceClosing costs

Who Can Apply

Individual

Eligible Locations

Major urban areas of Alaska served by participating nonprofit intermediary agencies such as Alaska Community Development Corporation and others listed on the AHFC HOP page.

Eligibility

Low-income homebuyers (generally ≤80% of area median income) who do not already own a home, will occupy the property as their primary residence, meet HUD and AHFC eligibility rules, and work with a participating lender and nonprofit intermediary in their region.

Full Description

The Home Opportunity Program is a statewide AHFC-administered initiative that uses HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds to make homeownership attainable for low-income individuals and families in Alaska. Through nonprofit intermediaries in key regions, eligible buyers can receive a package of assistance that may include down payment help (when required by the primary lender), closing cost support and, if necessary, a buydown of the first mortgage to achieve sustainable monthly payments. Borrowers must be income-eligible, purchase a non-luxury home that meets property standards, and occupy the home as their principal residence for a required affordability period or face potential recapture. The program relies on participating lenders and local partners to qualify buyers, determine primary loan amounts and ensure HUD-compliant underwriting. Funding availability is limited and often provided on a first-come, first-served basis, so prospective homebuyers are encouraged to connect early with the nonprofit agencies listed on the AHFC site to confirm current funding, eligibility and next steps for using HOP in their home purchase.

Verification & Details

Complexity: Moderate
Status: Open
Source: ahfc.us
Official source → ahfc.us
Apply on official siteUpdated Nov 29, 2025

Recommended Resource

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More statewide programs

Explore additional grants available throughout Alaska that complement this opportunity.

AHFC’s Down Payment Assistance resource page connects Alaska homebuyers with nonprofit partners that provide down payment and closing cost assistance for purchases financed with AHFC’s AHELP loan options. The page serves as a statewide hub, listing organizations like Cook Inlet Lending Center, Alaska Community Development Corporation, Interior Regional Housing Authority, and Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority, each serving specific regions.

Eligible for: Homebuyers using AHFC’s AHELP loan option who qualify under the guidelines of participating nonprofit organizations providing down payment a…

Funding: Nonprofit organizations provide down payment assistance to borrowers purchasing homes with Alaska Housing AHELP loan option; amounts and terms vary by organization and funding availability.Multi-county/RegionIndividualDown payment assistance

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation’s First-Time Homebuyer Loans program offers two primary mortgage options—First Home and First Home Limited—designed to give first-time buyers reduced interest rates and more affordable homeownership across Alaska. Borrowers work with approved lenders and can pair these loans with other AHFC options like energy-efficiency interest rate reductions and veterans’ preferences.

Eligible for: First-time homebuyers who have not owned a primary residence in the last three years (with targeted-area and qualified-veteran exceptions), …

Funding: First Home and First Home Limited loans offer reduced interest rates to eligible first-time homebuyers; loan amount and eligibility are based on income and acquisition cost limits.Deadline: N/AStatewideIndividualReduced interest rateFirst-time homebuyer mortgage

Cook Inlet Lending Center’s NAHI and Home$tart grants are large, forgivable-style down payment assistance grants that can provide eligible Alaska homebuyers with $15,000–$25,000 to cover down payment, closing costs and prepaid expenses, significantly reducing the cash needed to become a homeowner.

Eligible for: For NAHI: Alaska Native, American Indian or Native Hawaiian homebuyers below ~80% of NAHASDA AMI who will owner-occupy a 1–4 unit property, …

Funding: $25,000 (NAHI) or $15,000 (Home$tart) per householdUntil funds exhaustedStatewideIndividualOtherDown payment assistanceClosing costsPrepaid expenses

Alaska Community Development Corporation’s Home Opportunity Program (HOP) delivers substantial down payment, closing cost and mortgage buydown assistance to low-income homebuyers across most of Alaska, with loans structured as zero-interest and partially forgivable to make ownership truly affordable.

Eligible for: Low-income households (≤80% of HUD area median income) in eligible Alaska communities who do not own another home, will occupy the property …

Funding: Provides a combination of grant and zero-interest loan assistance: first $10,000 conditionally forgivable over a five-year occupancy period, plus potential down payment assistance up to 2% of purchase price or $3,800, up to $3,000 in closing costs, and first mortgage buydown assistance not to exceed $30,000 per household.Until funds exhaustedMulti-county/RegionIndividualDown payment assistanceClosing costsMortgage buydown