Polk County Down Payment Assistance Program
Neighborhood Finance Corporation (NFC) on behalf of Polk County
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Down payment assistance
75 programs a Grimes buyer could use — grants, forgivable loans, and tax credits. Free to explore, no SSN, no credit pull.
Free forever · No credit pull · 90 seconds
Programs available
Open to first-time buyers
Forgivable
Largest award
Neighborhood Finance Corporation (NFC) on behalf of Polk County
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Neighborhood Finance Corporation (NFC)
Forgivable loan · Forgiven over 5 yrs · Income limits
City of West Des Moines Community & Economic Development (with IFA and Neighborhood Finance Corporation)
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (delivered via member financial institutions)
Assistance grant · Forgiven over 5 yrs · Income limits
Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC)
Forgivable loan · Income limits
Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (delivered via member financial institutions)
Assistance grant · Forgiven over 5 yrs · Income limits
Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) / Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund (SWIHTF)
Forgivable loan · Forgiven over 5 yrs · Income limits
GreenState Credit Union / GreenState Foundation
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · New construction · Income limits
Assistance grant · New construction · Income limits
Deferred second loan · New construction · Income limits
Deferred second loan · New construction · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
First mortgage
Assistance grant · Income limits
Deferred second loan · Forgiven over 3 yrs · Income limits
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant
Forgivable loan · Forgiven over 5 yrs · Income limits
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Forgivable loan · Forgiven over 3 yrs · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Forgivable loan · Forgiven over 3 yrs · Income limits
Assistance grant
Forgivable loan · Forgiven over 5 yrs · Income limits
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Forgivable loan · Forgiven over 3 yrs · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · New construction
Forgivable loan · Forgiven over 3 yrs · Income limits
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · New construction · Income limits
Assistance grant
Deferred second loan · Forgiven over 3 yrs · Income limits
Assistance grant
Assistance grant
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Shared-appreciation loan · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Deferred second loan · Income limits
Forgivable loan · Forgiven over 3 yrs · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant
Assistance grant · New construction · Income limits
Assistance grant
Assistance grant
Assistance grant · Forgiven over 3 yrs · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
First mortgage · Income limits
Assistance grant · Income limits
What’s local to Grimes
There are no programs run by Grimes itself. A Grimes buyer uses Polk County’s programs, plus the statewide and federal ones above — all of which are open to them.
The closest city that runs its own program is West Des Moines, about 9 miles away. City programs usually require the home to be inside that city’s limits — worth checking if you’re still choosing where to buy.
HUD puts the 2026 area median income for Polk County at $116,400 for a four-person household. 13 of the programs listed here set an income limit as a percentage of that figure, which is why the same program admits a different income in a different county. Published limits for Iowa →
90-second match
Answer 9 questions and we'll match you to every program you can actually use — in about 90 seconds. No SSN, no credit pull.
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