NoCo Foundation down payment assistance: equity-share help in Northern Colorado

Fact sheet

How the NoCo equity-share loan works

The NoCo Foundation funds this program and Impact Development Fund makes the loans. It is a deferred second with no monthly payments. Instead of interest, repayment is based on equity sharing: when you sell or pay off the loan, you return the assistance plus a share of the home's change in value. At up to 15% of price, it can cover a full conventional down payment on many Fort Collins, Loveland or Greeley homes. The guideline we used was revised October 8, 2025.

Who qualifies?

You cannot own any other property, residential, commercial or land. Income must be at or below 120% of HUD AMI for the county and household size. The price cap is $650,000. Only conventional conforming or certain portfolio loans work; FHA and VA are excluded. You must invest at least 5% yourself, the back-end ratio is capped at 45%, and household assets cannot exceed 1.5 times income.

Stacking NoCo with other assistance

The guideline says NoCo may be combined with other down payment help, which is unusual. In practice the first mortgage still sets the limits: Schools To Home accepts only an outside grant, so NoCo's loan likely does not fit there, and FHA-based options are out. A conventional CHFA or metroDPA first is where a participating lender can test whether NoCo layers in.

Example: on a $450,000 home, 15% is $67,500. Combined with the required 5% of your own, that would add up to a 20% down payment. Your lender confirms how that changes your loan terms and mortgage insurance. The asset cap of 1.5 times income keeps households with large savings out, so document your accounts carefully.

Since FHA and VA are excluded, buyers with lower credit scores who rely on FHA should look at other Northern Colorado options instead, such as Colorado Roots or a CHFA program. Ask IDF for an estimate of the equity share on your purchase before you commit.

How to apply

Line up the 5% contribution, get pre-approved on a conventional loan, and ask an IDF partner lender to submit the NoCo request. Compare it with G-HOPE if you work in Greeley. See the Weld County page, our loan types guide, and check eligibility.

County guides for this program: Larimer County, Weld County.

Questions about NoCo Foundation DPA Program

Similar programs

• metroDPA (Metro Down Payment Assistance) · Denver metro / Front Range: listed cities and towns plus unincorporated Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson and Larimer counties
• Elevation Community Land Trust (ECLT) homes · Denver, Aurora and Fort Collins listings (also Trinidad and Cripple Creek outside the 20 counties)
• G-HOPE (Greeley Home Ownership Program for Employees) · City of Greeley - University and Redevelopment Districts

Summarized from the program's official page, November 2026. Money and rules shift; check today's terms with the administrator or a participating lender. Colorado Down Payment Assistance has no tie to this program.