Fact sheet
Solution Grant
Funds varyCity of Boulder
- Buyers
- Lower-asset buyers of select Permanently Affordable or Thistle Communities land trust homes in Boulder city limits
- Amount
- Up to 5% of purchase price
- Form
- Grant
- Income cap
- HUD+10 (81.2% AMI): $85,260 (1) to $121,800 (4); assets generally under $15,000
- Price cap
- Eligible homes only
- Conditions
- May not own another home; orientation and homebuyer education; one member working 30 hrs/week; min $2,000 own funds; max DTI 42%; covenant restrictions
Grant bridges the gap between buyer's funds and minimum needed to close; funds limited, first-come first-served.
Checked November 2026 · method
Check my eligibility →What the Solution Grant does
The City of Boulder created this grant for buyers who can afford the monthly cost of an affordable home but lack the cash to close. It fills the gap between what you have and the minimum needed at the closing table, up to 5% of the price. As a grant, it is not repaid. Funds are limited and awarded first come, first served.
Who is eligible?
The grant is for buyers of eligible homes only: select units in Boulder's Permanently Affordable program or Thistle Communities land trust homes inside city limits. Income is capped near 81.2% of AMI (the city calls it HUD+10): $85,260 for one person up to $121,800 for four. Assets should generally be under $15,000, which is the point of the program. You cannot own another home, one household member must work 30 hours a week, you must contribute at least $2,000, and DTI cannot exceed 42%. The home carries covenant restrictions on resale.
How it fits with other help
Because it is a grant from a provider other than CHFA, it is the type of help CHFA's FAQ says can accompany Schools To Home, if the affordable home and lender also fit that program; a participating lender confirms. The Solution Grant cannot be paired with H2O on the same home, since H2O excludes permanently affordable homes. Buyers usually find their home through Boulder's Permanently Affordable program first (see the program directory).
Illustration: on a $300,000 permanently affordable home, 5% is $15,000. A buyer with the $2,000 minimum of their own could close using the grant to cover the rest of the down payment and costs, as long as the lender approves the first mortgage. The low asset limit is intentional; buyers with more savings are expected to use their own funds. Because the money is first come, first served, confirm funding before you count on it in your budget.
How to apply
Complete the city's orientation and homebuyer education, qualify for a specific eligible home, then request the grant before funds run out. Our grant vs. loan guide explains the difference, the Boulder County page lists nearby options, and you can check eligibility.
County guides for this program: Boulder County.
Questions about Solution Grant
Do I repay the Solution Grant?
No. It is a grant of up to 5% of the purchase price.
Which homes qualify?
Select Permanently Affordable homes and Thistle Communities land trust homes in Boulder city limits.
What is the asset limit?
Assets should generally be under $15,000.
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
- H2O (House to Homeownership) Loan · City of Boulder
- CHFA HomeAccess / HomeAccess Plus
- CHFA SectionEight Homeownership / SectionEight Homeownership Plus
- CHFA Preferred Very Low Income (VLIP)
- Colorado HFA1 / Colorado HFA1 Plus
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.
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