Replacing
your Roof
Living in coastal North Carolina, Down East has experienced many impacts from strong winds and storms. Specifically, straight-line winds can cause shingles to loosen up or even rip off roofs during storm events. Metal roofs are less likely to receive damage from high winds and are typically low maintenance compared to a single roof. During extreme weather events, be sure to gather information from the NWS Morehead City office and take necessary precautions.
Damaged possessions practically obscured a home in Harkers Island, Carteret County. Photo by Liz Roll/FEMA
Strengthen Your Roof Program
Replacing Your Roof Process:
1. If selected for a grant, you will work with the Strengthen Your Roof program throughout the re-roofing process. You will use the program’s online portal to request bids and select a contractor.
2. A Fortified Evaluator associated with the program will work with you to approve a contractor and allow for construction to begin.
3. Upon completion of construction and submission of required documentation, the Fortified Evaluator will help to reach final approval on the roof and issue the grant payment to you.
Contact for Questions:
If you would like to contact the Strengthen Your Roof Program, you can fill out the Contact Us form at strengthenyourroof.com/ContactUs/ContactUs, call 1-844-NCROOFS (844-627-6637), or email at ncroofs@nciua.com.
The Strengthen Your Roof Program is a grant program provided by the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association (NCIUA) to “...improve the resiliency and weather-resistance of properties insured by NCIUA.”
The Strengthen Your Roof Program provides grants of up to $8,000 for replacing a roof with an IBHS FORTIFIED Roof.
IBHS FORTIFIED roofs are installed to specific standards that increase roof and home resilience to weather hazards.
Grants are provided through the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association (NCIUA). To be eligible, you must have a current NCIUA policy for property east of Intracoastal Waterway and/or in the Outer Banks and Barrier Islands of North Carolina. Additional program criteria apply (see the program’s FAQ page for details), such as a policy effective date of August 1, 2023 or earlier.
Program grants are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
How to Apply for the Grant Program:
To check your eligibility for funding, visit strengthenyourroof.com and click on the box “Check Initial Eligibility and Start an Application Now.” You can also call 1-844-NCROOFS to talk with the grant team.
To apply for the program you need to include four photos showing the front, back, left, and right sides of your home.
USDA Single Family Housing Repair
Loans and Grants
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers a Single Family Housing Rural Disaster Home Repair Grant which is open all year long until all of the funds are spent. The USDA has put together a fact sheet on this grant if you have any questions. The USDA also has a pilot grant program until July 18, 2025, for the Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants in Presidentially Declared Disasters Pilot. To be eligible for this loan or grant, you must be 62 years of age or older, be the homeowner and can occupy the house within 12 months, have a household income that does not exceed the very low limit by county, and have disaster-related damage to your home from a federally declared disaster.