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Grant guide · Updated September 2026Strengthen Mississippi Homes pays up to $10,000 toward a FORTIFIED roof, but right now only wind pool (MWUA) policyholders can apply. Everyone else in Mississippi should get ready for the statewide phase, which is expected in 2027 once the Legislature fixes a funding error.
Strengthen Mississippi Homes pays up to $10,000 toward re-roofing your home to the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof standard. The money goes to the roofer, not to you, and only after the roof passes certification. Anything the job costs above $10,000 is yours to pay.
It was created by Senate Bill 2409, signed by Governor Tate Reeves in April 2026 and in force from 1 July 2026. The Mississippi Insurance Department runs it. The money comes from fees paid by the insurance industry, about $16 million a year, not from the state’s general fund.
Most guides list the steps. What they skip is the money: when you might be out of pocket, and when you’re protected. We’ve mapped both from the programme’s own rules.
| # | Step | What happens | Who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apply online | Through the Insurance Department’s online portal, linked from its Strengthen Mississippi Homes page. | Free |
| 2 | Selection | Homes are chosen by lottery or a similar method. Applying is no guarantee. | Free |
| 3 | Evaluation | A certified FORTIFIED evaluator inspects the roof and records what’s needed. | You pay the evaluator directly. Published Gulf Coast fees run about $150 to $600. |
| 4 | Get 3 bids | Collect three bids from contractors on the programme’s approved list and pick one. | Free |
| 5 | Re-roof within 3 months | Built to the FORTIFIED standard, with each stage photographed. The programme gives you 3 months to get it installed. | You pay only the amount above $10,000 |
| 6 | Certification | IBHS reviews the evidence and issues your certificate. | Covered by the process |
| 7 | Payment | The programme pays the roofer directly. If the work fails, they fix it at no cost to you. | Programme, up to $10,000 |
Built from the Mississippi Insurance Department programme page and WLOX reporting (June 2026). Checked September 2026.
These rules apply in every phase:
Phase one only: you must also be insured by the MWUA wind pool, and have been for three consecutive policy years. The wind pool covers Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, Stone and George counties.
The Legislature set aside about $15 million for the statewide phase. But the spending bill pointed to Senate Bill 2406, a roads bill that died, instead of Senate Bill 2409. That typo locks the money until lawmakers fix it.
The Insurance Department expects the fix early in the 2027 session. Until then, the Coast phase runs on about $2 million from the wind pool, enough for roughly 200 homes.
The grant covers a standard-sized job well. These are the things that most often make yours bigger, so budget for them before selection day.
For reference, Sun Herald reporting put the extra cost of FORTIFIED over a standard re-roof at $1,000 to $3,000. See the full cost guide for Mississippi.
You cut your rates in half when you fix your roof.
Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, speaking to WLOX, June 2026The six is right above the nine.
Commissioner Chaney explaining the SB 2406 typo that froze the statewide money, Mississippi Today, July 2026Mississippi has tried this before, and it hasn’t always gone smoothly. You should know that before you plan around a grant.
Sources: Sun Herald reporting; WLOX, June 2026.
Don’t wait on the grant if your roof is failing. The insurance discount comes from the FORTIFIED certificate, not the grant, and it applies whether or not the state paid.
If your roof has a few years left, apply if you’re eligible, get on the alert list, and get a quote now so you’re ready to move fast if you’re selected.
The grant is a one-off. The insurance discount repeats every year you keep the roof. How much you get depends on who insures your wind cover and where you live.
| Your wind cover | Discount | Required by law? |
|---|---|---|
| MWUA wind pool | 20% Roof · 25% Silver · 30% Gold · +5% if tree hazards are dealt with | Set in the MWUA rating plan |
| Private insurer, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Stone or Pearl River | Set by each insurer | Yes, insurers must offer one (Miss. Code § 83-75-3) |
| Private insurer, rest of Mississippi | Set by each insurer | No, voluntary |
MWUA policies also carry a free FORTIFIED Roof endorsement: if a covered claim replaces half or more of the roof, it adds up to $1,500 toward the upgrade and up to $500 toward the evaluation. Source: IBHS.
A FORTIFIED re-roof looks like a normal one from the driveway, with a few differences worth knowing about.
The old roof comes off to bare deck. This is when damaged sheets get spotted, and when the price can change. Ask your roofer to show you before replacing anything.
The evaluator needs to see the hidden work. Nailing, seam sealing and edge details get photographed before they’re covered. If a stage isn’t documented, it can’t be certified.
Weather matters. An open deck can’t wait out a storm. Good crews watch the forecast and won’t strip more than they can dry in that day.
Keep your paperwork. The certificate is what your insurer needs for the discount. Send it to them as soon as it arrives.
A roofer can be on the approved list, but no roofer can promise you a grant. Selection is by lottery.
Missing the grant doesn’t stop you having a FORTIFIED roof or the discount that comes with it. More rounds are coming, and the statewide phase hasn’t started yet.
If your roof is due for replacement anyway, the extra for FORTIFIED is usually modest, and your discount starts as soon as you’re certified. Read your options if you missed the round.
Not yet. Phase one is for wind pool (MWUA) policyholders with three consecutive policy years. The programme plans to open to all homeowners from 1 January 2027, if the Legislature fixes the funding error.
No. The programme pays the approved roofer directly after your roof is certified. You pay anything above $10,000.
Only if they’re on the programme’s approved contractor list. You collect three bids from approved contractors and choose one.
No. Homes are selected by lottery or a similar method, and funding is limited.
You do. The Insurance Department’s homeowner checklist says the evaluator’s fee is paid by the homeowner. Published Gulf Coast fees run about $150 to $600.
Wind pool policyholders get 20% off wind premium for a FORTIFIED Roof. Private insurers in the five coastal counties must offer a discount, amount set by each insurer. Elsewhere it’s voluntary.
If you’re selected, you’ll need to choose a roofer quickly. Getting a quote now tells you your likely share above $10,000, and whether your deck needs work.
We pass your details to one FORTIFIED-certified roofer. Not a list, and no sales calls from strangers.