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Am I eligible?

Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, through participating member banks

FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home: up to $20,000 in grant help

A grant of up to $20,000 for buyers earning no more than 80% of the Mortgage Revenue Bond income limit for their county, available only through banks that belong to FHLB Cincinnati.

FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home (2026 round)

Funds limited

Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, through participating member banks

For
Buyers at or below 80% of the Mortgage Revenue Bond income limit for the county; first-time buyers must complete homebuyer counseling
How much
Up to $20,000 grant
Kind of help
Grant, never repaid
Income cap
80% of MRB limits for the property's county
First-timers only?
No
Pairs with the state program?
unknown - depends on whether the THDA-approved lender is also an FHLB Cincinnati member

Reservations opened 8:00 a.m. ET April 6, 2026, first-come first-served until funds are reserved (per member bank Peoples Exchange Bank page). The FHLB pages are script-rendered and could not be read this session, so remaining 2026 funds and Tennessee member lenders are unverified.

Checked against the source November 2026 · how we check

Could I use this?
Want a heads-up? FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home (2026 round) runs on a limited pot of money that can run dry. We'll tell you when a new round is funded.

What the grant covers

Welcome Home is run by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, whose district includes Tennessee. The 2026 round pays up to $20,000 as a grant, which is the rarest kind of help: money you are not asked to repay. You cannot apply to FHLB directly. A member bank reserves the funds for you when you are under contract.

Timing and funding

Reservations for the 2026 round opened at 8:00 a.m. Eastern on April 6, 2026, first-come, first-served, until the money was reserved. We could not confirm how much is left this late in the year or which Tennessee banks are taking part, because FHLB's own pages would not load for us. Treat 2026 funds as uncertain and ask a member bank whether it still has reservations available or when the next round opens.

Who qualifies

Household income must be at or below 80% of the Mortgage Revenue Bond income limit for the county where the home sits. You do not have to be a first-time buyer, but first-time buyers must complete homebuyer counseling. Because the limit is 80% of the MRB figure, it is well below THDA's own income limits, so many households that fit Homeownership for Heroes will earn too much for this grant.

Pairing it with THDA

Whether you can use Welcome Home on a Homeownership for Heroes loan depends on your lender. The lender must be both THDA-approved and an FHLB Cincinnati member, and the official pages we read do not settle whether the two combine. A participating lender confirms that. For buyers who qualify for both, a grant on top of a forgivable THDA option could cut cash to close sharply; our cash-to-close guide shows how those pieces add up.

A practical tip: because funds are reserved first-come, first-served, buyers who already have a lender lined up and a signed contract tend to get reservations before those still shopping. If you plan to use Welcome Home in a future round, talk to a member bank months ahead, finish counseling early, and keep your paperwork ready so your file can be submitted the day reservations open.

Next steps

  1. Look up your county's MRB income limit and multiply by 0.8.
  2. Ask local banks whether they are FHLB Cincinnati members with Welcome Home funds.
  3. If you are a first-time buyer, sign up for counseling early.
  4. Check your THDA eligibility so you have a backup if Welcome Home money is gone.

Questions about FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home (2026 round)

Is Welcome Home still available in Tennessee for 2026?

The 2026 round opened April 6, 2026 on a first-come basis. We could not verify remaining funds, so ask an FHLB Cincinnati member bank whether it can still reserve a grant.

Do I have to repay the Welcome Home grant?

It is described as a grant of up to $20,000. Ask the member bank about any occupancy period or conditions before you close.

Can I apply for Welcome Home myself?

No. A participating FHLB Cincinnati member bank reserves the grant on your behalf.

Could I use this program?

Other programs worth a look

Summarized from the program's official page as of November 2026. Money and rules change, so check current terms with the program or a lender who takes part. Tennessee Down Payment Assistance has no connection to this program.