What Is First Front Door?
First Front Door (FFD) is a grant program that gives first-time home buyers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia up to $5,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance.
The grant assistance is a 3-to-1 match: for every dollar you contribute, the Federal Home Loan Bank will put in $3. So a contribution of $1,667 would give you the full $5,000.
As long as you’re an eligible first-time home buyer and you live in your home for at least five years, you won’t need to repay the grant money you receive. And if you do move early, you won't have interest or monthly payments.
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How does First Front Door work?
Funding is limited, so participating lenders offer the First Front Door program on a first-come, first-served basis.
Your FFD grant can be used toward numerous types of properties, including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, modular units, and manufactured homes (if affixed to a site). You can't use your FFD grant toward investment properties.
Once you’ve secured your grant, you won’t have to repay it if you live in your house for at least five years. If you sell your house before then, you’ll have to repay the Federal Home Loan Bank part of your grant — prorated $1,000 per year.
For example, if you received $5,000 and you sold your house after three years, you'd owe the Federal Home Loan Bank $2,000 (for years 4 and 5).
Who is eligible for First Front Door?
To qualify for the First Front Door program, you must meet six criteria:
- Be a first-time home buyer
- Contribute your own funds as a part of the down payment or closing costs
- Have a household income that’s below 80% of the area median income (learn more)
- Complete at least four hours of home counseling (including the subject of predatory lending)
- If you’re a student, work a minimum of 30 hours per week
- Get your mortgage through the same lender who’s offering you the FFD grant
Unlike other assistance programs, you don’t need a minimum credit score, debt-to-income ratio, or down payment amount to qualify.
First-time home buyer
A first-time home buyer is an applicant who has not owned a single-family home in the past three years.
This includes married couples in which one person owned a property but the other hasn’t. If you owned a property within the past three years while you were married, but you’re now single and you haven’t owned a property in that many years, you’re also eligible.
Loan limits
There are no limits for a First Front Door grant. As long as you meet the criteria above, you’re eligible for the FFD program.
Minimum contributions
To receive the full grant, you’ll need to contribute at least $1,667 toward your closing costs or down payment. The FFD program matches your contributions 3-to-1, up to $5,000. That means you’ll receive $3 for every $1 you put in.
đź’° What counts as a valid contribution? |
Income limits
To get an FFD grant, your gross household income must be at or below 80% of your area median income. You also can’t have assets that total more than $50,000 (not including retirement accounts).
For example, if you live in Adams County, PA, where the area median income is $90,300, your household income would have to be below $72,250 for you to receive the grant.
You can find your area median income and income limits on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or refer to our charts below.
Income limits in Delaware (2022) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
County | Median income | Household size | ||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7+ | ||
Kent | $77,200 | $43,250 | $49,400 | $55,600 | $61,750 | $66,700 | $71,650 | $76,600 |
New Castle | $105,400 | $59,050 | $67,450 | $75,900 | $84,300 | $91,050 | $97,800 | $104,550 |
Sussex | $91,900 | $47,050 | $53,800 | $60,500 | $67,200 | $72,600 | $78,000 | $83,350 |
Income limits in Pennsylvania (2022) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
County | Median Income | Household size | ||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||
Adams | $90,300 | $50,600 | $57,800 | $65,050 | $72,250 | $78,050 | $83,850 | $89,600 |
Allegheny | $95,400 | $53,100 | $60,700 | $68,300 | $75,850 | $81,950 | $88,000 | $94,100 |
Armstrong | $76,400 | $42,650 | $48,750 | $54,850 | $60,900 | $65,800 | $70,650 | $75,550 |
Beaver | $95,400 | $53,100 | $60,700 | $68,300 | $75,850 | $81,950 | $88,000 | $94,100 |
Bedford | $68,900 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Berks | $90,700 | $50,800 | $58,050 | $65,300 | $72,550 | $78,400 | $84,200 | $90,000 |
Blair | $72,400 | $40,850 | $46,650 | $52,500 | $58,300 | $63,000 | $67,650 | $72,300 |
Bradford | $71,500 | $40,850 | $46,650 | $52,500 | $58,300 | $63,000 | $67,650 | $72,300 |
Bucks | $105,400 | $59,050 | $67,450 | $75,900 | $84,300 | $91,050 | $97,800 | $104,550 |
Butler | $95,400 | $53,100 | $60,700 | $68,300 | $75,850 | $81,950 | $88,000 | $94,100 |
Cambria | $73,900 | $41,000 | $46,850 | $52,700 | $58,550 | $63,250 | $67,950 | $72,650 |
Cameron | $62,100 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Carbon | $90,600 | $50,750 | $58,000 | $65,250 | $72,500 | $78,300 | $84,100 | $89,900 |
Centre | $97,300 | $54,500 | $62,300 | $70,100 | $77,850 | $84,100 | $90,350 | $96,550 |
Chester | $105,400 | $59,050 | $67,450 | $75,900 | $84,300 | $91,050 | $97,800 | $104,550 |
Clarion | $67,600 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Clearfield | $67,700 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Clinton | $71,700 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Columbia | $74,000 | $41,450 | $47,400 | $53,300 | $59,200 | $63,950 | $68,700 | $73,450 |
Crawford | $69,000 | $40,850 | $46,650 | $52,500 | $58,300 | $63,000 | $67,650 | $72,300 |
Cumberland | $94,300 | $52,850 | $60,400 | $67,950 | $75,450 | $81,500 | $87,550 | $93,600 |
Dauphin | $94,300 | $52,850 | $60,400 | $67,950 | $75,450 | $81,500 | $87,550 | $93,600 |
Delaware | $105,400 | $59,050 | $67,450 | $75,900 | $84,300 | $91,050 | $97,800 | $104,550 |
Elk | $78,000 | $43,700 | $49,950 | $56,200 | $62,400 | $67,400 | $72,400 | $77,400 |
Erie | $75,000 | $42,000 | $48,000 | $54,000 | $60,000 | $64,800 | $69,600 | $74,400 |
Fayette | $95,400 | $53,100 | $60,700 | $68,300 | $75,850 | $81,950 | $88,000 | $94,100 |
Forest | $51,600 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Franklin | $85,800 | $46,600 | $53,250 | $59,900 | $66,550 | $71,900 | $77,200 | $82,550 |
Fulton | $71,400 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Greene | $79,000 | $44,000 | $50,250 | $56,550 | $62,800 | $67,850 | $72,850 | $77,900 |
Huntingdon | $70,800 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Indiana | $79,800 | $41,150 | $47,000 | $52,900 | $58,750 | $63,450 | $68,150 | $72,850 |
Jefferson | $66,900 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Juniata | $77,200 | $42,700 | $48,800 | $54,900 | $61,000 | $65,900 | $70,800 | $75,650 |
Lackawanna | $74,100 | $41,550 | $47,450 | $53,400 | $59,300 | $64,050 | $68,800 | $73,550 |
Lancaster | $90,200 | $50,550 | $57,750 | $64,950 | $72,150 | $77,950 | $83,700 | $89,500 |
Lawrence | $73,200 | $41,000 | $46,850 | $52,700 | $58,550 | $63,250 | $67,950 | $72,650 |
Lebanon | $85,600 | $47,750 | $54,550 | $61,350 | $68,150 | $73,650 | $79,100 | $84,550 |
Lehigh | $90,600 | $50,750 | $58,000 | $65,250 | $72,500 | $78,300 | $84,100 | $89,900 |
Luzerne | $74,100 | $41,550 | $47,450 | $53,400 | $59,300 | $64,050 | $68,800 | $73,550 |
Lycoming | $77,900 | $42,650 | $48,750 | $54,850 | $60,900 | $65,800 | $70,650 | $75,550 |
McKean | $69,500 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Mercer | $78,300 | $41,750 | $47,700 | $53,650 | $59,600 | $64,400 | $69,150 | $73,950 |
Mifflin | $65,000 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Monroe | $85,600 | $47,950 | $54,800 | $61,650 | $68,500 | $74,000 | $79,500 | $84,950 |
Montgomery | $105,400 | $59,050 | $67,450 | $75,900 | $84,300 | $91,050 | $97,800 | $104,550 |
Montour | $85,800 | $48,100 | $54,950 | $61,800 | $68,650 | $74,150 | $79,650 | $85,150 |
Northampton | $90,600 | $50,750 | $58,000 | $65,250 | $72,500 | $78,300 | $84,100 | $89,900 |
Northumberland | $66,100 | $40,850 | $46,650 | $52,500 | $58,300 | $63,000 | $67,650 | $72,300 |
Perry | $94,300 | $52,850 | $60,400 | $67,950 | $75,450 | $81,500 | $87,550 | $93,600 |
Philadelphia | $105,400 | $59,050 | $67,450 | $75,900 | $84,300 | $91,050 | $97,800 | $104,550 |
Pike | $89,100 | $49,400 | $56,450 | $63,500 | $70,550 | $76,200 | $81,850 | $87,500 |
Potter | $64,600 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Schuylkill | $75,400 | $42,250 | $48,250 | $54,300 | $60,300 | $65,150 | $69,950 | $74,800 |
Snyder | $75,700 | $42,400 | $48,450 | $54,500 | $60,550 | $65,400 | $70,250 | $75,100 |
Somerset | $71,100 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Sullivan | $69,000 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Susquehanna | $74,000 | $41,450 | $47,400 | $53,300 | $59,200 | $63,950 | $68,700 | $73,450 |
Tioga | $68,000 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Union | $83,200 | $45,850 | $52,400 | $58,950 | $65,500 | $70,750 | $76,000 | $81,250 |
Venango | $68,700 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Warren | $69,900 | $40,800 | $46,600 | $52,450 | $58,250 | $62,950 | $67,600 | $72,250 |
Washington | $95,400 | $53,100 | $60,700 | $68,300 | $75,850 | $81,950 | $88,000 | $94,100 |
Wayne | $77,900 | $43,650 | $49,850 | $56,100 | $62,300 | $67,300 | $72,300 | $77,300 |
Westmoreland | $95,400 | $53,100 | $60,700 | $68,300 | $75,850 | $81,950 | $88,000 | $94,100 |
Wyoming | $74,100 | $41,550 | $47,450 | $53,400 | $59,300 | $64,050 | $68,800 | $73,550 |
York | $93,300 | $51,250 | $58,600 | $65,900 | $73,200 | $79,100 | $84,950 | $90,800 |
Income limits in West Virginia (2022) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
County | Median Income | Household size | ||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||
Barbour | $58,000 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Berkeley | $72,000 | $40,350 | $46,100 | $51,850 | $57,600 | $62,250 | $66,850 | $71,450 |
Boone | $54,500 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Braxton | $55,000 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Brooke | $71,500 | $41,550 | $47,450 | $53,400 | $59,300 | $64,050 | $68,800 | $73,550 |
Cabell | $65,400 | $36,650 | $41,850 | $47,100 | $52,300 | $56,500 | $60,700 | $64,900 |
Calhoun | $51,000 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Clay | $66,400 | $37,200 | $42,500 | $47,800 | $53,100 | $57,350 | $61,600 | $65,850 |
Doddridge | $68,900 | $38,400 | $43,900 | $49,400 | $54,850 | $59,250 | $63,650 | $68,050 |
Fayette | $57,500 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Gilmer | $62,400 | $34,950 | $39,950 | $44,950 | $49,900 | $53,900 | $57,900 | $61,900 |
Grant | $65,800 | $35,400 | $40,450 | $45,500 | $50,550 | $54,600 | $58,650 | $62,700 |
Greenbrier | $57,000 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Hampshire | $96,400 | $51,000 | $58,250 | $65,550 | $72,800 | $78,650 | $84,450 | $90,300 |
Hancock | $71,500 | $41,550 | $47,450 | $53,400 | $59,300 | $64,050 | $68,800 | $73,550 |
Hardy | $59,700 | $33,450 | $38,200 | $43,000 | $47,750 | $51,600 | $55,400 | $59,250 |
Harrison | $80,600 | $44,200 | $50,500 | $56,800 | $63,100 | $68,150 | $73,200 | $78,250 |
Jackson | $70,200 | $38,650 | $44,200 | $49,700 | $55,200 | $59,650 | $64,050 | $68,450 |
Jefferson | $108,800 | $60,950 | $69,650 | $78,350 | $87,050 | $94,050 | $101,000 | $107,950 |
Kanawha | $66,400 | $37,200 | $42,500 | $47,800 | $53,100 | $57,350 | $61,600 | $65,850 |
Lewis | $58,100 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Lincoln | $54,400 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Logan | $53,400 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
McDowell | $35,500 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Marion | $70,100 | $39,300 | $44,900 | $50,500 | $56,100 | $60,600 | $65,100 | $69,600 |
Marshall | $75,400 | $41,000 | $46,850 | $52,700 | $58,550 | $63,250 | $67,950 | $72,650 |
Mason | $61,500 | $34,450 | $39,400 | $44,300 | $49,200 | $53,150 | $57,100 | $61,050 |
Mercer | $57,400 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Mineral | $71,300 | $45,100 | $51,550 | $58,000 | $64,400 | $69,600 | $74,750 | $79,900 |
Mingo | $48,900 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Monongalia | $94,200 | $47,750 | $54,550 | $61,350 | $68,150 | $73,650 | $79,100 | $84,550 |
Monroe | $56,400 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Morgan | $71,100 | $39,850 | $45,550 | $51,250 | $56,900 | $61,500 | $66,050 | $70,600 |
Nicholas | $54,300 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Ohio | $75,400 | $41,000 | $46,850 | $52,700 | $58,550 | $63,250 | $67,950 | $72,650 |
Pendleton | $54,300 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Pleasants | $79,000 | $39,150 | $44,750 | $50,350 | $55,900 | $60,400 | $64,850 | $69,350 |
Pocahontas | $61,700 | $34,550 | $39,500 | $44,450 | $49,350 | $53,300 | $57,250 | $61,200 |
Preston | $94,200 | $47,750 | $54,550 | $61,350 | $68,150 | $73,650 | $79,100 | $84,550 |
Putnam | $82,100 | $46,000 | $52,600 | $59,150 | $65,700 | $71,000 | $76,250 | $81,500 |
Raleigh | $69,000 | $36,050 | $41,200 | $46,350 | $51,450 | $55,600 | $59,700 | $63,800 |
Randolph | $62,900 | $35,250 | $40,250 | $45,300 | $50,300 | $54,350 | $58,350 | $62,400 |
Ritchie | $57,500 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Roane | $55,200 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Summers | $54,500 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Taylor | $68,600 | $38,450 | $43,950 | $49,450 | $54,900 | $59,300 | $63,700 | $68,100 |
Tucker | $64,200 | $35,950 | $41,100 | $46,250 | $51,350 | $55,500 | $59,600 | $63,700 |
Tyler | $63,400 | $35,500 | $40,600 | $45,650 | $50,700 | $54,800 | $58,850 | $62,900 |
Upshur | $61,400 | $34,400 | $39,300 | $44,200 | $49,100 | $53,050 | $57,000 | $60,900 |
Wayne | $65,400 | $36,650 | $41,850 | $47,100 | $52,300 | $56,500 | $60,700 | $64,900 |
Webster | $51,000 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Wetzel | $58,300 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
Wirt | $69,500 | $37,900 | $43,300 | $48,700 | $54,100 | $58,450 | $62,800 | $67,100 |
Wood | $69,500 | $37,900 | $43,300 | $48,700 | $54,100 | $58,450 | $62,800 | $67,100 |
Wyoming | $56,300 | $33,250 | $38,000 | $42,750 | $47,450 | $51,250 | $55,050 | $58,850 |
How to apply for First Front Door
- Find a FFD lender
- Check for available funding
- Apply
- Complete homeownership counseling
- Apply for a mortgage within 6 months
1. Find a participating First Front Door lender
Not all lenders or banks will offer the First Front Door program. To find a FFD provider, you can see all participating lenders on the First Front Door homepage, or you can ask your real estate agent if they know reputable FFD lenders in your area.
2. Check if funding is available
Participating lenders will offer FFD funding on a first-come, first-served basis. Lenders will often close registration once their funds are gone, opening again in the spring with a fresh restock of funding.
đź’° What should I do if funding is unavailable?
Many lenders will post on their websites when they no longer have FFD funding. Even so, it’s a good idea to reach out to these lenders, as they might be able to tell you when registration will open again — perhaps even putting you on a waiting list.
3. Apply
If funding is available, your lender might want to meet in-person to discuss eligibility. You’ll have to provide proof of income and show you’re a first-time home buyer. Once you’ve submitted your documents, your lender will review your application with the Federal Home Loan Bank, and you’ll hear back from your lender within 10 business days.
4. Complete the homeownership counseling course
The Federal Home Loan Bank requires you to complete a home counseling course. Your lender might know of a course in your area, though you can find several free online homeownership classes (such as the one offered by PHFA). Just be sure the course is offered by an approved counseling agency and satisfies all requirements: it must be at least four hours long and offer a topic on predatory lending.
5. Apply for a mortgage within 6 months
Once you’re approved, you have six months to find a home, complete your mortgage application (with your FFD lender), and use your grant.
Summary of First Front Door
- First Front Door is a grant offered to first-time home buyers in DE, PA, and WV.
- The program matches your contributions 3-to1, up to $5,000. If you put in $1, you’ll get $3. To receive the full $5,000, you have to contribute at least $1,667.
- The Federal Home Loan Bank requires you to complete a 4 hour home counseling course (with a mandatory topic on predatory lending).
- FFD grants are available through participating lenders. Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis and recharges every spring.