Get FORTIFIED in South Carolina

The SC Safe Home Grant Program will begin accepting new applicants in late January or February 2026.

administered by the South Carolina Department of Insurance, provides matching and non-matching grant funds to help coastal property owners retrofit their homes to make them more resistant to hurricanes and high-wind damage

Resilient Mitigation Award

Roof retrofits meeting SC Safe Home Retrofit Guidelines AND The Institute for Business and Home Safety FORTIFIED ROOF Program Retrofit Guidelines

• Non-matching Grants: $7,500.00
• Matching Grants: $6,000.00

Sustainable Mitigation Award

Roof retrofits meeting SC Safe Home Retrofit Guidelines only OR Window Replacement and Opening Protection Retrofits meeting SC Safe Home Opening Protection Guidelines

• Non-matching Grants: $5,000.00
• Matching Grants: $4,000.00

Hurricane Shuttering and Protective Barrier Systems Award

Installation of hurricane shuttering and protective barrier systems meeting SC Safe Home Opening Protection Guidelines

• Non-matching and Matching: $3,000.00

Savings range from 10% to 35% off the wind portion of the property owner's insurance.

17 different insurance carriers offer discounts.

Income tax credit for the costs incurred to retrofit a structure qualifying as the taxpayer’s legal residence to make it more resistant to loss due to hurricanes, rising floodwater, or other catastrophic windstorm events. The tax credit for any taxable year is limited to 25% of the total costs incurred or $1,000, whichever is less. FORTIFIED qualifies.

Homeowners who pay more than 5% of their income towards insurance coverage on their primary residence can receive a tax credit of up to $1,250 on their state income taxes.

Qualified cat. expenses include payment of insurance deductibles and other uninsured risks of loss from hurricane, rising floodwaters or other catastrophic windstorm event damage.

CSAs contribution limits depend on your insurance deductible:

• If deductible is less than or equal to $1,000, you can contribute up to $2,000
• If deductible is more than $1,000, you can contribute the lesser of $15,000 or twice the deductible
• For self-insured, you can contribute up to a max. of $250,000, but amount may not exceed the value of the home.