Private Well Financial Assistance Program
for Very-Low Income Households
The United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development can provide loans to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve or modernize their homes, as well as to remove health and safety hazards. Grants to remove health and safety hazards are also available to very-low-income homeowners age 62 or older. Eligible projects include the repair or replacement of wells, pump systems and water treatment systems to address water supply issues or water quality issues.
To qualify, you must:
Be the homeowner and occupy the house.
Be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere.
Have a family income below 50 percent of the area median income.
For grants, be age 62 or older and not be able to repay a repair loan.
Loans cannot be made for homes in Concord, Derry, Dover, Hudson, Keene, Londonderry, Manchester, Merrimack,
Nashua, Portsmouth, Rochester, Salem and parts of Goffstown and Hooksett, due to population density.
How can I use the money?:
Loans may be used to repair, improve or modernize homes or to remove health and safety hazards.
Grants must be used to remove health and safety hazards.
Repair, replacement and/or installation of wells, pumping systems and water treatment systems are eligible projects.
How much money can I get?:
Maximum loan is $20,000.
Maximum grant is $7,500.
Loans and grants can be combined for up to $27,500 in assistance.
What are the terms of the loan or grant?:
Loans can be repaid over 20 years.
Loan interest rate is fixed at 1%.
Full title service is required for loans of $7,500 or more
Grants have a lifetime limit of $7,500.
Grants must be repaid if the property is sold in less than 3 years.
If applicants can repay part, but not all of the costs, applicants may be offered a loan and grant combination.
The length of time for receiving funds varies based on a number of facts but can be within a matter of weeks.
What are the terms of the loan or grant?:
One-on-one assistance with loan and grant applications is provided by the staff contacts listed below.
Program website
Pre-qualification Package
Final Application Package
Staff Contact Information for New Hampshire:
Tracy Rexford
Area Specialist
Box 1020, 73 Main Street
Conway, NH 03818
Phone: 603-447-3318
Fax: 855-428-0331
Covering: Carroll and Lower Grafton Counties
Janice A. Daniels
Rural Development Specialist
PO Box 330
Berlin, NH 03570
Phone: 603-752-1328
Fax: 603-752-1354
Covering: Coos and Upper Grafton Counties
Michael Santomassimo
Rural Development Housing Specialist
10 Ferry ST STE 218
Concord, NH 03301
Telephone: 603-223-6059
Fax: 855-428-0329
Covering: Cheshire and Sullivan Counties
Carolyn Chute-Festervan
RD Specialist
10 Ferry Street, Suite 218
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: 603-223-6066
Cell: 603-236-1639
Fax: 855-428-0329
Covering: Belknap, Rockingham and Strafford Counties