Mississippi homeowners can apply for $3,500 storm shelter grants through new MEMA lottery

• What: A new MEMA program offering reimbursement grants of up to $3,500 for Mississippi homeowners to install a FEMA-compliant residential safe room or storm shelter.
• How: Selection is conducted via a lottery, not on a first-come, first-served basis. All eligible applicants have an equal chance of being selected.
• When: The application window to enter the lottery is open from October 31, 2025, through November 30, 2025.

PEARL, Miss. – Mississippi homeowners seeking protection from severe weather can now apply for financial assistance to build a safe room. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has launched a new Residential Safe Room Grant Program, offering reimbursement grants of up to $3,500 for installing a FEMA-compliant storm shelter.

The program, funded by FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, is not first-come, first-served. Instead, all eligible applicants will be entered into a statewide lottery. The application period is open from Oct. 31 to Nov. 30.

Funding is limited, with 38 grants initially available per county. If any grants remain unclaimed after the initial county-based drawing, they will be entered into a second lottery open to all statewide applicants.

“MEMA is excited to open the Residential Safe Room Grant Program to all Mississippians,” said MEMA Executive Director Stephen McCraney. “We all know about the impact severe weather and tornadoes have on our state, and we are continuously working to safeguard Mississippi and its citizens. This program will help MEMA meet our number one goal, which is saving lives during a disaster.”

To be eligible, residents must own a primary, single-family home in any of Mississippi’s 82 counties. Homeowners living in a mobile or manufactured home are also eligible, provided they own the land where the home is located. The program is not available for renters, duplexes, or apartments.

Interested homeowners can apply online at my.msema.org by clicking “Safe Room Application.” A call center is available for questions at 1-833-592-6362 (MEMA) on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special weekend hours available on November 1-2.