New Mexico is paying homeowners in high wildfire-risk areas to harden their homes — and the first certified home is already on the books.

The Wildfire Prepared Program

New Mexico's 2025 Wildfire Prepared Act (SB 33) created the Wildfire Prepared Fund and Program, jointly administered by the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance (OSI) and the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. The legislature appropriated $10 million to fund it. The program provides grants, technical assistance, and training to homeowners in rural, high-risk communities — covering fire-resistant home hardening materials, defensible space buffers, and hazardous fuels reduction, all aligned with the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home™ certification standard.

• Eligibility prioritizes homeowners in rural, high-risk communities, including policyholders on New Mexico's FAIR Plan (the state's insurer of last resort).
• The program is compatible with — but distinct from — the IBHS FORTIFIED Home standard used in most other states on this site; New Mexico's focus is wildfire, not wind/hail.
• The first IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certificate in New Mexico was issued in March 2026, confirming the program is actually processing homes, not just accepting applications.

A discount on the certification fee

OSI is also offering a discounted application fee for homeowners pursuing Wildfire Prepared Home™ designation, using promo code NM GRANT — worth asking about directly when you apply, since it's a smaller but immediate way to lower your out-of-pocket cost even before grant funds are involved.

Also available: the FHLB Dallas FORTIFIED Fund

New Mexico is also one of the states covered by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas's FORTIFIED Fund Grant Program, which provides qualifying households up to $15,000 for a roof replacement on an existing home, or up to $7,500 toward a new-construction FORTIFIED Roof. This runs alongside — not instead of — the state's Wildfire Prepared Program, so it's worth checking eligibility for both.

What to do right now if you're in New Mexico

• Contact the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance (OSI) directly to check current Wildfire Prepared Program eligibility and application status for your county.
• Ask about the NM GRANT promo code when applying for Wildfire Prepared Home™ certification to reduce the application fee.
• If you're FAIR Plan-insured, ask specifically about FAIR Plan-linked grant opportunities — eligibility there is often prioritized.

How to apply

• OSI — Wildfire preparedness & Wildfire Prepared Program — program guidance and contact info directly from the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance.

Ask specifically about the Wildfire Prepared Program and the NM GRANT discount code when you contact OSI — the wildfire-hardening grant is a distinct track from general disaster-prep info on the same site.

Sources

• New Mexico Office of the Superintendent of Insurance (OSI) — wildfire preparedness guidance and program administration.
• Smart Home America — New Mexico resource page covering SB 33, the $10M appropriation, and program administration details.
• Santa Fe New Mexican — reporting on OSI's rollout and the FAIR Plan grant connection.
• Silver City Realtors / IBHS partner coverage — confirmation of the first issued Wildfire Prepared Home certificate, March 2026.

Last reviewed: August 28, 2026