First Front Door

Members must access FFD Online through FHLBank's new secure website portal. Please contact us at 800-288-3400, option 2, if you need assistance.

First Front Door (FFD) helps FHLBank Pittsburgh members open the door for first-time homebuyers. With FFD grants, we match the qualified homebuyer's contribution for down payment and closing costs 3-to-1. For every $1 the homebuyer contributes, FHLBank will provide $3 in grant assistance, up to a maximum of $5,000.

Are You a Homebuyer? Visit the FFD homebuyer website.

FHLBank Pittsburgh members benefit from FFD in a variety of ways:

• Enhances first-time homebuyer products
• Improves market competitiveness
• Strengthens member underwriting
• Provides Community Reinvestment Act credit
• Empowers first-time homebuyers, deepening banking relationships

Qualified first-time homebuyers can use FFD grants toward down payment and closing costs. Each prospective homebuyer must:

• Be a first-time homebuyer
  • A person who has not owned a single-family home used as their primary residence in the last three years
  • This also includes, if purchasing jointly with other individuals, at least one person has not owned a single-family, primary residence in the last three years, or
  • If an investment property is owned, the person is not living there and has not owned a single-family, primary residence in the last three years
• Contribute personal funds as part of the down payment and closing costs
• Have household income at or below 80 percent of the area median income at the time of registration
• Complete at least four hours of homeownership counseling, including the topic of predatory lending, prior to the purchase of the home
• If a student, work at least 30 hours a week

Prospective homebuyers should visit the FFD homebuyer website to learn how homebuyers can qualify and apply for FFD funding. FHLBank Pittsburgh members must first enroll in FFD before offering it to potential customers. When the FFD funding round opens each year, enrolled members can then follow these steps to register homebuyers for FFD funding:

1. Prospective homebuyer works with a participating member
2. Member and homebuyer gather income documentation and submit FFD registration request
3. FHLBank Pittsburgh processes and approves completed registration requests within 10 business days
4. Within six months of registration approval, prospective homebuyer completes homeownership counseling and buys home
5. Member provides the first mortgage and advances eligible grant amount
6. Member submits disbursement request with required documents to FHLBank Pittsburgh for reimbursement

See examples of how FFD homebuyers were able to afford their first home.