Family Self-Sufficiency

To apply for the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program, you must live in Boulder County.

You may qualify if you:

• Have a low household income and want to keep going with school or get job training. See income limits below.
• Are willing to meet with an FSS support specialist often to work on your goals
• Are ready to work hard to improve your family’s money situation
• Already get a Housing Choice Voucher from Boulder County Housing Authority or Boulder Housing Partners, or are applying for one
  Qualify for housing assistance

Income Limits

• Everyone in your household age 18 or older must qualify for housing assistance from Boulder County Housing Authority or Boulder Housing Partners.
• Your household income must be at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

What Does 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) Mean?

Area Median Income (AMI) is the middle income for an area. Each year, the federal government sets income limits based on the middle income in Boulder County.

For example, in 2025, 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) was:

• $78,400 a year for one person
• $112,000 a year for a family of four

Limits depend on how many people live in your home. Smaller households have lower limits. Larger households have higher limits.

Watch this video to hear from Danielle. She graduated from the Boulder County Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program.

The Family Self-Sufficiency program is not taking new applications right now. The waitlist is long. Please check back in 30 days to see if applications are open again.

If you have questions about the FSS Program, contact:

Katie Frye
Phone: 303-441-3923
Email: kfrye@bouldercounty.gov

Mariela Ruiz Mondragón
Phone: 303-441-1221
Email: mruizmondragon@bouldercounty.gov

What happens after I apply?

When we get your full application, we will contact you to set up an interview. After the interview, we may ask you to finish a few tasks tied to your goals. This shows us you are ready for the program. If you finish the tasks, we will put you on the FSS waitlist.

Being on the waitlist does not promise you a spot in the program or in housing.

While you are on the waitlist, an FSS support specialist will check in with you each month to see how things are going. When your name reaches the top of the list and housing opens up, we will assign you a support specialist. Then you will officially start the program.

Will I need to move to be in the FSS program?

Yes, unless you already have a Housing Choice Voucher with Boulder County Housing Authority or Boulder Housing Partners. If you do not have one, you will need to move into an FSS apartment.

FSS apartments are set aside for families in the program. They are in Boulder and Lafayette. Once you move in, your rent will be about 30% of your monthly income.

Does the FSS program pay for school or childcare?

No. The FSS program does not pay for school or childcare.

• If you are in school, you can apply for Pell Grants, student loans, or part-time work.
• If you need help paying for childcare, we can connect you to the Boulder County Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).

What is the FSS savings account?

One benefit of the FSS program is a special savings account, called an escrow account. If your pay from work goes up, we set aside part of that raise in this account for you.

Only money you earn from a job counts. Money from other sources does not count. This includes Supplemental Security Income (SSI), child support, unemployment, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

You get the money in your account when you finish the program. To graduate, you must:

• Meet your goals
• Get a job
• Stop getting TANF cash help

Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) helps Boulder County families set their own goals, build savings, and plan for what comes next. Your donation helps make that possible.

Gifts to FSS can help pay for:

• Holiday meals and presents
• Rent
• Childcare
• Urgent costs, like a car repair or new work boots

You can give to one of these needs or let us use your gift where it is needed most.

Any amount helps. A small gift can pay for a car repair so a parent can get to work. A larger gift can help a family stay in their home.

Donate to Family Self-Sufficiency through Colorado Gives