Down Payment Assistance Programs (DPAPs) available for assisting people with their down payments.  These programs will loan the money for the down payment and/or the associated closing costs or just give the money to you.  You should begin to look for these DPAPs by asking your lender.  You can also look in the phone book or online.  The source of funding may vary, from government bonds for first-time home buyers to the participation fees that are paid by the lenders, borrowers, or builders to the DPAP.  The guidelines for these agreements may also vary, but are also similar since you get the money returned as a gift and don't have to pay it back or materializes in the form of a second mortgage placed on the home and will be paid back after the home is sold.

The bond programs are limited to specific cities and metropolitan areas, and while the loans/gifts are limited to 5% of the sales price of the home, but that most of the programs are run locally with different requirements. 

There is also the possibility that the borrower must have a minimum of $1000 invested, or 1% of sales price invested.  For these particular programs, the borrowers may be required to attend a home buying and ownership course, in addition to being approved for their main mortgage.

For example:

In order to buy a $200,000 home and need money for 5% down, you will need $10,000.  After completing a DPAP application so that you will have the 5% down--for a loan, as a second mortgage that will exist until the home is sold, refinanced, etc. or you retired the loan. 

The terms can differ according to the specific plan, but the actual rates will be competitive with other second mortgages.  There are options of requiring a minimum monthly payment, deferring the payment, or having no repayment at all.  When you apply for a regular mortgage, the lender will approve it based on the new mortgage and DPAP.