Hardship Grants

Last updated October 26, 2026

Grantable tracks 1,192 active hardship grants in its free grants database, drawn from state and foundation sources and updated daily. 41 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 467 list an award amount, with a median of $2,500.

Grants tracked: 1,192; from 900 funders
Median award: $2,500; middle half $1,000–$10K
Total listed funding: $27.8M; across 467 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 286; 24 with a published date

On this page: State Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Disaster Member Relief Fund - Ice Storm Assistance Service Employees International Union · Foundation Not published · Up to $250 Emergency financial assistance program for SEIU 503 members experiencing hardship from qualifying disaster events.	Not published	Up to $250
Family Assistance Program with Team Joseph JB'S Keys to DMD Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Family assistance program providing financial and support services to families affected by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.	Not published	Varies
Caregiver Respite Grant Program Respite Care Association of Wisconsin Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Provides financial support for family caregivers for up to 5 days of respite care within 30 days of application approval.	Rolling	Varies
Farmers Emergency Fund Family Agriculture Resource Management Services · Foundation Rolling · $750K	Rolling	$750K
Evacuation/Displacement Relief and Long Term Disaster Relief Assistance Program Employee Assistance Foundation · Foundation Not published · $500 – $1K A specialized rapid-response grant program activated during federally declared disasters. This program allows Employees 1st to deliver assistance more quickly and with modified rules compared to standard year-round assistance programs.	Not published	$500 – $1K
ECF Urgent Grants Erie Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $15K The Erie Community Foundation offers ECF Urgent Grants to support nonprofit organizations facing unexpected crises that disrupt their essential activities.	Not published	Up to $15K
Local Emergency Fuel Funds (Franklin County Ecumenical Heating Fund - ECU SHARE) Western Maine Community Action Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to 50 gallons of fuel Monies are provided by local donations and grants to assist households with 50 gallons of fuel until they are connected with other resources. These are locally raised funds.	Not published	Up to 50 gallons of fuel
J. C. & L. A. Duke Employees' Assistance Fund Grant Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Easily learn more about the J. C. & L. A. This grant has a rolling deadline.	Not published	Varies
Laura J. Kress Angel Tree Fund Grant East Tennessee Foundation · Foundation Not published · $2K – $10K The Laura J. Kress Angel Tree Fund, established by the East Tennessee Foundation, provides grants between $3,000 and $10,000 to support under-resourced children in Tennessee during the holiday season.	Not published	$2K – $10K
Music Therapy Grants Music Movement · Foundation Not published · $2K – $3K Music Movement offers grants for music therapy aimed at children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental challenges.	Not published	$2K – $3K
Weatherization Assistance Program Grow South Dakota · Foundation Rolling · Varies Weatherization is a service to assist individuals in providing energy-efficient measures in their homes.	Rolling	Varies
Rotary Club of Portsmouth: Basic Needs Grant The Charitable Division of the Rotary Club of Portsmouth · Foundation Not published · $3K The Rotary Club of Portsmouth's Basic Needs Grant Fund provides essential support for food, shelter, healthcare, and clothing to families in the Portsmouth community.	Not published	$3K
DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Grants Dekalb County Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Grant program designed to assist nonprofit and public sector service providers responding directly to COVID-19 pandemic needs. The program was established in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.	Not published	Varies
RIF: Basic Human Needs Grants The Rhode Island Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K The RIF: Basic Human Needs Grants provide crucial support to community agencies in Rhode Island, offering up to $5,000 for emergency assistance programs.	Not published	Up to $5K
Mary Jo Lovely Memorial Scholarship Transplant Alliance Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Piqua Emergency Response Fund Piqua Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · $50K The Piqua Emergency Response Fund was established by The Foundation in April 2020 to support nonprofit organizations serving the unique needs of the Piqua community during the COVID-19 pandemic.	Not published	$50K
Child Care Subsidy State Department of Education · State Not published · Varies To provide financial assistance to eligible families in securing child care for their children while they work, are in training, or in an education program.	Not published	Varies
GKFF®/TCF Employee Relief Fund Tulsa Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $1K Designed to provide short-term assistance to employees experiencing severe financial need due to unexpected and unavoidable emergencies.	Rolling	Up to $1K
Lead Hazard Reduction Loan and Grant Program Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development · State Not published · Varies Assist in the removal of lead paint in residential buildings and day care centers. Applies to both single family and multi-family residential units.	Not published	Varies
Harvey Lincoln Scholarship Fund Achieving the Dream Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A scholarship fund established to support community college students, particularly those facing financial hardship while pursuing their education. The fund honors Harvey Lincoln through the work of ATD Senior Vice President Carol Lincoln.	Not published	Varies
Hope+Door Emergency Rent Relief Grant Hope & Door · Foundation Rolling · Varies Emergency financial assistance for families facing eviction or homelessness due to a financial emergency.	Rolling	Varies
COVID-19 Community Assistance Grant Program Kiwanis Cal-NEV-Ha Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $500 The COVID-19 Community Assistance Grant Program assisted Kiwanis clubs with projects that directly addressed urgent community needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.	Not published	Up to $500
Special Assistance Grants Franklin County Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies Special Assistance grants are available year-round and may be applied for at any time. If funds are available and the applicant meets the endowment criteria, awards will be made.	Rolling	Varies
Family Grant Program Building on Love Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Building on Love, Inc. provides temporary financial support to families caring for a child (age 18 or younger) recently diagnosed (within ~120 days) with a life-altering illness and in active treatment.	Rolling	Varies

Showing 337–360 of 1,188

About hardship grants

Hardship and emergency grants provide immediate financial relief during crises — job loss, medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other unexpected setbacks. Government programs, community foundations, and organizations like the Salvation Army and Modest Needs offer grants to help individuals and families stabilize during difficult times.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do hardship grants award?

Of the 1,192 hardship grants Grantable lists as of October 26, 2026, 467 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $2,500, and the middle half fall between $1,000 and $10K. The largest is $4.5M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most hardship grants?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are Healthwell Foundation (17), Entertainment Community Fund (13), Community in Action (8), Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc (7), and Begin Again Foundation (6). In all, 900 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are hardship grants due?

Of 1,192 grants listed, 286 accept applications on a rolling basis, 24 have a published upcoming deadline, 323 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 559 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 63% fall in October–December.

How quickly can I get emergency grant funding?

Emergency assistance timelines vary. Government programs like TANF and LIHEAP may take 1-4 weeks. Organizations like the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities can sometimes provide same-week help. Modest Needs processes applications within 2-4 weeks. Employer emergency funds and GoFundMe-style platforms can be faster. Always apply to multiple sources simultaneously.

What types of emergencies qualify for hardship grants?

Common qualifying situations include job loss, medical emergencies, domestic violence, natural disasters, house fires, sudden disability, and death of a family breadwinner. Each program defines eligibility differently. FEMA covers declared disasters, while organizations like Modest Needs help with temporary financial crises that could become permanent without intervention.

Where should I start looking for emergency assistance?

Contact 211 (call or text) for your local area's emergency assistance programs. Your state's Department of Social Services handles TANF and emergency aid. Local community action agencies coordinate multiple assistance programs. Churches, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and St. Vincent de Paul societies offer direct emergency help.

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