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

Find the hardship grants matched to your org

Free, no account to start — Grantable's AI ranks all 1,188 on mission, geography, and award size in a few minutes.

Start finding grants

Sort

Type

State

Amount

Eligibility

Include closed grants

Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
HFC Caregiver Respite Program - Adult Day Center Respite Grant Hilarity for Charity Inc · Foundation Not published · 24 days of professional Adult Day Center care Cover the cost of professional Adult Day Center care so caregivers can take time for themselves while ensuring quality care for their loved one with dementia. Eligibility Requirements - Must answer YES to ALL:	Not published	24 days of professional Adult Day Center care
COVID-19 Community Response Fund Tri-County United Way Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Euthanasia Support Grant North Carolina Horse Council · Foundation Not published · Varies Provide financial assistance to horse owners for humane euthanasia services.	Not published	Varies
Cancer Care Fund Passavant Hospital Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Launched in 2014, Passavant Hospital Foundation's Cancer Care Fund helps financially struggling oncology patients pay for basic needs.	Not published	Varies
HSMAI Foundation Covid Relief Grant (Americas) Foundation of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International · Foundation Not published · Varies To provide HSMAI membership and educational grants for HSMAI programs to members and expired members in need due to challenging circumstances related to the global pandemic.	Not published	Varies
WMU College of Education and Human Development: CEHD Student Resilience Fund Grant Western Michigan University · Foundation Not published · Up to $4K The CEHD Student Resilience Fund at Western Michigan University offers financial assistance to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students facing unexpected challenges that hinder their academic success.	Not published	Up to $4K
Fellowship Fund Collington Episcopal Life Care Community Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Support residents who, through no fault of their own, have outlived their resources. The Fellowship Fund ensures residents can remain in the Collington community even if their finances are depleted.	Not published	Varies
Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia Fund Grant Healthwell Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $8K The Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia Fund provides crucial financial assistance to underinsured patients suffering from this rare blood cancer.	Not published	Up to $8K
Temporary Disabilities Assistance Program Maryland Department of Human Services · State Not published · Varies Provide cash grants of up to $185 to disabled persons without children. Disability can be long or short term, but must be medically verified.	Not published	Varies
Dombal-Vogel Foundation Grant Dombal Vogel Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Dombal-Vogel Foundation Grant supports children under 18 facing socio-economic challenges, offering funds for physical, mental, educational, adaptive, and legal needs.	Not published	Varies
Unemployment Insurance Application Assistance Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Free assistance with online claims for workers affected by job loss, reduced hours, or temporary unemployment due to economic hardship (including COVID-19 pandemic).	Not published	Varies
Care & Relief Partnerships Grant Givesendgo Charities · Foundation Not published · Varies Primarily United States, with focus on major disasters/crises	Not published	Varies
Touch A Life Fund New Canaan Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Touch A Life Fund provides year-round assistance to families in New Canaan that need community support with basic needs. Assistance moves on a rolling basis every week to immediately respond to referrals.	Rolling	Varies
Angel Fund (Begin Again Foundation Bereavement Fund) Begin Again Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $1K In partnership with Patient Advocate Foundation, the Angel Fund offers one-time $1,000 grants to eligible bereaved families to assist with the expense of laying a loved one who has passed from Sepsis, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome…	Rolling	$1K
The Emergency Fund Elevate Charities · Foundation Rolling · Varies Examples of eligible emergency financial needs include: The Emergency Fund has helped numerous employees including: The fund is described as "a way of helping employees whose lives are turned upside down by tragedy."	Rolling	Varies
Online Course Scholarship Contemplative Outreach Ltd · Foundation Rolling · Up to 50% of course fee Due to the generosity of donors, Contemplative Outreach offers partial scholarships toward online courses for individuals in financial need. Scholarships are normally offered up to 50% of the course fee.	Rolling	Up to 50% of course fee
Breast Health Fund Superior Health Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $3K Direct cash assistance program providing financial aid to individuals with breast cancer facing medical expenses, helping alleviate financial burden of treatment.	Rolling	Up to $3K
Family Grant Program Building on Love Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Building on Love, Inc. provides temporary financial support to families caring for a child with a recent life-altering diagnosis.	Rolling	Varies
Medication Access Patient Program (MAPP) Alagille Syndrome Alliance · Foundation Rolling · Varies Help patients and families in South America affected by Alagille Syndrome with out-of-pocket expenses for medications, vitamins, supplements, and formulas essential to their ALGS-related care.	Rolling	Varies
Putnam County Disaster Relief Fund United Way of Putnam County Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Provides direct financial assistance to individuals and families in Putnam County who are facing the devastating effects of natural disasters.	Not published	Varies
Nicor Gas: Pillar Grants - Basic Human Needs and Energy Assistance Nicor Gas · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K Nicor Gas offers the Pillar Grants program to support organizations focused on Basic Human Needs and Energy Assistance.	Not published	Up to $5K
Southern Equality Fund - Special Grant Rounds Campaign For Southern Equality · Foundation Not published · $250 – $500 Special grant rounds have been offered periodically in response to specific crises or opportunities, such as the 2016 Orlando Pulse shooting rapid response round.	Not published	$250 – $500
United Way COVID-19 Economic Relief Grant Shelby County United Fund Inc · Foundation Not published · $275K Boost efforts of selected area human and social service nonprofits on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds support immediate COVID-related relief and build community resiliency.	Not published	$275K
Jane Lloyd Fund Grant Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Jane Lloyd Fund (a field-of-interest fund at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation) supports the day-to-day living expenses of people with cancer in northwest Litchfield County, CT, awarded by a committee.	Rolling	Varies

Showing 385–408 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.

Get a shortlist of hardship grants built for your organization

Tell Grantable's AI about your nonprofit and it ranks these grants on mission, geography, and award fit — then emails you a personalized shortlist with the reasoning for each. Free, no account to start.

Find my grants — emailed to me

Your AI grants department