Hardship Grants

Last updated October 27, 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
Employee Emergency Assistance Fund Mid Michigan College Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $3K	Not published	Up to $3K
Musicians Foundation Grant Musicians Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Musicians Foundation Grant provides financial assistance to professional musicians in need, covering medical and dental bills, living expenses, and other essential costs during emergencies.	Not published	Varies
Hospitality Industry Worker Crisis Grants Louisiana Hospitality Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Founded in 2006, the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation has distributed over $4.8 million in support since inception. The Foundation strengthens Louisiana's hospitality industry through support of individuals within the community.	Not published	Varies
Shepherd's Fund Helping Hands Ministries Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Shepherd's Fund provides financial assistance for individuals in need, with documented support for hearing aids and emergency home repairs (such as roof repairs following natural disasters).	Not published	Varies
Financial Hardship Grants National Law Enforcement · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Giving Hope Cancer Fund McPherson County Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $500	Not published	Up to $500
NGAT Relief Fund The National Guard Association of Texas · Foundation Rolling · Varies Provides temporary, emergency financial assistance to currently serving and former members of the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG) and Texas Air National Guard (TXANG)—and their eligible dependents and surviving spouses—who can…	Rolling	Varies
HEART Fund Horizon Health Foundation of East Central Illinois Inc · Foundation Rolling · $1K – $3K	Rolling	$1K – $3K
Howard T. Collins Memorial Scholarship Program Baywood Apartments Inc · Foundation Not published · $96K – $100K The Howard T. Collins Memorial Scholarship Program awards scholarships to current residents of Eden Housing properties who are pursuing educational, academic, and/or career advancement and vocational goals.	Not published	$96K – $100K
Lancaster Cares COVID-19 Response Fund Lancaster County Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $1K – $10K Lancaster Cares is designed to provide essential support for Lancaster County families during the COVID-19 crisis.	Rolling	$1K – $10K
COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative Grant United Way of Franklin County · Foundation Not published · Varies Boost the efforts of selected area human and social service nonprofits on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic to meet critical and basic needs in the community.	Not published	Varies
Emma Harper Turner (EHT) Fund - Collegian Grants Pi Beta Phi Fraternity California Theta · Foundation Rolling · Varies Awards are granted in the hope of helping members through financial crisis created by job loss, illness, natural disaster or other unexpected life circumstances.	Rolling	Varies
Dolores Hope Financial Assistance Initiative Grant The LPGA Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The LPGA Foundation supports women and young people through programs and initiatives aimed at empowering them through the game of golf.	Not published	Varies
Emergency Relief Fund Duncan Regional Hospital Health Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Monetary gifts to aid team members and support efforts during emergencies and crises (such as the COVID-19 pandemic). Online donations available through the foundation website - select "Emergency Relief Fund"	Not published	Varies
Mother Teresa Endowment Fund Catholic Community Foundation of Mid-Michigan · Foundation Rolling · Varies Provides assistance to individuals or couples experiencing limited financial resources while awaiting the birth of their child and/or during the initial period after the birth.	Rolling	Varies
Coronavirus Support Fund New Hampshire Women's Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the New Hampshire Women's Foundation allocated almost half of its regular grants budget to a Coronavirus Support Fund, specifically designated to support organizations with a mission to serve New…	Not published	Varies
HELPS Program Microgrant Student Freedom Initiative Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $1K The Handling Everyday Life Problems for Students (HELPS) Program provides emergency financial assistance to students facing unexpected hardships that threaten their academic progress.	Not published	Up to $1K
National Community Action Personal Achievement Award Community Action Partnership · Foundation Not published · $1K Recognizes individuals who have changed their lives, embody Community Action's spirit of hope, and are now working to make America a better place to live.	Not published	$1K
DGF Crisis Relief Grants The Dramatists Guild Fund Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $15K The DGF Crisis Relief Grants provide essential financial support to playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists facing unexpected hardships.	Not published	Up to $15K
Jett Giving Fund - Emergency Fund Jett Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Emergency Fund is a new arm of the Jett Giving Fund, launched in response to the pandemic.	Not published	Varies
Hui Waiwai Hawaii Community Lending · Foundation Not published · Varies Listed as a core HCL program on their website. Specific details about funding amounts, eligibility, and focus areas are not provided in the extracted content.	Not published	Varies
Credit Union Partner's Helping Hands Foundation Fund (CFNEA) Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama · Foundation Rolling · Up to $3K The Emblem Credit Union and Family Savings Credit Union created the Credit Union Partner's Helping Hands Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama to support individuals in their service areas with emergency or unmet…	Rolling	Up to $3K
State Aid Funding for Emergencies (SAFE) Dept of Education · State Not published · Varies Emergency funding program for Kentucky school districts in East and West regions. Includes application forms and district expense forms.	Not published	Varies
Nonprofit Employee Assistance Program Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Emergency relief program providing financial assistance to nonprofit employees who suffered losses from Hurricane Ian.	Not published	Varies

Showing 793–816 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 27, 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