Hardship Grants

Last updated October 27, 2026

Grantable tracks 1,192 active hardship grants in its free grants database, drawn from 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: Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Hope Scholarship Seeds of Hope of Northern Colorado Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Hope Scholarship provides financial assistance to families seeking to attend Catholic schools. It is need-based and requires demonstration of financial need through income and expense documentation.	Not published	Varies
Reentry Support Fund Last Prisoner Project · Foundation Not published · Varies Applicants must meet ALL of the following criteria: Based on grant recipient examples, funding has supported: Since 2020, LPP has distributed over $600,000 in grant funding. For those not enrolled with LPP during incarceration:	Not published	Varies
Homeowner Assistance Fund Western Maine Community Action Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Homeowners with a financial impact due to COVID can apply for help with their mortgage, property taxes, and utilities.	Not published	Varies
Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) United Way of 1000 Lakes · Foundation Not published · $28K – $66K Supplements and expands local efforts to provide emergency assistance to individuals and families experiencing: Created in 1983 to supplement and expand work of local social service agencies.	Not published	$28K – $66K
Gift of Life Grant Program JJs Legacy · Foundation Not published · Varies Financial support for organ transplant recipients to help cover medical costs during post-transplant recovery. During transplant journey, recipients face many challenges.	Not published	Varies
RISE Family Grants Child Neurology Education and Research Foundation · Foundation Not published · $1K Assists families living with infantile spasms by offsetting expenses that may only be partially covered by insurance or not covered at all.	Not published	$1K
HC Freedom of Expression Fund Humanitarian China · Foundation Not published · $3.3M A humanitarian assistance fund established to support individuals imprisoned for exercising freedom of expression in the People's Republic of China.	Not published	$3.3M
Brammer Family Fund Columbine Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Brammer Family Fund was established to provide financial assistance to Grand County residents and their families who are affected by cancer.	Not published	Varies
Feeding Families Fund: United We Eat United Way of North Central New Mexico · Foundation Not published · Varies Addresses immediate and unanticipated needs by providing:	Not published	Varies
Federal Home Loan Bank's Equity Builder Program All One Credit Union · Foundation Not published · Up to $11K	Not published	Up to $11K
United Way of Greater St. Louis Targeted Funding Grant United Way of Greater St Louis Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $100K The United Way of Greater St. Louis Targeted Funding aims to provide flexible, one-year grants to nonprofits addressing urgent community needs through emergency, emergent, or innovative approaches.	Not published	Up to $100K
Kids' Chance of New Jersey Scholarship Grant Kids Chance of New Jersey · Foundation Not published · Varies The Kids' Chance of New Jersey Scholarship provides financial support for college and vocational education to children of New Jersey workers who have suffered serious injuries or fatalities in work-related accidents.	Not published	Varies
Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) — Community Crisis Support (Sonoma CAN) Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County · Foundation Not published · Varies The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) provides Sonoma County residents with one month of assistance in rent, mortgage, or a utility bill if they have verifiable COVID-19 related impact as of January 2023.	Not published	Varies
Toby Wright Memorial Scholarship (a Kids' Chance Associate) Grant Kids’ Chance of New Mexico · Foundation Not published · Varies The Toby Wright Memorial Scholarship, offered by Kids' Chance of New Mexico, supports children of workers who have been injured or killed in work-related incidents.	Not published	Varies
FANS Funds Grant The Community Foundation of Washington County Maryland Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $1K The FANS Funds provide essential emergency assistance to individuals and families in Washington County, MD, as well as to nonprofit organizations addressing urgent community needs.	Not published	Up to $1K
Emergency Assistance Program Grow South Dakota · Foundation Rolling · Varies GROW SD's Emergency Assistance Program is for individuals and families to help with past-due rent, utilities, and other minor expenses.	Rolling	Varies
Community Pet Fund Chaffee County Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
CFMV Emergency Grants Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley · Foundation Not published · Varies _NOTE: There are no deadlines for emergency grants, and requests can be made at any time.	Not published	Varies
The Montague Myers Scholarship Grant Kalamazoo Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · $1K The Montague Myers Scholarship, established by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation in 1996, supports students from Kalamazoo County who have faced significant hardships in childhood.	Not published	$1K
Veteran's Support Fund Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies Provide resources and support for people who have served in the Armed Forces.	Rolling	Varies
Cell Phones For Soldiers Mobile Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc · Foundation Rolling · $0 (Free smartphone + 1 year unlimited service) Free smartphone and one year of unlimited talk, text, and data service for eligible veterans.	Rolling	$0 (Free smartphone + 1 year unlimited service)
Wildfire Disaster Relief Colorado Association of Realtors · Foundation Not published · Up to $1K	Not published	Up to $1K
Dental Assistance Program Viking Charities Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Vikings of Solvang assist people in paying for dental needs if they cannot afford to pay the expenses themselves. Requests are processed on a monthly basis.	Rolling	Varies
American Guild of Musical Artists Relief Fund Grant Entertainment Community Fund · Foundation Not published · Varies The American Guild of Musical Artists Relief Fund provides emergency financial assistance to eligible performing arts professionals facing unexpected critical needs.	Not published	Varies

Showing 841–864 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.

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