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

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
AEF Hardship Grant American Legion Auxiliary Dept of Minnes · Foundation Not published · Varies The AEF Hardship Grant provides financial assistance to veterans and their families experiencing hardship.	Not published	Varies
Distressed Horseman's Fund North Carolina Horse Council · Foundation Not published · Varies Provide financial assistance to members of the equine community experiencing unexpected hardships, including major disasters or minor financial setbacks.	Not published	Varies
Story County Affordable Housing Initiatives (Rental Assistance Program) Story County Housing Trust · Foundation Not published · Up to $2K The application period follows an annual NOFA cycle. Notifications of approval or denial are issued on or after January 20.	Not published	Up to $2K
Hodge Senior Citizens Assistance Fund (Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands) Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Hodge Senior Citizens Assistance Fund, established from a court-approved designation of the undistributed portion of a Blue Cross class-action settlement, provides emergency assistance grants to U.S. Virgin Islands seniors aged 60 and…	Rolling	Varies
Disaster Relief and Resilience Scholarship Grant North Carolina Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · $1K The Disaster Relief and Resilience Scholarship supports residents of western North Carolina whose education funding has been affected by Hurricane Helene.	Not published	$1K
Rochelle Area Community Foundation Grants Rochelle Area Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Rochelle Area Community Foundation Grants focus on supporting initiatives in arts, education, health, and community development, particularly in response to COVID-19's impact.	Not published	Varies
Hope Repair Grant Berkeley Electric Cooperative Trust · Foundation Not published · Varies Limited information available. Program mentioned in navigation menu as community service offering.	Not published	Varies
WindWalkers Scholarships Windwalkers Equine Assisted Learning · Foundation Not published · Varies Financial assistance program designed to remove cost barriers for participants who need equine-assisted therapy and learning services.	Not published	Varies
Art Center Scholarships (Need-Based Tuition Assistance) Western Colo Center for the Arts Endowment Fnd Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Scholarships are determined based on multiple factors: The Art Center provides need-based tuition assistance for its educational programs. All information is kept confidential.	Rolling	Varies
SPIN Foundation Assistance Program Single Parent in Need Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The SPIN Foundation provides assistance to eligible applicants through a formal application process. The foundation reviews completed applications and considers all relevant factors to determine eligibility for support.	Not published	Varies
Emergency Assistance Program Monterey Peninsula College Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Emergency Assistance Program provides timely financial support to MPC students facing sudden financial crises that threaten their ability to continue their studies.	Rolling	Varies
Individual Financial Assistance Beygood Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Individuals in need can apply for assistance at select local churches in cities along the Black Parade Route.	Not published	Varies
Afghan Welcome Fund Young Professionals in Foreignpolicy · Foundation Not published · Varies Globally provided flexible funding to support the immediate needs of Afghan refugees as they began their lives in the United States.	Not published	Varies
John Coughlin Hope Fund (JCHF) Grant United Way St Croix Valley Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $500 United Way St. Croix & Red Cedar Valleys The United Way St. Croix & Red Cedar Valleys works to improve the health, education, and financial stability of individuals and families across Western Wisconsin, serving Burnett, Dunn, Pepin…	Not published	Up to $500
Transplant Alliance Foundation Scholarship - MCCC Volunteer Program Transplant Alliance Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Dutch's Fund - Veterinary Grants One Tail at a Time NFP · Foundation Rolling · Varies One Tail at a Time offers veterinary care grants to support adopters who are experiencing financial hardship and cannot afford major medical treatment for their adopted pets.	Rolling	Varies
The Meaghan Michelle Hicks Fund for Unmet Needs Team Phenomenal Hope · Foundation Not published · Varies Team PHenomenal Hope developed this fund to make a lasting impact on the PH community by addressing unmet needs of PH patients and caregivers.	Not published	Varies
CMAB Artist Emergency Relief Fund Central Minnesota Arts Board · Foundation Not published · Varies The Central Minnesota Arts Board's Artist Emergency Relief Fund supports individual artists or culture-bearers in Region 7W (Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright counties, MN) facing loss of income or unexpected expenses related to an…	Not published	Varies
Emergency Support Fund Shelby Ohio Community Foundation of Richland County · Foundation Not published · Varies Provide emergency financial support to community organizations and residents	Not published	Varies
Ben & Adith Miller Patient Care Fund Financial Assistance Program Winona Health Services · Foundation Rolling · Varies Free or discounted care for those who cannot afford to pay for their Winona Health medical bills.	Rolling	Varies
In-Person Retreat Scholarship Contemplative Outreach Ltd · Foundation Rolling · Varies Contemplative Outreach matches scholarship amounts awarded by local sponsoring chapters or retreat houses for in-person retreats, programs, and conferences.	Rolling	Varies
Back to Better: $3,000 Resilience Grants for Artists & Creative Businesses: PA Arts & Culture Centre Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · $3K The Back to Better Resilience Grants provide $3,000 to artists and creative entrepreneurs in Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, or Huntingdon County, who experienced significant income disruption due to the pandemic.	Not published	$3K
CEC Hardship Grant Central Electric Cooperative Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Helps members suffering a hardship that makes it difficult to pay their electricity bill. Applicant must meet ALL of the following criteria:	Not published	Varies
Crisis Assistance Program Grants Youngstown Fdn General · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K The Crisis Assistance Program Grants, administered by The Youngstown Foundation, offer crucial funding support to 501(c)(3) organizations in Youngstown, facilitating swift responses to emergency needs.	Not published	Up to $5K

Showing 913–936 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