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
Highgate Charitable Foundation Associate Relief Fund Highgate Charitable Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $500K A relief fund established by Highgate to provide financial support to current and furloughed Highgate associates affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and future disasters.	Not published	Up to $500K
Helping Hands Emergency Grants Anaheim Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies Emergency Helping Hands Grants are available year-round to support organizations facing a one-time challenge, such as a loss due to theft or fire.	Rolling	Varies
Grief Counseling and Emergency Assistance American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies AFP&CC helps survivor families cope with their pain and grief by sending money for grief counseling and emergency assistance as soon as word is received about the officer's death.	Not published	Varies
Small Business Grant and Program Assistance (SBGPA) Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce · Foundation Rolling · $3K – $10K Applicants can receive reimbursement-based grants for costs incurred on or after March 3, 2021:	Rolling	$3K – $10K
Hospice Giving Financial Assistance Northeast Wyoming Community Health Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Help Your Neighbor Fund Community Foundation of Harford County Inc · Foundation Rolling · $250 – $1K Provides emergency financial assistance to senior citizens, families, and individuals in need in Harford County.	Rolling	$250 – $1K
DELCO Child Care COVID Support Child Care Professionals Network · Foundation Not published · $40 This program provides tuition assistance to families in Delaware County, PA by reimbursing approved Early Care and Education (ECE) programs $40.00 per scheduled service day per approved child.	Not published	$40
Eastside Arts Initiative Artist Relief Fund La Plaza De Cultura Y Artes · Foundation Rolling · $1K – $5K	Rolling	$1K – $5K
OCUF Student Loan Forgiveness Grant Ohio Credit Union Foundation · Foundation Not published · $5K The Ohio Credit Union Foundation awards grants to help Ohio credit union employees pay off outstanding student loan debt. Three $5,000 grants are available annually to eligible applicants.	Not published	$5K
ALX B2B Grant Program Alexandria Economic Development Partnership Inc · Foundation Not published · $10K – $20K The ALX B2B grants program was created to provide critical financial support to Alexandria's small businesses. The program was initially established during the COVID-19 pandemic to help businesses experiencing significant revenue loss.	Not published	$10K – $20K
Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC) Program Miami Valley Community Action Partnership · Foundation Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Community Sharing Fund Grant Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $1K The Community Sharing Fund Grant provides essential support for families and individuals in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington Counties facing unexpected financial emergencies.	Not published	Up to $1K
Nebraska Trucking Cares Fund - General Hardship Assistance Nebraska Trucking Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Provide financial assistance to members of the Nebraska trucking family facing illness, injury, loss of life, natural disaster, and other tragic circumstances.	Rolling	Varies
William and Elizabeth Robinson Scholarship Grant Community Foundation of NCW · Foundation Not published · Varies The William and Elizabeth Robinson Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of North Central Washington, supports graduating seniors from Chelan or Douglas county high schools who demonstrate significant financial need.	Not published	Varies
Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) Scholarship - Organ Donation/Transplantation Experience Transplant Alliance Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Kids' Chance of New Mexico Scholarship Grant Kids' Chance of New Mexico · Foundation Not published · $500 – $5K The Kids' Chance of New Mexico Scholarship offers financial assistance to children of New Mexico workers who have been severely injured or killed in workplace accidents.	Not published	$500 – $5K
Needs Based Scholarship Weehawken Creative Arts · Foundation Not published · Varies To support individuals who demonstrate interest in visual, performing, or literary arts but are unable to pay program tuition or fees due to economic circumstances.	Not published	Varies
Resilience Grants Evanston Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies Designed with community-need in mind, these special grants allow the Foundation to remain responsive and supportive of local organizations and the communities they serve in an ever-changing landscape.	Rolling	Varies
Randolph County Hope Fund United Way of East Central Alabama Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Emergency assistance program providing financial support to individuals and families experiencing hardship	Not published	Varies
COVID-19 Emergency Response Grant Los Alamos Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · $2K Emergency response and assistance to nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. Funding was distributed to organizations addressing:	Not published	$2K
Emergency Food & Shelter Program (EFSP) Grant United Way of Cumberland County Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies "To supplement and expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food and supportive services" by local social service organizations for people across the Nation who are hungry, homeless, and in economic crisis.	Not published	Varies
Patient Advocate Foundation - Pediatric Cancer Patient Grants Mias Miracles Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · $2K Through an alliance with Patient Advocate Foundation, Mia's Miracles partners to provide one-time $2,000 grants for pediatric cancer patients.	Rolling	$2K
Women Helping Women Award Soroptimist International of Anacortes · Foundation Not published · Varies Unique to Soroptimist International of Anacortes. Recognizes women working to overcome extreme social and economic problems.	Not published	Varies
Neighbor 2 Neighbor (N2N) Fund The Madison Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Civic, social, educational, and cultural nonprofit organization that helps maintain and enhance the quality of life for Madison residents facing financial hardship and other personal crises.	Not published	Varies

Showing 961–984 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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