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

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Next Step Education Program Scholarships Northern New York Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Next Step Education Program is a Northern New York Community Foundation scholarship for students beyond the high school senior pool.	Not published	Varies
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund United Way of the Greater Triangle Inc · Foundation Rolling · $1K – $5K A permanent, community-powered resource that delivers fast, stabilizing support to people and organizations across the Triangle when unexpected needs arise.	Rolling	$1K – $5K
Community Action Rental Assistance Fund (CARAF) Community Action Organization of Western New York Inc · Foundation Rolling · Up to $650	Rolling	Up to $650
The Ginny Fund Everstrong Prevention · Foundation Rolling · $1K The Ginny Fund provides one-time emergency grants to survivors of sex trafficking, addressing urgent financial needs that threaten their immediate safety and stability.	Rolling	$1K
Emergency Relief Fund Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation maintains a dedicated Emergency Relief Fund to enable quick action in response to natural disasters and emergency situations affecting small businesses in Ohio.	Not published	Varies
AEF Temporary Assistance Grant - Financial Hardship American Legion Auxiliary Unit 270 Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $2K An Auxiliary Emergency Fund grant providing temporary assistance to eligible ALA members during a time of financial crisis to pay for shelter, food, and utilities.	Not published	Up to $2K
Application for Stabilization Julie Weintraub's Hands Across the Bay Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Eligibility: "In Crisis to No Fault of Their Own" Means:	Not published	Varies
Emergency Assistance Fund (EAF) Virginia Alliance of Ymcas · Foundation Rolling · Up to $3K For nearly a century the Emergency Assistance Fund has provided financial aid when an accident, illness, death of a loved one, disaster or other crisis strikes. Funded by contributions from active and retired YMCA professionals.	Rolling	Up to $3K
Rapid Response Fund Ottawa County Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Special grant opportunity supporting Ottawa County nonprofits experiencing special needs or increased demand for services.	Rolling	Varies
CDBG Mobile Home Repair Bowling Green Community Development Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Up to $10K Provides zero interest, forgivable loans to eligible mobile home owners for essential repairs.	Rolling	Up to $10K
N.E.E.D. Funding Grant Autism Strong Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Financial support for families requiring immediate assistance on their autism journey.	Not published	Varies
Artist Emergency Fund Artsmemphis · Foundation Rolling · Varies ARTSmemphis and Music Export Memphis created an Artist Emergency Fund to support local artists (individuals earning a majority of income through artistic practice) in times of unexpected, catastrophic emergency such as medical emergencies…	Rolling	Varies
Ryan Jones Memorial Fund Grant Shiawassee Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Ryan Jones Memorial Fund, managed by the Shiawassee Community Foundation, supports individuals diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).	Not published	Varies
Food & Farm Worker Relief Grant Program (FFWR) Education and Leadership Foundation · Foundation Not published · $600 A USDA-funded program providing one-time payments to eligible workers in agriculture and meatpacking who incurred costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.	Not published	$600
Humboldt Health Foundation - Angel Fund Humboldt Area Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Part of the Humboldt Health Foundation (supporting organization of HAF+WRCF), which works to improve the health and well-being of residents and communities of Humboldt County.	Not published	Varies
Emergency Relief Program Texas State Association of Fire Fighters · Foundation Rolling · Up to $1K The Texas State Fire Fighters Emergency Relief and College Scholarship Fund, Inc. provides financial assistance to eligible firefighters and their families during challenging times and hardship situations.	Rolling	Up to $1K
Disaster Recovery Fund United Way of Indian River County Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Provide support to communities affected by natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, etc.) United Way of Indian River County has launched the Disaster Response and Recovery Fund to provide critical support to communities affected by natural…	Not published	Varies
Help at Home Community Foundation: Support Fund Grant Help at Home Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · $100 – $500 Help at Home Community Foundation: Support Fund The Support Fund provides help to home care employees who experience a personal financial hardship for a variety of reasons. What are qualifying events?	Not published	$100 – $500
Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants New York Foundation for the Arts Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $3K The Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants offer one-time financial assistance of up to $3,000 for professional dancers facing urgent financial crises.	Not published	Up to $3K
Working Washington Small Business Grant Program Multi-Ethnic Business Association · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K Emergency grant program to support very small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Initial $5 million was doubled to $10 million total through state's emergency response fund.	Not published	Up to $10K
WNDB: Emergency Grants We Need Diverse Books · Foundation Not published · $250 – $1K We Need Diverse Books is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that takes a holistic approach in improving literacy and building compassion by affecting change across the entire reading pipeline — turning diverse manuscripts into published books and then…	Not published	$250 – $1K
Masonic Relief Fund Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio Grand Lodge · Foundation Not published · Varies The Masonic Relief Fund is designed to provide financial assistance and relief to Ohio Masons and their families during times of need.	Not published	Varies
Mother’s Industry Support Fund Grant Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $250 The Mother's Industry Support Fund Grant provides crucial financial assistance to hospitality workers in the Springfield Metro area who are facing hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other disasters.	Not published	Up to $250
Hotel Relief Program Governor's Office of Planning and Budget · State Not published · Varies Through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recover Funds, the Hotel Relief Grant Program will provide direct aid to hotels who can demonstrate a negative economic impact of COVID-19.	Not published	Varies

Showing 1153–1176 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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