Hardship Grants

Last updated October 25, 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
Action Program (Killed in the Line of Duty) Two Hundred Club of Bergen County · Foundation Not published · $500K Provide death benefits and financial support to families of first responders fallen in the line of duty and to severely injured public servants.	Not published	$500K
Zero Limits Scholarship The Jayson Tatum Foundation · Foundation Not published · $10K The Zero Limits Scholarship was created to help ease some of the financial burden that often prevents promising students from pursuing post-secondary education. Many recipients come from families facing financial hardship.	Not published	$10K
Emerging Needs Grant United Way of Eddy County · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Emergency Grant Program Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley · Foundation Not published · Varies _Note: Requests can be made at any time, however pplicants must first submit a brief explanation via email to receive invitation to apply._ The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley In 1999, five area trust companies and community…	Not published	Varies
IgA Nephropathy Fund Grant Healthwell Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $9K The IgA Nephropathy Fund, managed by the HealthWell Foundation, aims to alleviate financial burdens for underinsured patients facing IgA nephropathy, a kidney disease.	Not published	Up to $9K
Small Business Emergency Fund Capital City Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A special funding opportunity organized by I Am Trenton to support small businesses during emergencies.	Not published	Varies
Harnett Grant - Family Grant 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
HCCF: Immediate Needs Grant Huntington County Community Fdtn Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $2K The HCCF Immediate Needs Grant provides quick funding for unforeseen circumstances requiring immediate support, with grants up to $1,500.	Not published	Up to $2K
Southern Arts Recovery Fund Grant South Arts Inc · Foundation Not published · $2K The Southern Arts Recovery Fund Grant, coordinated by South Arts, offers $2,000 to individual artists impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.	Not published	$2K
Fire Relief Compassion Grant Variety - the Childrens Charity of Southern California Tent 25 · Foundation Not published · Varies Building Brighter Futures: Helping Los Angeles' Children & Families Recover, Rebuild, and Dream Big	Not published	Varies
Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency Fund Grant Healthwell Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K The Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency Fund, managed by the HealthWell Foundation, aims to alleviate financial burdens for underinsured patients suffering from this genetic disorder.	Not published	Up to $10K
Rose Francis Foundation Emergency Assistance Fund Grant Rose Francis Foundation · Foundation Not published · $500 The Rose Francis Foundation Emergency Assistance Fund provides vital support for families facing financial hardships in Fayetteville, NC.	Not published	$500
Empowerment Fellowship Program Education and Leadership Foundation · Foundation Not published · $5K An educational opportunity that provides students real-world work experiences while pursuing their education, regardless of immigration status.	Not published	$5K
UWMB United Response Fund Grant United Way Of Massachusetts Bay Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $50K Provides funding to community-based organizations for Family Emergency Financial Assistance (FEFA) and flexible operating support to address new, unexpected and emerging needs impacting communities.	Not published	Up to $50K
Hodge Senior Citizens Assistance Fund Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Seniors aged 60 and above needing emergency assistance may apply for a grant through one of CFVI's Rapid Response Fund partner agencies, who have agreed to serve as referral agencies.	Not published	Varies
Electric Universal Service Program ("EUSP") Maryland Public Service Commission · State Not published · Varies Assist low-income electric customers with their electric bills.	Not published	Varies
Home Stabilization Program Columbus Urban League · Foundation Not published · Varies Emergency housing assistance to prevent evictions and keep families in their homes	Not published	Varies
Coral Springs Community Chest Resident Emergency Assistance Coral Springs Community Chest Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Coral Springs residents in crisis can apply to the Coral Springs Community Chest for emergency financial assistance. To be eligible, applicants must be current residents of Coral Springs, Florida.	Rolling	Varies
Senior Assisted Living Subsidy Program (SALS) Maryland Department of Aging · State Not published · Varies The Senior Assisted Living Subsidy (SALS) program provides financial assistance to eligible low and moderate-income seniors who are unable to afford the cost of an assisted living facility.	Not published	Varies
Dupuytren’s Disease Fund Grant Healthwell Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $4K The Dupuytren’s Disease Fund, managed by the HealthWell Foundation, aims to reduce financial barriers for underinsured patients suffering from Dupuytren's Disease.	Not published	Up to $4K
The Good Samaritan Fund Morningstar Senior Living Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A benevolent fund that provides financial support to community residents who have exhausted the means to pay in full for their care.	Not published	Varies
Together in Teal Patient Need Fund St Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness · Foundation Not published · Varies A financial assistance program designed to help ovarian cancer patients and survivors manage the financial burden of their diagnosis and treatment.	Not published	Varies
Removing Barriers Program San Leandro Education Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies SLED's Removing Barriers program provides basic needs assistance to students most in need within the district.	Not published	Varies
Mental Health Assistance Grant Asian Mental Health Project · Foundation Not published · Varies The Asian Mental Health Project (AMHP) provides a charitable, low-income mental health grant every year to applicants in need, to make mental healthcare and wellness services more accessible and reduce financial barriers.	Not published	Varies

Showing 97–120 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 25, 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