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.

1,168 grants
Foundation
Updated daily
STONEWALL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION · Rolling / Open Foundation

Overview Stonewall Community Foundation Stonewall Community Foundation strengthens the LGBTQ community and Movement by making strategic, values-driven investments in dynamic organizations, projects,…

ONE TAIL AT A TIME NFP · Rolling / Open · Rolling (Quarterly) Foundation

Stella's Fund - Training Grants Funder: One Tail at a Time NFP Geographic Scope: Chicago area (adopters of One Tail at a Time animals) Focus Areas: Training assistance for behaviorally-complex dogs…

ST CROIX VALLEY FOUNDATION · Rolling / Open Foundation

Sterbenz-Ryan Scholarship Grant Status: ACTIVE Funder: St. Croix Valley Foundation Amount: US $2,500 Last Updated: January 11, 2026 Summary The Sterbenz-Ryan Scholarship, offered by the St. Croix…

$70/month + $100 holiday + $75 graduation
CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING LEAGUE · Rolling / Open · Annual Foundation

Stipend Program Overview: Children's Well-being League works in partnership with school designated liaisons, Guidance Counselors, or school Social Workers to offer monthly stipends to high school…

Coalition of Asian American Leaders · Rolling / Open Foundation

Stronger Together Fund Status: Applications are currently closed. This fund was initially opened in late April 2020 for Round 1, and reopened for Round 2 with a deadline of September 25, 2020.…

CHANDLER EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC · Rolling / Open · Rolling (Quarterly) Foundation

Student and Employee Crisis Fund Funder: Chandler Education Foundation (CEF) Geographic Scope: Chandler Unified School District (CUSD), Arizona - serves nearly 50,000 students and staff Overview:…

UMKC DENTAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION · Rolling / Open · Rolling (Quarterly) Foundation

Student and Staff Emergency Fund Overview: Established by the Dr. Roy J. Rinehart Memorial Foundation, the Dental Alumni Association, and the Dental Hygiene Association to provide emergency…

ROY JAMES RINEHART MEMORIAL FOUNDATION · Rolling / Open Foundation

Student and Staff Emergency Fund Funders: Dr. Roy J. Rinehart Memorial Foundation, Dental Alumni Association, and Dental Hygiene Association Purpose: Emergency financial assistance for students and…

East High Angel Foundation · Rolling / Open · Rolling Foundation

Student Assistance Fund (SAF) Geographic Scope: East High School, Denver, CO Focus Areas: Eliminating barriers to academic and extracurricular participation including: - Class and participation fees…

SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION · Rolling / Open · Rolling (Quarterly) Foundation

Student Emergency Assistance Fund Funder: Santa Fe Community College Foundation Geographic Scope: Santa Fe, New Mexico, US Purpose: Supporting students facing one-time financial crises through no…

Over $216,000 distributed since 2020
NORWALK COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC · Rolling / Open · Rolling (Quarterly) Foundation

Student Emergency Fund Overview: Established in 2020 by the NCC Foundation to help students with urgent, one-time financial shortfalls. Provides emergency funding to qualified students dealing with…

Up to $250 per student, per semester
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE · Rolling / Open · Rolling (Quarterly) Foundation

Student Emergency Fund Overview: SWCC student emergency funding is dedicated to helping students with temporary, short-term financial assistance for unforeseen emergencies and catastrophic events.…

EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION OF · Rolling / Open · Rolling (Quarterly) Foundation

Student Emergency Fund Overview: The Student Emergency Fund provides immediate financial assistance to help SUNY Orange students stay enrolled when unexpected expenses threaten their education.…

UNIVERSITY ACADEMY FOUNDATION · Rolling / Open · Annual Foundation

Student Emergency Fund Purpose: Provides up to $300 of financial support to UA alumni currently enrolled in college who are unable to meet essential expenses due to temporary or unexpected hardship…

Up to $1,000 per calendar year
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE FOUNDATION · Rolling / Open · Annual Foundation

Student Emergency Grants Program Description: The South Seattle College Foundation, coupled with the Gates Endowed Emergency Grant, provides emergency fund grants to support student success,…

COLUMBIA GORGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE · Rolling / Open Foundation

Student Emergency Grants Overview: The CGCC Foundation offers emergency assistance funds to help students who face unexpected financial challenges that may prevent them from continuing their…

PUTNAM EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP FOUNDATION · Rolling / Open · Annual Foundation

Student Needs Fund Geographic Scope: Putnam County School System, Tennessee Purpose: Provides emergency assistance funding to students and families experiencing hardships Key Information: -…

THE NETWORK ADVOCATING AGAINST DOMESTIC · Rolling / Open · Rolling (Quarterly) Foundation

Suburban Cook County Survivor Cash Assistance Funder: The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence (funded by Cook County Justice Advisory Council) Overview: Cash assistance program for…

NEXTFIFTY INITIATIVE · Rolling / Open Foundation

Overview _NOTE:_  * _Letter of Inquiry - This deadline represents when the applicant would need to schedule a call with Next50 staff by emailing the Foundation. The application is short, but it is…

Frequently Asked Questions

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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