Individual Grant Requests for Foster Children

Mission: To provide for unmet needs and experiences of abused, neglected, or abandoned children in the Navajo County dependent care system.

Geographic Scope: Navajo County, Arizona

Eligibility:

• Children in foster care within Navajo County dependent care system
• Requests submitted by: CASA volunteers, DCS caseworkers, foster home caregivers, kinship placement relatives, juvenile attorneys, or other advocates on behalf of children in foster care

Key Characteristics:

• No dollar limit per request
• No limit on number of requests per child per calendar year
• Individual assessment by Friends of CASA Governing Board
• Typical approval and fulfillment: 7-10 days

Typical Grant Uses (Examples):

• Baby and youth furniture (cribs, playpens, beds, dressers)
• Car seats
• Bicycles, helmets, and locks
• Emergency clothing
• Student activity fees
• Sports participation fees and equipment
• Tutoring services
• Special lessons and activities (swimming, music, dance)
• Boy and Girl Scout uniforms
• Summer camp tuition and fees
• High school graduation costs and fees
• Eyeglasses and contact lenses
• Items supporting child's education
• Enrichment experiences and activities to improve self-esteem

Evaluation Criteria:

• Must DIRECTLY affect the well-being of the child
• Preference for items that can move with child as placements change
• Each request judged on individual merit with focus on how it helps the kids

What is NOT Typically Funded:

• Home improvements
• Outdoor playground equipment
• Repair costs
• Consumables (diapers, wipes, formula, etc.)
• Items that cannot travel with the child
• Exception: Will consider requests from homeowners for help completing State licensing requirements to become foster homes

Note: Applicants unsure if request qualifies are encouraged to submit anyway, as each is judged on its own merit.

How to Apply

1. Submit Grant Application Form
   • Download grant application from website
   • Complete the application form
2. Submission Process:
   • Submit application to Friends of CASA
   • No specific submission method detailed on website
3. Review Timeline:
   • Individual assessment by Friends of CASA Governing Board
   • Typical approval and fulfillment: 7-10 days if approved

Required Information:

• Specific details about the child's need
• How the requested item/service directly benefits the child's well-being
• Submitter information and relationship to child/care system

Note: Application form available for download on the website.