Age and identity
You must be 18 or older (19 in provinces and territories where that is the age of majority) and able to confirm your identity in your own name.
Eligibility and documentation
Who qualifies, what to send, and how long it takes
Everything an applicant needs to judge their own case before applying: the criteria we assess against, the documents we will ask for, realistic timelines, and exactly how approved funds reach you.
Criteria
Eligibility requirements in full
Location
You must be lawfully resident in the United States, Canada or Australia, at a residential address we can correspond with.
Income level
Household income must fall within the band published for your region and household size for the current funding round. The band is stated on the round's criteria sheet and sent to you on request.
Purpose of funds
The grant must meet a specific, evidenced cost — housing stability, education and training, care and health costs, or a small self-employment start. General income top-ups are not funded.
No duplicate funding
The cost must not already be fully covered by insurance, a public benefit or another grant, and you must not have received an award from the same fund in the previous 12 months.
One application per round
One application per person per funding round. A declined application can be reviewed once, or resubmitted in a later round with new evidence.
Regional rules differ in detail — see the regional requirements for the United States, Canada and Australia.
Documentation
What you will be asked for
- Proof of identity
- A government-issued photo ID such as a passport, driver's licence or state/provincial ID card. Requested only after the initial assessment, and only through a secure upload link.
- Proof of address
- A utility bill, tenancy agreement, mortgage statement or government letter dated within the last three months, showing your name and address.
- Proof of the cost
- The arrears notice, quote, invoice, enrolment letter, treatment estimate or equipment quote showing the amount and who it is payable to.
- Proof of need
- A recent income statement, benefit award letter, pay slips or bank statement covering one month. Redact card numbers; we never need full account credentials.
- Bank details for payment
- Account name, institution and account number for an account in your own name, provided only after you accept a written award.
You do not need any of these to start. Send nothing until an officer asks, and only through the secure link in an email from our own domain.
Timelines
How long each stage takes
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgement of your application | Immediately, by email, with your reference code |
| Initial eligibility check | 2-5 working days |
| Document request and return | Depends on you; we hold the file for 30 days |
| Full assessment | 4-6 weeks from a complete application |
| Written decision | Within 3 working days of assessment ending |
| Disbursement after you accept | 5-10 working days |
Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks of being complete. Busy rounds can run longer; you can check the current stage at any time on the status page.
Claiming funds
How approved funds are disbursed
Direct deposit
The default method. Funds are transferred by ACH (US), EFT/Interac (Canada) or Osko/PayTo (Australia) to an account in your own legal name. We do not pay into third-party or business accounts you do not own.
Payment direct to a supplier
Where the grant is tied to a specific invoice — a landlord's arrears, a college's fees, a clinic's estimate — we can pay the supplier directly on your instruction, and send you the remittance confirmation.
Cheque by post
Available on request where a bank transfer is not practical. Cheques are posted to your verified address only and take longer to clear.
There is never a fee, deposit, insurance charge or "release payment" to receive funds, and no amount is ever deducted from an award before it reaches you.
Tax
Tax implications you should know about
Grants are treated differently depending on where you live, what the money is for, and your wider circumstances. Some grants are not assessable; others count as reportable income.
- United States: awards may be reportable to the IRS, and a payer may be required to issue an information return such as a 1099 for amounts above the reporting threshold.
- Canada: treatment differs between hardship assistance and bursaries, and may need to be reported on your T1.
- Australia: some grants are assessable income while others are exempt; business-related grants can also raise GST questions.
We are not tax advisers and nothing here is tax advice. We recommend you speak to a qualified tax professional or your national revenue authority about your own position before you spend an award. We will always give you written confirmation of the amount and date paid so your adviser has what they need.
Think you qualify?
Applying is free, takes a few minutes, and commits you to nothing. You will get a reference code by email straight away so you can track the review.