Grant Types and General Information

In keeping with our mission, Modest Needs offers the following four types of grants:

Grant Type 1. Self-Sufficiency Grants

Modest Needs makes Self-Sufficiency Grants by remitting payment to a creditor for an expense on behalf of an otherwise self-sufficient individual or family for a relatively small, emergency expense which the individual or family could not have anticipated or prepared for.

In making a Self-Sufficiency Grant, our goal is to prevent an otherwise self-sufficient individual or family from entering the cycle of poverty as a result of the financial burden posed by a relatively small emergency expense.

You should request a Self-Sufficiency Grant from Modest Needs if:

You have encountered a short-term emergency expense that must be paid if you are to remain self-sufficient, but that you do not have the means to afford without assistance.

For example, a person who lives in an area that does not have access to public transportation and needs help to repair the car that keeps him or her working would be an excellent candidate for a 'Self-Sufficiency Grant'; or
You need help to afford a single, regularly-scheduled expense (your rent, for example) because of a short-term, emergency situation that has temporarily reduced your income.

For example, a person who normally can afford to pay his or her rent but lost 10 days pay due to an injury would be an excellent candidate for a 'Self-Sufficiency' grant.

In order to qualify for a Self-Sufficiency Grant

At least one member of your household must be currently employed on a full-time basis;
Your household's single largest source of income must be income earned from work;
Your household's total earned income must equal at least the cost of your monthly rental or mortgage plus $250, but not more than the cost of your monthly rental or mortgage plus $2500.00;
The expense with which you need assistance can be paid on your behalf, directly to a vendor; and
The expense with which you need assistance can be paid in full for no more than the maximum grant for which your household qualifies from Modest Needs.

Please Note:

Self-Sufficiency Grants cannot be used to remit payment for regular expenses that an applicant can no longer afford due to a long-term reduction in income.

For example, an applicant that has suffered a long-term reduction in income and, as a result, can no longer afford to remit payment for his or her monthly housing cost, car payment, or utilities would not be a good candidate for a Self-Sufficiency Grant from Modest Needs.

Grant Type 2: Back-to-Work Grants

Modest Needs makes Back-to-Work Grants by remitting payment for a small fee or expense that will allow a temporarily unemployed individual to return to productive, full-time employment.

In making a Back-to-Work Grant, our goal is to provide a willing but temporarily unemployed individual with the means to return to work.

You should apply for a Back-to-Work Grant if:

You are currently unemployed and need help to afford a small, work-related expense that will immediately return you to full-time employment.

For example, an unemployed nurse who has a job offer in hand but cannot afford the cost of renewing his or her license would be an excellent candidate for a Back-to-Work grant.

In order to qualify for a Back-to-Work Grant:

You must currently be unemployed;
You must have, in hand, a bona-fide full-time job offer;
The salary you stand to earn in connection with this job must increase your household income to at least your monthly rental or mortgage cost plus $250 (If your household income is already at this level due to income earned by another member of the household, you do not qualify for a Back to Work Grant. You should apply instead for a Self-Sufficiency Grant);
The work-related expense with which you need assistance can be paid on your behalf, directly to a vendor; and
The work-related expense with which you need assistance can be paid in full for no more than the maximum grant for which your household qualifies from Modest Needs.

Please Note:

Back-to-Work Grants cannot be used to remit payment for an expense that might or might not have the effect of returning an individual to work.

For example, an unemployed individual who is requesting assistance to afford a monthly car payment so that he or she can look for work would not be a good candidate for a Back-to-Work grant from Modest Needs.

Grant Type 3: Independent Living Grants

Modest Needs makes Independent Living Grants by remitting payment to a creditor for an expense on behalf of persons who are permanently unable to work but who nevertheless are living independently on the limited income to which they are entitled - their retirement income, or their permanent disability income, for example.

In making an Independent Living Grant, our goal is to empower financially responsible persons who cannot work to continue to live independently on their limited incomes, despite an unexpected expense that no conventional agency is prepared to address.

You should apply for an Independent Living Grant if:

You need assistance to afford a small, irregular expense which would substantially improve the quality of your life, but which you cannot afford without assistance due to your fixed income.

For example, a permanently disabled person who is normally self-sufficient on his or her disability income but needs help to afford a piece of accessibility equipment not covered by Medicare would be an excellent candidate for an Independent Living Grant; or
You need help to afford a single, regularly-scheduled expense (your rent, for example) because of a short-term, emergency situation that has temporarily hindered your ability to live independently.

For example, a retired person who is normally self-sufficient but needs help because an unusually large winter heating bill has made it temporarily impossible for that person to pay the rent would be an excellent candidate for an Independent Living Grant.

In order to qualify for an Independent Living Grant:

You must be permanently unable to work due to disability or retirement;
Your household's single largest source of income must be either the disability income or pension / retirement income to which your household is entitled;
Your household's total earned income from all sources, including retirement and/or disability, must equal at least the cost of your monthly rental or mortgage plus $250, but not more than the cost of your monthly rental or mortgage plus $2500.00;
The expense with which you need assistance can be paid on your behalf, directly to a vendor; and
The expense with which you need assistance can be paid in full for no more than the maximum grant for which your household qualifies from Modest Needs.

Please Note:

Independent Living Grants cannot be used to remit payment for regular expenses that are no longer feasible due to a permanent reduction in income.

For example, a person who has become disabled and can no longer afford his or her monthly housing cost on the permanent but reduced income to which he or she is now entitled would not be a good candidate for an Independent Living Grant.

Grant Type 4: Non-Profit Grants

Modest Needs makes Non-Profit Grants by remitting payment to a creditor for an expense incurred by a small non-profit organization that will demonstrably strengthen that organization's ability to serve its clients and community.

In making Non-Profit Grants, our goal is to provide a forum whereby small non-profit organizations can apply directly to members of the general public for the assistance they need to complete the small projects that will allow these organizations to more effectively carry out their missions, but which most large grant makers would not generally consider a funding priority.

For example, we might make a Non_Profit Grant to cover the cost of a handful of new beds for a small but expanding women's shelter or to assist with the creation of a basic website for a small non-proft with no ability to communicate directly with its own constituents.

You should apply for a Non-Profit Grant on behalf of a non-profit organization if:

You actually are an employee of the non-profit organization on behalf of which you would like to apply for a non-profit grant, or your name appears on that organization's Form 990 / 990 EZ or articles of incorporation; and
Your organization is seeking a grant to fund a relatively small, program-related project or expense that will demonstrably strengthen your organization's ability to carry out its mission but for which traditional types of grant funding might not be available, typically because the amount of funding necessary to complete that project is too small to be considered a priority by most conventional grant makers.
For example, whereas a larger organization might turn to a grant maker for help to afford 25 new computers and related software for a larger office, a small non-profit might request a non-profit grant from Modest Needs to cover the cost of a single new office computer when that computer will demonstrably strengthen that organization's ability to carry out its mission.

In order to apply and qualify for a Non-Profit Grant:

You must have an active non-profit registration with Modest Needs (to register your non-profit organization with Modest Needs, simply follow this link);
The expense with which plan to request Modest Needs' assistance is a program-related expense that will clearly further your organization's ability to carry out its mission;
The project you wish to complete or expense with which your organization requires assistance can be completed / paid in full for no more than $5,000.00; and
The expense with which you are requesting assistance on behalf of your organization can be paid DIRECTLY to a vendor or creditor on your organization's behalf.

Please Note:

Modest Needs does NOT make Non-Profit Grants in response to a request for general operating support (e.g., we do not make unrestricted cash grants to non-profit organizations); and

Modest Needs cannot make a Non-Profit Grant to cover some of the expenses involved in completing a project costing more than $5,000.00 unless your organization already has IN HAND written letters of commitment from other grant makers sufficient to cover the entire cost of the project in question but for a maximum of $5,000.00.

If you have questions about our grant types or eligibility criteria, we encourage you to contact us before completing an application. We'll respond to your question as quickly as we can.