Where can I find help with emergency housing costs?
Candid does not give grants/donations, suggest specific funders, or approach them on your behalf. More about Candid’s mission. Please refer to the tips and websites in this article.
Most forms of assistance for housing, medical bills, or other personal expenses such as debt relief will come from charitable organizations or government assistance programs, rather than grants from foundations. Foundation grants are generally awarded to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Those that give grants to individuals typically do so to help pay for education or to support artistic or research projects.
If you need funds urgently, more immediate resources for funding may be available in your area, including government agencies, local organizations, and gifts or loans from generous individuals. You might also contact your elected officials to ask about government-sponsored or other programs for which you may be eligible.
Also, we recommend that you explore the resources available at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) web site for homebuyers, which includes links to local home buying programs administered by state and local governments and nonprofit agencies. Many of these organizations provide assistance with down payments and closing costs for low-income families or individuals and other groups. HUD also provides a searchable listing of approved housing counseling agencies.
See our related Knowledge Base articles:
- Where can I find funding for personal expenses?
- How can we raise money for a single individual or family in need?
- How can I find funding for seniors, veterans, or people with disabilities?
- Where can I find help with medical bills?
More articles for individual grantseekers
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Staff-recommended websites
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Homeownership Preservation Foundation
995-HOPE
Free counseling service to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Call the hotline at 888-995-HOPE to talk with HUD-approved counselors,
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Connecting People and Programs
Aunt Bertha
Aunt Bertha picks up where Uncle Sam leaves off by making it easy to find food, health, housing and education programs.
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Staff pick
Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Making Home Affordable
Program will refinance mortgages for borrowers who are having difficulty making their mortgage payments but can afford a new loan insured by HUD's Federal Housing Administration (FHA).
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Federal Reserve Board
Mortgage Foreclosure Resources
Click on the map to find regional foreclosure centers. Site also includes resources for avoiding or dealing with foreclosure.
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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Rental Assistance
Includes state index to find affordable rentals, special needs housing, help with your utility bills, and more; contacts; info about rights and responsibilities.
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Staff pick
USDA
Repair and Rehabilitation Grant
Also known as the Section 504 Home Repair program, this provides loans to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve or modernize their homes or grants to elderly very-low-income homeowners to remove health and safety hazards.