Grant Criteria

Approved gap grants are available up to $1500 per recipient. To qualify for a Starfish Connection gap grant, clients must meet the following criteria:

1 ) The client needs a one-time, emergent gap grant and not ongoing support.

2 ) Need must qualify as emergent in one of the following areas:

  • Housing:

    • Rental/housing assistance

    • Emergency temporary housing after displacement

  • Transportation - if it impedes a person getting to school or ends palliative treatment

    • Auto repair

    • MTD bus pass

    • Gift card for fuel (distributed by partnering organization)

  • Emergency displacement supplies:

    • Food

    • Clothing

    • School supplies

    • Lodging (see housing above) Burial or cremation assistance

3 ) Burial or cremation assistance. Client must be actively receiving services from a partnering nonprofit organization. That partner must have vetted the client and approved of their need.

4 ) Client must be referred to The Starfish Connection by an agent of the partnering organization. That agent must fill out the grant application on their behalf.

5 ) All the the following statements must be true:

  • Service needed is not available from partnering organization.

  • The client has exhausted the support available from the partnering organization.

  • The client does not qualify through other organizations or government agencies.

6 ) Clients must be able to provide proof of need i.e.: car repair bill, past due utility bill, tuition statement/books/materials list, burial or cremation invoice so that Starfish Connection can pay the invoice directly to the provider.

The Starfish Connection does not fund the following:

  • Direct payments to individuals

  • Medical bills

  • Medical procedures

  • Any ongoing financial support

    • Medical/prescriptions

    • Monthly utility bills/payments

    • Regular rent/housing payments

    • Tuition

    • Transportation costs

  • Arts funding

  • Anyone not receiving services from one of our partnering organizations


Grant Application