HOPEfund Guidelines
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If you are a Sudbury, MA resident in need of emergency help to pay rent and other essential bills, HOPEsudbury may be able to help.
We have emergency grants up to:
· $600 for an individual
· $800 for a two or more adult household
· $1,200 for a family (guardian(s) and one or more dependents*) are available to eligible residents.
* HOPEsudbury defines a dependent as a person 18 or under, full-time student up to age 22, and persons with disabilities requiring care/inability to work.
The HOPEfund provides one grant per address per calendar year with a maximum of 5 lifetime grants.
Please note: Beginning April 1st, 2023 eligibility will change to one grant per address per 12-month period based on the date of your last grant approval date.
To apply for a HOPEfund grant, complete the online application or contact HOPEsudbury at hopefund@hopesudbury.org for assistance. If you need a paper application mailed to you, please email: hopefund@hopesudbury.org. The social work office will review your request and submit the completed application to HOPEsudbury for eligibility determination. HOPEsudbury eligibility criteria is outlined below in Frequently Asked Questions. All requests are confidential. There are no citizenship questions asked. All grants and related matters are the sole and complete discretion of HOPEsudbury.
Please note: Applications will be reviewed by HOPEsudbury only once the application is complete, including copies of the bills you are requesting assistance with.
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HOPEfund
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I know if I qualify for a grant from HOPEsudbury?
Residents with a Sudbury MASSACHUSETTS address who have an emergency financial need are eligible to apply once per address every 12 months up to five times total.
PLEASE NOTE: Beginning April 1st, 2023, eligibility will change to one grant per address per 12-month period based on the date of your last grant approval date. If you are unsure if you have received a grant in the past 12 months or if you have received 5 or more grants total, contact the social work office at: socialworker@sudbury.ma.us or 978-440-5476.
How do I apply for a HOPEsudbury grant?
Here are the steps to apply for a HOPEsudbury emergency fund:
1. Review the HOPEfund guidelines and frequently asked questions on this page.
2. Fill out and submit the online application.
(This includes submitting copies/images of the bills for which you are requesting financial assistance, which can be attached to the online application or emailed to hopefund@hopesudbury.org.)
3. HOPEsudbury will review the application and will notify you if your application is approved or not.
4. If your application is approved, HOPEsudbury will send checks directly to the vendors listed on your application.
(Please note that once the application is submitted to the HOPEsudbury Board, we are not able to change where the grants are sent.)
HOPEfund eligibility criteria is outlined below in the frequently asked questions (please note that there are no citizenship questions asked).
All grant applications are confidential to the Social Work Office and HOPEsudbury board, and shared internally on a strict “need to know” basis.
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Are citizenship questions asked?
All requests will be treated confidentially. HOPEsudbury does not consider citizenship status when reviewing grant requests and no citizenship questions will be asked. If you choose to share citizenship information with
the social work office in order to seek specific resources or referrals, this information will be kept confidential by the social work team.
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What is the maximum emergency grant amount?
Emergency grants are available for up to $600 for an individual, $800 for a two-or-more adult household or $1,200 for a family (guardian and one or more dependents). For non-custodial parents, the recipient must have
custody of the child(ren) more than 50% or the time to be considered for a family grant.
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What is the Town of Sudbury’s Social Work Office role in the HOPEfund process?
The town social worker is not an employee or board member of HOPEsudbury, and therefore does not have a role in setting grant criteria or in decisions on the approval/denial of applications. The town social worker only reviews and facilitates the submission of applications to the HOPEfund.
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How are funds given out?
Payments are issued directly to the vendor only (utility company, landlord, etc.)
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What expenses can be covered by a grant?
Rent
Mortgage
Utilities (electric, heat (oil/gas), water, internet, and phone)
Emergency home repair (plumbing, heating, etc.)
Emergency car repairs and maintenance of existing vehicles
Transportation costs (excluding fines)
Non-elective medical and dental costs
Insurance payments (home, auto, and medical)
Childcare by an accredited childcare or after school care facility.
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What expense cannot be covered by a grant?
Alimony and child support
Court fines and related expenses
Lawyer fees
Elective medical or dental expenses
Purchase of vehicles
Tax payments
Business expenses
School tuition
Funeral Expenses
Other categories, as deemed appropriate, by the HOPEsudbury Board of Directors.
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Can I save the grant money to use on future bills?
Checks will be written for past-due bills or to cover the upcoming month ONLY. No future payments will be made.
When are applications for grants being accepted?
Applications can be submitted at any time and are reviewed on a rolling basis. The time taken to review and process an application varies depending on the volume of applications in process and staffing.
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What documentation do I need to apply?
HOPEsudbury requires a bill, invoice, or statement from the vendor (utility company, landlord, medical office, etc.) showing the amount due, the vendor address for payment, and the account number, if applicable.
PLEASE NOTE: Applications will not be reviewed or payments made until all documentation is provided, including copies of the bills.
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When will payments be made?
Once all documentation is received and your application has been approved by HOPEsudbury, checks will be mailed within 5 business days. HOPEsudbury is not responsible for delays due to the postal service or the time it takes a vendor to credit payment to an account. Payment is made by check only. Phone and online payments are not available.
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What should I do if the check hasn’t been received by the vendor?
If a payment has not been credited to your account, please ensure 3 weeks have passed since approval of your HOPEfund grants. After that time, please contact hopefund@hopesudbury.org and HOPEsudbury will confirm if and when the check was cashed by the vendor. All further follow up with the vendor regarding payment credits to the account is the responsibility of the grant recipient. Checks not received or cashed by the vendor will be cancelled and reissued after 4 weeks have passed from when the check was mailed by HOPEsudbury.
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Are childcare or camp expenses covered by a HOPEfund grant?
HOPEsudbury administers a separate Camp/Childcare fund. Sudbury, MA residents are eligible for assistance up to $400 per child per calendar year to an accredited camp or childcare facility. Contact the town social worker at socialworker@sudbury.ma.us for more information on the Camp/Childcare Fund.
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