Guidelines & Eligibility
HFC (Hilarity for Charity) awards respite care grants to those providing care to their loved ones living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. The respite care grants will be awarded across the United States and Canada. While there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, there is care. The goal of the respite care grant is to provide exceptional respite care to families affected by this disease, and to give these families support and rest. 

‍HFC respite grants cover the cost of professional care so you can feel confident about the care being provided to your person while you take some time for yourself.

We grant two types of awards:

• Recharge Respite Grant - 100 hours total of in-home respite care to be used within 3 months of being awarded
• Adult Day Program Respite Grant- 24 days of respite care to be used within 3 months of the first date of care

The HFC Application Review Committee will review applications monthly. After completion of the application review, you will be contacted within 60-90 days. All applicants will be notified of their status.

Only one application per person will be accepted on a quarterly basis. Respite grants provide in-home professional care or Adult Day Program care and have NO CASH VALUE. Cash awards cannot be issued in lieu of care. HFC’s partners with multiple partners to coordinate the in-home care awarded through HFC’s respite grant program. Adult Day Programs are selected by the recipient.

Learn more at www.wearehfc.org/care-grants 

When completing the application, please provide a full narrative of your caregiving experience and current situation.  One-sentence and one-word answers do not give the review committee a full understanding of your situation. If one or two-sentence answers are provided, your application will likely not advance in the review process. Please provide as much detail as you can so that we can learn more about you and your loved one. Be sure to review your information for accuracy before submitting your application.

 Once you submit your application, you will be contacted by email within 60-90 days with the review committee's decision. All applicants will be notified of their status via the email used to register for your Submittable account. You may also sign in to Submittable.com at any time and check the status of your application.

    **Please add care@wearehfc.org to your contact list to receive your application status emails promptly. If you are not receiving our emails, please check your spam, junk, or clutter folders.**

When registering to complete the application, the email you use to register is the email that will be used for any notifications regarding grant status. If you are assisting a family caregiver to complete the application, use his or her email address when registering. One application per quarter, per email address/account will be accepted.

Additional Guidelines:

1. Grant awards will be limited to a maximum of THREE (3) awards per applicant within an 18-month period;
2. Once the maximum number of grant awards is reached, the grant recipient will be eligible to reapply 18-months from the start of the first grant awarded;

Please note: Applicants are not guaranteed THREE (3) grants or any specific level of the grant within the 18-month time period.  Additionally, reapplying does not guarantee that applicants will receive a new grant or the same level of grant award received in the past.

Requisitos y elegibilidad El Comité Revisor de HFC considera todas las aplicaciones de solicitud cada mes.  Los Revisores buscan indicadores clave tales como el diagnóstico, necesidad financiera, necesidad emocional y acceso a soporte social. Las subvenciones o ayudas se otorgarán cada mese. Después de completar la solicitud, se le contactará dentro de un plazo de 60 a 90 días con la decisión del comité de revisión. Todos los solicitantes serán notificados de su estado vía el correo electrónico que usted utilizó para registrarse en su cuenta de Submittable. También puede ingresar en su cuenta en cualquier momento y verificar el estado de su solicitud. Cuando esté llenando su solicitud, por favor denos una narración completa de su experiencia como cuidador(a) y de su situación en el momento. Una oración o una respuesta con una sola palabra no le ofrece al Comité Revisor un panorama completo de su situación. Si solo se dan respuestas de una o dos oraciones, es probable que su solicitud no avance en el proceso de revisión.  Por favor proporcione la mayor cantidad de detalles que pueda para poder saber más de usted y de su ser querido. Antes de enviar la solicitud, por favor revísela para asegurarse que su información este correcta. Para ser elegible de Recharge Relief Grant (Subvención de renuevo de alivio) o de Extended Relief Respite Grant (Subvención de relevo de alivio extendido), los cuidadores o el ser amado que vive con la enfermedad de Alzheimer y demencia deben cumplir con los siguientes criterios o requisitos:

1. Actualmente vive en casa con la enfermedad de Alzheimer u otro tipo de demencia relacionada.
2. El cuidador(es) enfrentan dificultades económicas y emocionales debido a los desafíos únicos del Alzheimer o la demencia relacionada.
3. Reside en los Estados Unidos o Canadá.

Únicamente será aceptada una solicitud por persona cada trimestre. El programa de subsidios no está disponible en Puerto Rico o en otros territorios de USA *Anunciando actualizaciones importantes* al Programa de Subsidios del HFC Cuidado para Alzheimer y Demencia - Fecha efectiva 1ro de Junio 2021 Con el fin de apoyar a más familias con necesidad de un respiro en el cuidado, las guías del Programa de Subsidios de HFC Cuidado para Alzheimer y Demencia, han sido actualizadas. Las nuevas guías entraran en vigor a partir del 1ro de junio del 2021. Cualquier pregunta se puede hacer a través del correo electrónico a care@wearehfc.org 1. Los subsidios estarán limitados a TRES (3) otorgados a los solicitantes dentro de un periodo de 18 meses; 2. De esos tres subsidios, solo en DOS (2) ocasiones se podrá recibir el Subsidio de Ayuda Extendida; 3. Una vez que se alcance el número máximo de subsidios recibidos, los beneficiarios serán elegibles para re-aplicar 18 meses después de la fecha de inicio de la primer subsidio recibido; 4. Los beneficiarios del subsidio serán notificados a través del correo electrónico cuando sea tiempo de poder aplicar nuevamente. Por favor anote: no se garantiza que los solicitantes van a recibir TRES subvenciones en un periodo de 18 meses. Además la re-aplicación no garantiza que los solicitantes van a recibir una nueva subvención o el mismo tipo de apoyo que recibieron en el pasado.

Guidelines

Hilarity for Charity (HFC) is committed to supporting dementia family caregivers impacted by natural and other disasters. Our Emergency Relief Grants are designated as $1500 cash grants to families who are most affected by natural or geographic disasters, helping them continue their vital caregiving responsibilities during times of crisis.  Official disaster declarations must be in place from FEMA, state, or local government to qualify.  Grants are issued at the discretion of HFC.  HFC will prioritize applications based on:

1. Severity of Impact – Direct damage to home, loss of caregiving resources, or urgent need for relocation
2. Level of Disruption to Caregiving – Loss of utilities, access to healthcare, or displacement of both caregiver and care recipient
3. Available Funding – Support will be provided based on the availability of emergency relief funds  

To ensure clarity and consistency in our grant distribution for emergency relief, we define eligible disasters under the following categories:

1.  Natural Disaster

A natural disaster is a large-scale, unforeseen environmental event that causes significant damage or disruption to a community.  These include:

Severe Weather Events

• Hurricanes, typhoons, or cyclones (Category 3 or higher, or causing widespread damage)
• Tornados (EF2 or higher, or causing significant structural damage)
• Severe flooding (including flash floods and storm surges)
• Blizzards or extreme winter storms leading to widespread power outages or unsafe living conditions

Geophysical Disasters

• Earthquakes (Magnitude 6.0 or higher, or causing major structural damage)
• Tsunamis
• Volcanic eruptions
• Landslides or mudslides due to natural causes

Wildfires

• Large-scale wildfires that result in mandatory evacuations, destruction of homes, or significant air quality hazards

Extreme Hot or Cold Waves

• Heat waves resulting in widespread public health crises or power outages
• Extreme cold events causing infrastructure failures, prolonged power outages, or hazardous conditions

2. Regional Geographic Disaster

A regional geographic disaster is an event that severely impacts a specific location, making it unsafe or unlivable.  These include:

Infrastructure Failures

• Major power grid failures affecting a region for an extended period
• Water contamination crises making drinking water unsafe
• Transportation system collapses due to natural or structural failures

Public Health Emergencies

• Chemical spills or hazardous material incidents that result in evacuation or long-term health risks

Community-Wide Displacement Events

• Large-scale evacuations due to environmental hazards (e.g., gas leaks, dam failures)
• Government-declared disaster zones affecting residential stability
   

Eligibility for Emergency Relief Grants

To qualify for an HFC Emergency Relief Grant, applicants must:

• Reside in a federally, state, or locally declared disaster area OR provide evidence of direct impact from a qualifying disaster
• Be the primary caregiver for a family member with Alzheimer’s or dementia. A primary caregiver is an individual with primary responsibility for providing care and support, regardless of legal or biological relationship. This care may include physical, emotional, financial, or medical support and must be continuous and substantial. The caregiver does not need to reside with the care recipient.
• Demonstrate financial hardship caused by the disaster that affects their ability to provide care (e.g., loss of home, inability to access medical services, evacuation costs).
• A third party may apply on behalf of a primary caregiver impacted by the conditions above.

Verification & Documentation

Applicants may be required to submit one or more of the following:

• Official disaster declaration from FEMA, state, or local government
• Proof of residence in an affected area
• Evidence of financial impact (e.g., lost wages, evacuation expenses, property damage)
• Confirmation of caregiving responsibilities