Emergency Grants
Emergency grants are currently open to RTB cohort members, residents of The Huddle on 5th, and single parents attending American River College.
Please review specific eligibility requirements below.
Emergency Grants
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, are in immediate danger, or feel at risk of harm, please call 911 immediately. For non-emergency support related to mental health, housing, or other social services, you can contact 211 for assistance.
***
Our emergency grants support single-parent students with up to $1,000 emergency funding for one-time unexpected emergencies, such as urgent dental work or the replacement of essential belongings due to theft or a natural disaster. For these families, one emergency could derail school enrollment and cause unexpected withdrawal. Along with this grant, the scholar receives navigational support to ensure needs are being met.
***
Please note that we receive a high volume of emergency grant requests, and unfortunately, we do not have the resources to award all requests.
Types of expenses covered by emergency grants:
Types of expenses NOT covered by emergency grants:
What happens after you receive a grant?
To expedite the process, you should gather all your support materials, including invoices.
RTB informs the applicant whether the grant has been approved or declined.
If the application is approved, our accounting team will reach out to the applicant regarding how they would like the payment. The applicant may select to receive their payment via ACH, which can take 3-5 business days to receive once the grant is processed, or via a paper check, which can take 7-10 business days once the grant is processed. This time frame may be delayed due to national holidays, staff vacations, or illness.
Upon completion of the above process, the EGC conducts quarterly check-ins for the next year to provide additional support.
Who can apply?
RTB cohort members who live, work, and/or attend college in the following counties can apply once per academic year:
Los Angeles County, CA
Orange County, CA
Hennepin County, MN
Dakota County, MN
Ramsey County, MN
Single-parent students enrolled at American River College may also apply once per academic year.
Residents of The Huddle on 5th may apply multiple times per year until they receive $1,000 worth of emergency grants.
Preference is given to scholars who are enrolled in at least 6 credits. Scholars must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
Eligibility Guidelines:
Applicant must have financial hardship resulting from an unexpected incident that will be resolved with a grant of $1,000 or less.
One of the following must apply:
Scholar is a resident of The Huddle on 5th in Sacramento or attends American River College
Scholar is currently participating in an RTB cohort
Applicant must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student taking 9 or more credits.
Applicant must be a single parent or primary caregiver for biological or dependent child under 18.
Applicant must be able to provide sufficient documentation of financial hardship.
Other possible resources have been considered and are either unavailable or insufficient. The Emergency Grant coordinator may suggest other resources during the intake process.
If the applicant has previously received an emergency grant from RTB, they must wait 12 months from the date of receipt before applying for a new grant. If the applicant has previously applied for an RTB emergency grant and their application was denied, they must wait 6 months from this denial date before applying again. Please note, this policy does not apply to resident at the Huddle on 5th as they may be eligible to apply sooner based on their program participation and housing arrangements.
Available in West Sacramento: Emergency Housing Assistance Fund
The Emergency Housing Assistance Fund supports single-parent students in Yolo County, California who are not residents of The Huddle on 5th. Eligible students may apply for up to $1,000 to support housing-related expenses, such as eviction, foreclosure, loss of utilities, and other housing emergencies. The goal of this fund is to provide temporary relief for single-parent students facing urgent housing challenges, helping them bridge short-term gaps while they seek longer-term solutions, including potential residency at The Huddle on 5th.
Who can apply?
Single parents currently attending a college or trade/tech program in Yolo County and Sacramento County may apply for this grant. Learn more.
Stay in Touch!
Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the work we do.