Requesting Help from Modest Needs is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
If you want to learn all about Modest Needs' application process, your best bet is to read our FAQ for applicants and then take some time to learn about our grant types and eligibility guidelines. Those parts of our website will give you the best understanding of how our grant process works.
But, even if you're in a hurry, you should take a minute to read the information below - the top four things you need to know about how we work BEFORE you apply for assistance from Modest Needs.
- Modest Needs has a very specific mission and cannot assist all people who are struggling financially.
Modest Needs' grant programs are designed PRIMARILY to assist individuals and families who generally are able to pay their monthly bills with no help from anyone, who don't qualify for conventional types of social or charitable assistance, and who are facing a financial crisis because they've encountered a single, unexpected expense they just can't afford on their own.
Of course, we also offer grants that are designed to assist people who are in the process of returning to work, persons who need help to afford accessibility equipment, and small non-profit organizations. But, in general, Modest Needs just does not have the resources to assist individuals or families who are homeless, have no regular income of their own, or need / receive ongoing help to afford the basics.
Any person who would like to apply for assistance from Modest Needs is welcome to do so. But if you're homeless, have no income, or need ongoing help just to afford 'the basics,' Modest Needs is probably not the best resource for you. If you're in this position and need help, your best bet would be to search our alternate resource database for a local organization that is better equipped to help persons in need of ongoing financial assistance.
- The ONLY way to know for certain whether or not you qualify to apply for assistance from Modest Needs is to complete our online application form.
During the application process, based on the information you provide for us, we'll tell you instantly whether or not you qualify to apply for a grant from Modest Needs, what types of grants we may be able to offer you or your household, and the maximum grant for which you might qualify under one of our grant programs.
Because we understand that every person's situation is different, there is no one in our office who can tell you, for certain, whether or not you qualify to apply for a grant from Modest Needs.
- Modest Needs is not equipped to provide immediate (same day) assistance.
Because of the way that Modest Needs' application process works, it generally takes at least a few days for us to certify your application for donor review, and then at least another week or so for our donors to approve your grant application.
If you're facing an immediate crisis (for example, your landlord is threatening to evict you TODAY unless you pay your past-due rent in full), then Modest Needs is not the best resource for you. Instead of applying for help from Modest Needs, your best bet would be to search our alternate resource database for an agency or organization local to you that may be able to assist you on an immediate basis.
- Modest Needs' donors - not our staff members - ultimately determine whether or not you will receive the assistance you've requested.
When a person makes a donation to Modest Needs, we credit that donor's account with Modest Needs points. Our donors then invest those points in the applications they most want to see funded. This is our donors' way of telling us how they would like to see their contributions used at Modest Needs.
Because we let our donors decide how their contributions are allocated, there is simply no way for us to guarantee that your application for assistance will be funded by Modest Needs or to tell you, for certain, how long it will take for our donors to fully fund your application. That will depend entirely on factors beyond our control - for example, the cost of your application, and the number of donors who are making contributions to Modest Needs at any given time.
However, as soon as our donors have given an application the number of points that it needs in order to receive a grant from Modest Needs, we immediately fund that application for assistance in full. We do this by remitting payment for the expense with which you've requested help directly to the vendor named in your application - your landlord, your auto repair shop, or your utility company, for example.
(If you're already registered with Modest Needs, you can skip this step.)
Registering with Modest Needs is easy. All you have to do is follow the link below to our registration form and fill it out. As soon as you submit your application form, we'll send you an email with your Modest Needs user name and password.
You'll need this user name and password to log in to Modest Needs' system and complete your application for assistance.
Once you have your user name and password, just come back to this page. At that point, you'll be ready to move on to step 3.
Important Note: Sometimes, the email we send to you containing your user name and password is flagged as 'Spam.'
If you haven't received this email in ten minutes from the time that you complete our registration form, check your SPAM folder. The email you're looking for is probably there.
Now, ready to register with Modest Needs?
Follow this link to our online registration form and choose option 1 (I would like to register as an applicant and request help from Modest Needs).
Now that you're registered with Modest Needs and have your user name and password, you're ready to complete our online application.
Remember, the ONLY way that you can apply for assistance from Modest Needs is by completing this online application form. We have a very small staff and cannot accept applications by phone, email, fax, regular mail, or any other means.
To start the application process, just follow this link. You'll be prompted to log in to our system. To do this, just enter your user name and password and click the button that says 'Submit.'
As soon as you log in to our system, you'll see the introductory page of our online application form. From there, just follow the easy, step-by-step instructions to complete and submit your application for assistance from Modest Needs.
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