Sisters Network® Inc. offers a helpful Breast Cancer Assistance Program (BCAP). When funding is available, BCAP can provide small grants toward your essential expenses and may even help you with the cost of a 3D screening mammogram!
This guide walks you through who BCAP is designed to help, what it does and doesn’t cover, how the application process usually works, and what to do while the program is temporarily closed.
Status update: Sisters Network® Inc. reports that the Breast Cancer Assistance Program (BCAP) only opens three times per year, so always check the official BCAP page on the Sisters Network website for the latest status. There are other breast cancer grants that may be available in the meantime, even if BCAP is currently closed.
What is Sisters Network Inc?
Sisters Network® Inc. is a national African American breast cancer survivorship organization founded in 1994 by Karen Eubanks Jackson, a breast cancer survivor. The organization was created to make sure Black women are seen, heard, and supported at every stage of their breast cancer journey.
Sisters Network focuses on:
- Raising awareness about breast cancer in the Black community.
- Closing survival gaps by highlighting disparities and pushing for better outcomes.
- Supporting survivors and their families with practical help, education, and community.
- Running key programs like the Breast Cancer Assistance Program (BCAP), the Stop the Silence® 5K, and the National Black Breast Cancer Summit.
You can learn more about their history and mission on the Sisters Network website’s history and about pages.
What Is the Breast Cancer Assistance Program (BCAP)?
BCAP is Sisters Network’s flagship program that offers practical, short-term help to eligible breast cancer patients and uninsured women who need screening.
Since it launched in 2006, BCAP has:
- Distributed nearly $2 million in financial assistance.
- Helped about 10,000 breast cancer survivors.
- Funded more than 4,000 free mammograms for uninsured women through partner clinics.
Those numbers come directly from Sisters Network’s current BCAP description. Because funding and program details can change, it’s important to always double-check the current BCAP page before you apply or share this information with someone else.
BCAP offers two main types of help:
- Financial assistance grants – small, one‑time awards (up to about $350) toward housing and basic utilities.
- Mammogram assistance – free 3D screening mammograms for uninsured women, provided through partner facilities across the United States.
What Help Does BCAP Provide?
When BCAP is open and funding is available, eligible applicants may receive up to about $350 in financial help. This money is meant to take a little pressure off the most urgent household bills while you’re in active treatment.
According to Sisters Network’s current information, BCAP can help with:
- Rent or mortgage payments.
- Essential utilities, such as electric, gas, water or sewage
BCAP does not pay for:
- Cable or streaming services.
- Cell phone bills.
- Transportation costs.
- Medical bills, copays, or prescriptions.
Payments are typically made directly to your landlord, mortgage company, or utility provider, not to you personally. That helps make sure the assistance goes exactly where it’s needed.
Because BCAP has limited funding, grants are not guaranteed, even if you meet the basic criteria. Decisions depend on current funding, program rules, and the information you provide in your application.
Who is Eligible?
BCAP’s financial assistance is meant for breast cancer patients who are in active treatment and have a clear financial need.
Based on Sisters Network’s current criteria, you can generally expect that:
- You must be a breast cancer patient in active treatment. This usually means you are:
- Receiving IV chemotherapy or radiation, and/or
- Have recently had surgery to remove the cancer (such as a mastectomy or lumpectomy).
- You’ll need to provide documentation, which typically includes:
- A treatment plan or letter on official letterhead, signed and dated by a qualified member of your care team (such as your oncologist, licensed social worker, nurse navigator, or patient navigator).
- Bills for eligible expenses (rent, mortgage, and/or utilities) in your name.
Treatments that are usually not considered active treatment for BCAP include oral chemotherapy pills, long-term hormonal therapies, immunotherapy maintenance, reconstruction surgeries, etc.
To be eligible for mammogram assistance, you will need to be uninsured and live in an area covered by one of their partner facilities. This article focuses on the BCAP part of their program, so you will need to reach out to Sisters Network for details on their mammogram program.
Sisters Network may have additional eligibility rules or internal review criteria that aren’t fully spelled out on the public website. Because of that, it’s always best to reach out to them directly if you have questions.
How to Apply for BCAP
You can only apply when BCAP is actively accepting applications. Their website makes it clear that applications are only open three times per year.
When you’re ready to apply:
- If applications are closed, make a note to check back later or follow Sisters Network on social media for updates.
- Go to the Breast Cancer Assistance Program (BCAP) page on the Sisters Network website.
- Look for a notice that applications are open, along with the deadline and any special instructions.
Putting your paperwork together ahead of time can make the process much less stressful. While the exact list can change, you’ll usually need:
- A completed BCAP application form.
- A letter or treatment plan on official letterhead that:
- Confirms your breast cancer diagnosis.
- Describes your current treatment (chemo, radiation, recent surgery, etc.).
- Is signed and dated by a qualified member of your medical team (oncologist, licensed social worker, nurse navigator, or patient navigator).
- Bills or statements for the expenses you want help with, such as:
- Rent or mortgage.
- Electric, gas, water, or sewage bills.
- Any other documents listed on the current BCAP application (for example, proof of income or ID, if requested).
When in doubt, follow whatever documentation list is provided on the current BCAP form. If you have a social worker or patient navigator, they can often help you get everything together.
Avoid sending partial applications. If the form says “no photos” or gives specific technical requirements, follow those instructions so your application isn’t delayed or rejected.
What to Expect
Once you’ve submitted everything:
- Financial assistance applications: Sisters Network currently notes that it can take up to 45 days to review and process financial assistance applications and notify applicants. That timeline can depend on funding levels and how many applications are in the queue.
- Mammogram assistance requests: Processing times for mammogram vouchers or appointments can vary. Because current public materials do not list a firm number of days, it’s safer to say that exact timing depends on the partner facility and appointment availability.
A few important reminders:
- BCAP grants are not guaranteed, even if you meet the basic criteria.
- Funding is limited, and decisions depend on available money, program rules, and the documentation you provide.
- If you haven’t heard back within the expected time frame, use the contact information on the BCAP page to politely check on your application.
Relief Recap
Sisters Network Inc can provide up to $350 in financial assistance to breast cancer patients who are undergoing active treatment. They can also provide mammogram vouchers for breast cancer survivors and those who are undiagnosed. For even more ways that you can get help with your expenses, check out our full list of nationwide breast cancer grants.
