Some of the best cash assistance in the country isn’t run by the government or a big national nonprofit. It’s run by local community foundations built specifically to catch their own neighbors when something goes wrong.
What Is the Good Neighbor Fund?
The Good Neighbor Fund, run through the Upper Arlington Community Foundation in Ohio, provides emergency financial assistance to Upper Arlington residents facing unexpected hardships that threaten their stability.
How Much Money Can You Get?
Qualifying residents can receive up to $3,000 in a one-time-only grant. T
he fund has distributed over $100,000 total to residents for needs ranging from rent and mortgage payments to grocery cards and medical bills.
What Can the Money Be Used For?
This grant is intended to cover emergency needs. This can incldue, but is not limited to, things like:
- Rent or mortgage
- Utilities
- Groceries
- Internet bills
- Medical bills
- Home safety repairs
- Mobility ramps
- Transportation
Who Qualifies?
You need to be an Upper Arlington resident, and you need a referral from one of four Advocate Partners: UA City Schools, the UA Commission on Aging, the UA Fire Department, or the UA Police Department.
That referral requirement means you can’t apply directly on your own; you’ll need to connect with one of those four agencies first.
How Do You Apply?
Since the application requires a referral, your first step is reaching out to one of the four Advocate Partners listed above.
Once you have a referral, the application itself is completed online, and applications are reviewed as they come in. Recipients receive confidential support and are never publicly identified.
Relief Recap
This proves that direct cash help exists in far more places than people realize, it’s just hiding at the local level instead of the national one.
If you don’t live in Upper Arlington, similar small community funds exist in other towns too, so it’s worth checking our Find Help Near Me tool to see what’s available where you actually live.
