Broadcasters Foundation of America Emergency Grants

Broadcasters Foundation of America Emergency Grants is sponsored by Broadcasters Foundation of America. Offers emergency grants to broadcasters facing financial hardship due to serious illness or disasters.

Grant Application Guidelines & Instructions Grant Application Guidelines & Instructions The mission of the Broadcasters Foundation of America (“BFOA” or the “Foundation”) is to improve the quality of life of television and radio broadcast industry employees and their families who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in acute financial need.

More specifically, the Foundation conducts nationwide outreach to identify cases where television and radio industry employees find themselves in financial distress as the result of critical illness, accident, hardship resulting from natural disaster, or other serious misfortune which the Foundation determines warrants assistance to the employee or the employee’s survivors.

To be considered for a grant from the Foundation, an applicant must have been employed for a consecutive five (5) year period by one or more radio and/or television broadcasting companies (whether currently, or during the course of his or her career).

For purposes of eligibility under this paragraph, a radio or television broadcasting company is one that provides free over-the-air broadcasting utilizing full-service television and/or radio licenses issued by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”).

In addition, eligibility for a grant from the Foundation shall be extended to individuals who have been employed, for a consecutive five (5) year period, by (i) a media representative firm that sells media time or space on behalf of radio and/or television broadcasters, or (ii) a state broadcast association. Except as provided below, emergency grant recipients must be currently employed by one of the companies listed above.

Independent contractors serving the radio and/or television industry do not qualify. Eligible broadcasters may submit an application to the Foundation for a Monthly Grant, or an Emergency Grant as described below.

In addition, where a broadcaster meets the eligibility criteria set forth above, the Foundation will consider applications for limited assistance, subject to the processes detailed herein, as follows: An eligible broadcaster may apply for a Monthly Grant if his or her dependent child suffers from a severe, prolonged illness that is causing acute financial hardship for the family; An eligible broadcaster may apply for a Monthly Grant if he or she is required to be placed into assisted living and the attendant costs are causing acute financial hardship for the broadcaster and his or her family; Upon the death of an eligible broadcaster who was receiving a Monthly Grants, the surviving spouse may be eligible for continued assistance as described below Upon the death of an eligible broadcaster who was not receiving a Monthly Grant, a surviving spouse may apply for a Monthly Grant within three (3) months of the eligible broadcaster’s death.

Emergency Grants are designed to provide one-time financial assistance to individuals currently employed in the broadcast industry who are otherwise eligible for a BFOA grant and who have suffered sudden and significant financial hardship as the result of a disaster (e.g., hurricane, tornado, extreme flooding, wild/house fires), such as loss of housing, transportation, or other major adversity, as determined in the Foundation’s sole discretion.

The broadcaster must submit, within thirty (30) days of the disaster’s occurrence, an Emergency Grant application, certified by his or her General Manager or Controller. In addition, the surviving spouse of an otherwise eligible broadcaster may submit, upon the broadcaster’s death, an application for an Emergency Grant to cover funeral expenses where such expenses result in acute financial distress for the family.

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