The Alabama Marines Foundation, a non-profit veterans organization, is dedicated to honoring those Alabamians who have served in the United States Marine Corps. One way of achieving that goal is by providing grants of emergency funds to Marines, or members of their immediate families, who have a connection to the State of Alabama and who are experiencing financial difficulties resulting from circumstances beyond their control that cannot be fully alleviated by applying for aid from governmental agencies, other veterans organizations, or civic/social relief organizations.
How Are Grants Funded? Funds to support the Foundation Assistance Program are generated by special fund-raising projects conducted or sponsored by the Foundation and affiliated organizations and by donations from industry, businesses and individuals.
How Is The Emergency Financial Assistance Program Administered? Non-profit organizations based in Alabama who, as a formal part of their mission, provide assistance to military veterans, including active duty, reserve, and retired personnel, may register as an affiliate of the Alabama Marines Foundation for the purpose of obtaining emergency grants from the Foundation to award to eligible Marines and their immediate family members. Affiliated organizations have the responsibility for screening applications for grants to ensure eligibility requirements are met, that there is a valid need, and to comply with Foundation reporting requirements. Since the assistance is in the form of a grant and not a loan, there is no requirement to pay back the funds received.
Who May Apply? Marines (and members of their immediate families) in the following categories who entered into the Marine Corps from the State of Alabama, or who now serve or reside in the State:
Active Duty Marines
Marine Reservists
Retired Marines
Honorably Discharged Marine Corps Veterans
Unmarried Spouses of Deceased Marines
What Emergency Expenses May Qualify For A Grant?
Emergency Transportation
Emergency Medical/Dental Bills (Patient share)
Food
Rent
Utilities
Essential Vehicle Repairs
Temporary Child Care
Funeral Expenses
Disaster Relief
Temporary Lodging
Other (Since this list of needs is not meant to be exhaustive, there may be other types of financial relief that, in the opinion of affiliated organizations, qualify for assistance).
What Expenses Do Not Qualify For A Grant?
Home Improvements
Bounced Check and Overdraft Fees
Payment of Credit Card Bills
Money To Purchase A Home
Vacation or Leave Expenses
Vehicle Purchase, Lease or Rental
Legal Fees or Fines
Vehicle Registration Fees
Homeowner/Auto/Motorcycle Insurance Premiums
Is There A Limit On The Amount Of A Grant?
The
maximum
grant
for
the
year
2016
is
$500.00
per
recipient.
May An Individual Apply For Multiple Grants? Generally, a grant recipient may not apply for a second or subsequent grant.
How Does One Apply For A Grant? There are two ways to apply:
Affiliated organizations listed
below have applications forms. Potential applicants may contact one of the organizations and ask to apply for assistance under this program. Applicants should be prepared to furnish the necessary documentation to support their request for assistance, or
Potential applicants may complete the application form found here (Click
Here), print it, and deliver it electronically, by mail or by hand to the nearest affiliated organization for processing, accompanied by the necessary documentation to support the request for assistance.
In addition, affiliated organizations who become aware of a need on the part of an eligible person are encouraged to contact that person to make them aware of this program and to assist in completing an application.
What
Are
The
Circumstances AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD CONSIDER IN EVALUATING WHETHER OR NOT AN APPLICANTION IS VALID AND SHOULD BE REFERRED TO THE FOUNDATION FOR A GRANT? The Temporary Emergency Financial Assistance Program was conceived with two purposes in mind: (1) to provide Marine Corps League Detachments and other affiliated organizations in Alabama an opportunity to respond to acute emergency events that may befall a Marine or some member of his or her immediate family, and which are beyond his or her control and financial ability to adequately respond; (2) to enable the Alabama Marines Foundation an ability to reach out to Marines and their families in all parts of Alabama. An application should be evaluated in light of whether or not a true emergency exists, within the definition of the word as it is generally understood. Further, that a Foundation grant, along with aid from other available sources, should immediately relieve the emergency, or substantially so, and should restore or help to restore the Marine or a family member to his or her financial condition existing before the event. While excluding no Marine from applying for assistance, this Program has been established on the desire of the Foundation to help those most vulnerable to emergencies; active duty, reserve, or recently released Marines who have not yet had time to establish the financial resources in their personal lives sufficient to deal with emergencies.
The Program should not be viewed as a broad, general relief program. Conceptually, it is not designed to aid individuals who are experiencing long-term, ongoing, chronic financial stresses related to the more or less permanent conditions of life that they find themselves in. That is not to say that the Foundation will not consider aid to those who fall into this category when circumstances and resources allow. However, the qualification requirements are more stringent.
Generally, a grant application for persons in this situation should be forwarded to the Foundation with a positive endorsement only when the grant would supplement a broader effort by local organizations to provide relief. When forwarding an application under these circumstances, affiliated organizations should describe in detail:
(a) the emergency that exists;
(b) the efforts they and the applicant have made to obtain assistance from existing family resources, local churches, social service organizations, relief agencies, other veterans organizations, government agencies; and
(c) any financial assistance that has or will be given by their own organization.
The forwarding endorsement should state the results of any efforts to obtain relief from other sources, and if any is provided, identify the amount of funds provided, or that will be provided from those sources, as well as specify the nature of non-monetary relief provided by them, if any.
It is important to note that affiliated organization are not required to forward applications in cases which they determine that the applicant does not meet these qualifying concepts, the nature of the assistance needed would not meet the qualifications mentioned elsewhere in the Program rules, or sufficient relief has been obtained from other sources. Affiliated organizations may, at their discretion, forward applications with a negative endorsement, in which case the Foundation will make the final decision based upon the facts and circumstances documented by the applicant and the endorsement.
What Happens After An Application Is Received? Affiliated organization receiving an application for assistance will evaluate it for compliance with eligibility requirements and verify that the applicant has a valid, temporary financial emergency. Applicants will be required to provide whatever documentation is necessary to verify the existence of a need that can be alleviated in whole or in part by the receipt of a grant. Once the affiliated organization has determined that an application complies with the selection criteria and that a valid need exists, the application should be forwarded to the Foundation by the most expeditious means available. Affiliated organizations, on their forwarding endorsement, should indicate whether any funds of the local organization will be added to the Foundation grant, and , if so, the amount. Applications from persons whom affiliated organizations determine do not qualify for assistance should not be forwarded to the Foundation. Recognizing that speed is usually of the essence in emergency situations, affiliated organizations are encouraged to use the quickest available means of transmittal of applications and documentation. If the grant request is approved by the Foundation, funds in the designated amount will be forwarded to the affiliated organization. Affiliated organizations, upon expenditure of the grant, will notify the Foundation that the grant has been applied and report the essential details pertaining to the its application.
Shall Grants Forwarded To Affiliated Organizations Be Delivered Directly To The Applicant? In the interests of insuring that grants are applied to the ends justifying the grant, affiliated organizations are encouraged to disburse grant funds to vendors and service providers who will deliver the goods or services to the applicant, rather than by direct transfer of funds to the applicant. In recognition that there may be circumstances in which direct delivery of funds to the applicant is more appropriate than working through third parties, such direct delivery is not prohibited, if affiliated organizations determine that it is in the best interests of the applicant to do do.
Shall Affiliated Organizations Enlist The Help Of Local Social Services Agencies In Its Attempt To Assist An Applicant? By all means. Affiliated organizations should contact local charities, social service agencies, other veterans organizations, and appropriate governmental agencies to provide assistance in conjunction with application of grant funds in those cases wherein grant funds will not be enough to alleviate the hardship.
May An Application Be Sent Directly To The Alabama Marines Foundation By An Applicant?
Until
all
geographic
regions
of
the
State
are
represented
by
an
affiliated
organization,
or
when
an
applicant
is
having
difficulty
contacting
an
affiliated
organization,
applications,
along
with
supporting
documents,
may
be
sent
directly
to
the
Foundation
by
email
at
info@almarinesfoundation,
or
to
the
Foundation
mailing
address:
1655
McFarland
Blvd.,
N.,
PMB
155,Tuscaloosa
AL
35406.
For
more
information
call
(205)310-2125.
What Documents Are Needed To Support An Application For Emergency Financial Assistance?
The basic requirement is twofold: (1) The applicant must establish that he or she is a Marine either on active duty, a reservist, retired from the Marine Corps, or has an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps. Such documents as a Marine Corps-issued ID card, a DD Form 214, separation orders or copies of other official documents and communications will generally be sufficient to satisfy the need to show that the applicant is a Marine. Immediate family members of Marines who are applying on their own behalf should be prepared to present documents which identifies the Marine in their family and which establishes their relationship to that Marine, e.g. marriage, birth and death certificates, as the case may be. (2) Establish that the applicant has a past or present connection to the State of Alabama. Such documents could include tax records, vehicle and drivers licenses, various identification cards, home of record entries in official documents, etc.
Secondarily, applicants should be prepared to substantiate the need for temporary emergency assistance by providing a personal statement defining the need and showing how a grant will help, along with documents such as bills, receipts, estimates of repairs or services, statements of notices, summonses and the like, along with notarized statements of need by uninterested parties with knowledge of the emergency situation.
What Happens If The Foundation Does Not Approve An Application For Assistance? The application will be returned to the originating affiliated organization with an endorsement giving the reason(s) assistance cannot be provided.
Will Grant Applications Be Approved Only When The Applicable Affiliated Organization Contributes Its Own Funds To Help The Applicant? No. Affiliated organizations are encouraged to contribute from their own funds, if available, but approved applications should be forwarded to the Foundation regardless of whether local funds will be added to the grant or not.
HOW MAY A PERSON NEEDING ASSISTANCE OBTAIN AN APPLICATION FORM? There are two ways to obtain a copy of the application form. First, a potential applicant may contact the nearest affiliated organization listed below and request a copy. Secondly, the form may be printed from this website by Clicking
Here. Complete the form and deliver it, along with appropriate documentation to the nearest affiliated organization listed below.
How May An Applicant Or An Official Of An Affiliated Organization Obtain More Information About The Temporary Financial Assistance Program? All inquiries about the Program may be directed to the Foundation at
info@alamarinesfoundation.org or by calling (205)310-2125.
Affiliated organizations include the majority of Marine Corps League Detachments in Alabama, as well as other veterans organizations that agree to process grant applications. Potential applicants should contact these and other veterans organizations and request assistance in submitting an application.