The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation Fund for Critical Financial Assistance

Who We Serve

We partner with the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation to provide military and veteran caregivers with financial support to get them back on track.

The Hope Fund is available to the EDF Caregiver Community, including:

Caregivers of veterans or active-duty service members;
Survivors who provided care within the last 12 months; and,
Hidden Helpers, children with caregiving responsibilities and the children of military and veteran caregivers.

We understand that no two caregiving journeys look the same. To be eligible for assistance, household income must generally be $150,000 or below, with thoughtful consideration for caregiver households experiencing extraordinary or life-altering events.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

You provide care to a wounded, ill, or injured veteran or service member (and submit proof of service).
You are an adult caregiver (18 years and older).
You demonstrate financial assistance need.
Services for which you seek assistance are provided within a U.S. state or territory.
The vendor is legally able to receive taxable income in the U.S. (Citizen, green card holder, and/or permanent resident who can provide a W9 and SSN or ITIN).

Full eligibility criteria is also available as a PDF.

Here To

The Hope Fund exists to meet caregivers where they are.

When unexpected financial stress threatens your stability, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Bob & Dolores Hope Fund is here to help.

Apply Now

If you are a Military or Veteran Caregiver experiencing one of the situations below that may qualify for urgent support:

Imminent utility shutoff, including gas/heat, electricity, or water
Food insecurity
Impact from a natural disaster

Please complete our intake form and send an email to resourcenavigation@elizabethdolefoundation.org to let us know your form has been submitted. Please include Urgent Support in the subject line. Our team will review your application and follow up accordingly.

If you are a veteran seeking support for yourself, please visit our Veteran Resources page: https://hiddenheroes.org/veteran-resources/

If you are in crisis, experiencing emotional distress, or worried about someone you know, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org/chat (available 24/7).

If you are in immediate danger or facing an urgent threat to your physical safety, call 911. For additional community resources, you can also call 211.

What To Expect

Each application is reviewed individually and with care

We recognize the complexity of caregiving and the courage it takes to ask for help. Caregivers may request support for multiple needs at once, and those who have applied before are welcome to reapply if new or extraordinary circumstances arise.

We provide resource navigation for every applicant

Every eligible applicant receives Resource Navigation support, regardless of whether or not they qualify for financial assistance. All eligible caregivers will be connected to appropriate forms of non-monetary support, including budgeting resources and financial wellness guidance. Our team works alongside caregivers to identify additional local, state, and national resources, because meaningful support often extends beyond a single source of funding.

Support is guided by urgency and need, with compassion at the center of every review.

We prioritize caregivers with the most immediate and significant needs affecting housing, utilities, transportation, and overall household stability. As resources allow, we may also consider requests that are less urgent but still place strain on caregiver families. All requests are reviewed based on eligibility, level of need, and available program resources. Regardless of the funding decision, every eligible applicant receives Resource Navigation support.

Applications for support from the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation Fund for Critical Financial Assistance surged during the government shutdown, and we are still receiving a high volume of requests from caregivers like you. Those applying now should expect approximately 4–6 weeks before our team reaches out to schedule an intake call. During that call, we’ll learn more about your situation and begin gathering the documentation needed to determine the supports that are right for you.

For those eligible for financial assistance, please be aware that the full timeline—from submitting an application to payment being issued to your vendor—is currently estimated at 6–8 weeks.

We know how much is on your shoulders, and we want you to know that you’re not alone. Our team cares deeply about you and your family, and we are working tirelessly to review every request with the attention and compassion it deserves. Thank you for your patience as we navigate this high volume of need together.

Special thanks to the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation

Questions?

Email financialsupport@elizabethdolefoundation.org.

Apply Now