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Charitable Fund Award | FAQ

More About the Charitable Fund Award

The Board of Directors of Commonwealth Community Trust (CCT) is proud to sponsor the Charitable Fund Award, a program that offers assistance with the purchase of equipment or services to recipients who have a disability and demonstrate a financial need.

  • Who is eligible for the Charitable Fund Award (CFA) program?

    In order to be eligible for this program, a Recipient must have a disability, meet the criteria for demonstrating financial need as described in the application.

  • Who can submit a Charitable Fund Award (CFA) application?

    Applications must be completed, verified, and submitted online by a representative from a nonprofit organization or public agency on behalf of the intended recipient. Parents or guardians may NOT submit an application on behalf of a potential recipient of goods or services. Any applications received from an individual or representative that does not meet these criteria will be denied.

  • How detailed does the request need to be?

    Responses to all questions on the application are required in order to successfully submit the application. Please supply enough information about the Recipient’s disability and the requested item or service so that the committee can evaluate how the request will impact the life of the Recipient. Preference will be given to applications that:


    • Effectively communicate how the request will impact the recipient’s quality of life (of primary importance)
    • Demonstrate the lasting impact (versus a short-term benefit)
    • Are for a one-time expense (versus an ongoing expense)
    • Cover the entire cost of the equipment or service requested

  • Can the cost of the requested item/service be more than $1,000?

    If the amount required for the equipment/service is over $1,000, the maximum amount of $1,000 can be requested. CCT will not fund a project to be partially completed or award partial funds without receiving assurance that the difference between the total amount needed has been secured.

  • How does the vendor get paid?

    If an application is funded, the award will be made in the form of a bank-issued check made payable to the vendor listed on the application. Before submitting the application, please be sure that the vendor will accept a check. Award checks payable to vendors will be mailed to the representative who completed the application, not directly to the recipient or the vendor.



  • The vendor will not accept a check. What should I do?

    There are some situations for which the vendor will not accept a check. Seek an alternative vendor who will accept a check. Please note that the following “big-box” retailers have had issues in the past accepting the award checks:


    • Amazon
    • Target and Target.com
    • Walmart and Walmart.com
    • Apple and Apple.com
    • Best Buy and bestbuy.com
    • Lowe’s and lowes.com
    • Home Depot and homedepot.com
    • JC Penney and jcpenney.com
    • Mattress Firm
    • Mattress Warehouse
    • IKEA
    • Rooms To Go
    • Other online and “big-box” retailers

    If the organization or agency is unable to manage this accounting as a reimbursement, please seek an alternate vendor that will accept a third-party check.


    Note: This applies if and only if the intended recipient receives approved funding. 


    If a recipient receives an approved award but the vendor will not accept a third-party check, the nonprofit organization or government agency must be able to make the purchase on behalf of the recipient and provide receipt(s) showing the purchase to then be reimbursed by CCT. Please verify with the organization/agency’s financial department to ensure that they will be able to manage this accounting. CCT will only reimburse for approved applications and only up to or equal to the amount of the approved application.


    • Be sure to include the name of the Vendor(s) in the application even if the organization or agency will purchase and request a reimbursement.
    • If no receipt is provided, CCT will not issue a reimbursement payment.
    • If the price of the item or service is less that what was submitted in the application, CCT will reimburse for the lesser amount.
    • If the price is more than what was submitted in the application, CCT will reimburse up to the amount that was approved in the award application. The contact and mailing information from the financial department of the nonprofit organization or government agency will be required.

    NOTE: Reimbursements are ONLY APPLICABLE if the application receives approval to be funded. Do not make a pre-purchase in anticipation of receiving funds. Unfortunately, not all applications receive funding.


    If you have any questions about this policy, please send an email to cfa@trustcct.org.

  • When will I find out if the request has been funded?

    Notifications for funding are typically made by mid-May. In general, organization/agency representatives will be notified by email, and award checks will be sent out thereafter. No awards will be made before this time, so this program is not appropriate for emergency situations that require timely funding. Every application will receive notification of an award or denial.

  • What types of items/services have been funded in past years?

    While this varies each year based on the variety of applications, the following requests were funded in previous years:


    • Assistive Technology, including iPads and computers
    • Dental services and dentures, hearing aids and eyeglasses
    • Summer camp fees, therapeutic riding and fitness center membership fees
    • Equipment such as wheelchairs, van lifts, stair lifts, dehumidifiers, and adaptive bicycles
    • Home safety modifications such as wheelchair ramps and grab bars

  • Why do you ask if the Recipient meets the meets Federal poverty guidelines and/or receives Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI)?

    • We use these criteria for adults as a screening to indicate financial need. A Recipient must either meet the Federal poverty guidelines and/or receive SSI.
    • To access the HHS Poverty Guidelines, go to https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines. Note: For a minor, eligibility would be based on the family’s income.
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a means-tested benefit, meaning that individuals receiving these benefits have limited assets/income.
    • Social Security, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and other benefit programs that are not means-tested would not make someone eligible for this award program.

  • Where can I obtain an application for CCT’s Charitable Fund Award?

    The Charitable Fund Award application is available on the CFA About page or click the button below. Please email cfa@trustcct.org with questions.


    CFA Application

  • What is the maximum amount that can be requested?

    The maximum amount per recipient is $1,000. Please request one item or service per application. Related items may be considered together. For example, if an iPad is requested and the recipient needs a case to ensure that their iPad is not destroyed; these can be put on one application. Multiple applications can be submitted for an individual; however, keep in mind that the total amount requested per recipient cannot exceed $1,000. Each application will be evaluated on a stand-alone basis.

  • Why is a price quote/estimate required?

    A direct quote from the vendor is required. The committee that evaluates applications requires documentation confirming the anticipated cost of the item or service in order to properly evaluate the request.

  • Can the nonprofit organization or government agency also be the vendor?

    No, the Vendor in the application CANNOT be the nonprofit organization or government agency. This program is not intended to provide a general source of income to the applying organization/agency or to fund services that are normally provided at no cost to the recipient. There are situations in which the nonprofit organization or government agency can be reimbursed for a purchase of an awarded application. See section “The vendor will not accept a check. What should I do?”

  • Will you just issue a check payable to the Recipient?

    We will NOT issue a check payable directly to the recipient or family member. Many recipients receive SSI/Medicaid benefits and receiving cash in this way would jeopardize those benefits. Also, issuing the check payable to a vendor helps to ensure that the funds will be used for their intended purpose. This program is not intended to pay off a recipient’s debts or to provide a general source of income to the recipient.



  • How many requests will be funded?

    A limited amount of funding is available for this program each year, and each year has been increasingly competitive. Applications are evaluated and funded based on scoring and available funds.

  • How will the requests be funded?

    • Third-Party Check: an award check will be made payable to a Vendor and mailed to the organization’s representative to distribute. Payments cannot be made to an individual.
    • Reimbursement: the nonprofit organization or government agency receives award approval to make the purchase on behalf of the applicant and must provide receipt(s) showing the purchase to be reimbursed by the Charitable Fund Award program.
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