Barriers to Care Grants Program for Individuals

The Fund for Women of the Southern Tier, Inc. operates with a mission to help girls and women achieve economic self-sufficiency and realize life goals through grants in the areas of education, health, wellness, career, and life skills. Established in 2009, the Fund for Women is the first funding stream dedicated solely to improving the lives of girls and women residing in the Southern Tier counties of Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Yates in New York State. The Fund offers various grant programs for both individuals and nonprofit organizations. One of the key individual grant programs is the Barriers to Care program. This initiative provides financial assistance to individual women who are currently undergoing medical treatment for breast cancer and reside in Chemung, Schuyler, or Steuben Counties. Recipients may be receiving medical treatment within or outside of the region as long as they reside locally. The grant awards are limited to five hundred dollars each. These funds can be used for a variety of expenses, including transportation, child care, food, prosthetics, and other needs that help address barriers to accessing care. Eligibility for the Barriers to Care program is determined based on the applicant’s financial need and the availability of funds. There are no additional eligibility categories or restrictions mentioned beyond these criteria. The Fund accepts applications for this program on a rolling basis throughout the year. Applicants typically receive notification of an award approximately ten business days after their application is submitted. To apply, applicants may download and submit the Barriers to Care Grant Application online or complete the application and send it by postal mail to the Fund for Women at 301 South Main Street, Horseheads, New York, 14845, addressed to Sara Shaut. The Fund encourages women in need of support to take advantage of this resource and to contact the organization for further guidance if needed. For general inquiries and more information about the Fund for Women of the Southern Tier and its grant programs, individuals may contact the organization via email at info@ffwst.org or by phone at (607) 542-7558. The Fund also offers a newsletter and other communications to keep the community informed about opportunities and events.

The Fund encourages applicants to apply either online or by mail and provides contact information for assistance.