Micro grants for individuals: small, fast help without the paperwork

Who can apply

Anyone. You do not need to be a nonprofit, a member, or a resident of a particular place. You can apply for yourself or on behalf of a neighbour.

What makes a strong request

• Say exactly what the $5 is for — 'a return bus fare to a clinic on Thursday' beats 'help with expenses'.
• Keep it short. A few honest sentences read better than a long story.
• Say when you need it, if timing matters.
• Say whether you are happy for the grant to appear on the public ledger, and how you want to be described.

What happens after you apply

• A human reads the request — there is no automatic scoring.
• Approved grants are issued from the current pool.
• The grant is published to the public ledger, described the way you asked.
• If the pool is empty that round, the request rolls into the next one rather than being rejected.

If you need more than $5

A $5 grant is not a substitute for emergency assistance. For larger needs, local mutual-aid groups, community foundations, and 211-style helplines are better routes. Micro grants are best for the small gap that nothing else covers.