Staff & Faculty Emergency Fund

Donate to the Staff & Faculty Emergency Fund

The Staff & Faculty Emergency Fund (The Fund) was created to support CU Boulder staff, researchers, and faculty experiencing an emergency that creates financial hardship. The Fund; financially supported by CU Boulder, alumni, parents, and friends of CU; is primarily intended to support regular staff and faculty who have exhausted all other means of financial support to get through a crisis. Payments from The Fund are limited and not intended to provide ongoing relief for recurring expenses.

Emergency funding is provided in the form of a one-time grant that does not need to be repaid. Applications will be reviewed by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and the Vice Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs or their designees. 

Please be aware that HR and Faculty Affairs application reviewers have a responsibility to inform OIEC when made aware of issues related to sexual misconduct, intimate partner abuse, stalking, discrimination, harassment, and/or related retaliation so that individuals impacted receive information about resolution options and support resources. CU employees are not required to follow-up with OIEC in response to outreach, but the goal is to offer support and ensure safety.

Eligibility Requirements

  • You must be a current regular staff member, researcher, or faculty member on the CU Boulder campus to qualify.
  • If you are an undergraduate or graduate student employed by CU Boulder and your primary reason for being at CU Boulder is to be a student, you should apply through the Student Emergency Fund. Even if you are a student employee working on campus, the student fund is the appropriate resource for emergency financial support.
  • You must be in good standing with the university.

Award Amount

  • The value of the grant will range according to the needs of the individual. Awards are dependent upon available funds.

What expenses can be covered through the emergency fund?

  • Emergency temporary housing assistance which could include additional rent, security deposit, short-term hotel costs incurred to relocate, quarantine or isolate, for personal safety, etc.
  • Unexpected medical, mental health, or dental costs related to the emergency and not covered by insurance.
  • Unplanned travel expenses related to the emergency to receive medical care, seek safety, or self-quarantine. Examples include airfare, car rental, bus or train fare, etc.
  • Temporary assistance with food insecurity resulting from the emergency
  • Hot spots and laptops may be available for faculty and staff with devastating loss of residence
  • Emergency basic needs, such as clothing, hygiene items, etc.
  • Safety-related needs created by the emergency such as change of locks, legal assistance, court fees, etc.

What expenses are typically not covered by the emergency fund?

  • IT needs, such as home internet expenses, software, or hardware
  • Personal expenses that are not caused by an emergency situation
  • Credit card debts
  • Penalties, fines, parking, or other tickets.
  • Non-essential expenses
  • Expenses that can be handled through a payment plan (i.e.regular medical expenses not due to the disaster)
  • Expenses due to a lack of planning or overspending.

How to Apply

Staff and Faculty Emergency Fund Application

  • Submit the attached Staff & Faculty Emergency Fund application. Attach copies of all bills/receipts related to the hardship. Other documentation may also be requested during the application process.
  • Applications will be reviewed as they are received and employees will be notified of the status of their application generally within three university business days.

Questions? Contact CampusHR@colorado.edu