The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) is excited to announce the Family Fund will begin accepting applications on February 1, 2025. This year, The Arc plans to distribute $113,000, setting a new record for the most money distributed by the Family Fund since its founding in 2017.

What is the Family Fund?

The Family Fund is a grant designed to provide financial assistance and essential resources to families navigating the complexities of raising children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Many effective resources, therapies, and services make an incredible difference in the quality of life for children with IDD but are not covered by insurance and are out of reach financially for the families who need access to them the most.

“Too many families struggle to afford the resources their children need,” said Sara Pease, Assistant Director of Children, Youth, & Their Families. “We founded the Family Fund, so families don’t have to choose between meeting their child’s basic needs and accessing the critical resources and support they deserve. In the eight years we’ve awarded these funds, we’ve seen incredible outcomes from the children it has supported.”

The Family Fund has grown from distributing $14,000 in its first year to awarding nearly $95,000 to 107 children in 2024 for therapies, respite care, educational assistance, camps, and more. To read more about some of the families the fund has supported in the last year, click here.

What will the Family Fund Support?

The Family Fund supports life-enriching opportunities that are not covered by insurance, including specialized speech therapy, equine therapy, customized leg braces, swimming lessons, music lessons, and more.

What matters most is the impact on your child’s quality of life. Applications that clearly demonstrate impact on the child (and family) are more likely to be funded. Please note: The Family Fund will not support requests for home improvements or renovations, bill or utility payments, groceries, personal care items, debt repayment, or prior funded services.

Who Is Eligible & How Can I Apply?

The application for the Family Fund will open on February 1 and close on February 21. To be eligible, families must:

• Have a child with IDD under the age of 21 as of January 1, 2025.
• Live in one of the nine counties supported by The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (Anne Arundel, Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Wicomico, Worcester).
• Complete and submit the online application before February 21, 2025.

The Arc’s team is committed to ensuring every eligible family has the opportunity to receive the support they need. If you require assistance completing the online application or English is your second language, please contact our Family Navigator at resources@thearcccr.org prior to February 21, 2025.

Tips for a Strong Application

Once received, applications are reviewed by a committee, and applicants will be notified of a decision (including no funding) by March 22, 2025.  Applications should be as complete and detailed as possible, highlighting the impact requests will have on the child and family. To view a sample application, please click here.

When completing your application, we strongly recommend you:

• Be thorough: Provide detailed and accurate information about your request.
• Share costs: Include specific costs that support your request – like exact model numbers, cost per session, etc. These details will help the committee determine an appropriate award amount if you are awarded partial funding.
• Share impact: Use the application to explain how the grant will make a difference in your family’s life and for your child in particular.

A Growing Legacy of Support

Since 2017, the Family Fund has granted more than $250,000 to hundreds of children with IDD, including dedicated funding for children with autism provided by The Bowen Foundation for Autism. Each year, the Family Fund serves more families and distributes more funding, reflecting both the increasing needs within our community and the generosity of those who support the program.

“We are incredibly grateful that the community sees the need for this program and understands the importance of ensuring that children and families have access to these critical resources,” said Caroline Slobodzian, Director of Development. “The Family Fund has grown tremendously every year, including the creation of an endowment fund with the goal of ensuring these supports continue in perpetuity.”

Every dollar raised for the Family Fund is granted back to the community.

For more information on how to support the Family Fund, contact give@thearcccr.org or visit Other Ways to Give