Rainbow Railroad Housing and Livelihood Assistance Fund

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Rainbow Railroad Housing and Livelihood Assistance Fund

The Housing and Livelihood Assistance Fund (HLAF) provides emergency cash assistance grants directly to LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and other LGBTQI+ migrants in the US and Canada who are experiencing financial hardship. Currently, the Fund is accessible by Rainbow Railroad’s partner organizations, who are invited to either apply on behalf of eligible clients or share this link directly with eligible clients to apply themselves.

This HLAF application portal will be open from the 1st through 4th of each month. The Fund will prioritize first-time applicants. Applicants can expect to be contacted by Rainbow Railroad within 2 weeks regarding their application submission.

Please note that filling out this application does not guarantee that the applicant will receive funds.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be members of the LGBTQI+ community;
Applicants must be an asylum seeker (U.S.) or refugee claimant (Canada) or have another form of tenuous (impermanent) legal status in the United States or Canada;
- Queer migrants with permanent legal status (such as legal permanent residents, asylees, refugees, etc) may be eligible on a case-by-case basis;
Applicants must be experiencing financial hardship;
Applicants must be directly referred to the HLAF by one of our partner organizations;
Applicants receiving other categories of direct cash assistance from Rainbow Railroad are not eligible;
Eligible applicants from any location in the US and Canada will be considered.

Application Form

The Housing and Livelihood Assistance Fund is no longer acceping applications.

Data privacy: All information is stored securely and personal information will be used solely for the purposes of assessing applications.

Language and Accessibility: Your browser should allow you to translate this webpage into the language of your choice. For open response questions, you can respond in your preferred language. If you need help completing the form, you are welcome to have someone you trust assist you in completing the form. For any other issues you can contact hlaf@rainbowrailroad.org.

HLAF Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If I’ve already received assistance from the Fund, can I apply again?

There is a maximum limit of $1,500 that applicants can receive. If an applicant has not received the maximum, they are eligible to apply to the Fund again, however, HLAF will prioritize first-time applicants. Individuals who have previously received funds from HLAF will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

When will I hear from Rainbow Railroad regarding my application?

You should be contacted by Rainbow Railroad within two weeks of submitting an HLAF application. If you were selected to receive an HLAF grant, it may take a couple additional weeks to process the money transfer.

Will I be notified if my application is not selected to receive funds?

Yes, you will be contacted by Rainbow Railroad with a response to your application whether you have been selected to receive a grant or not.

If my application was not selected to receive a grant, can I apply to the HLAF again?

As long as you continue to meet HLAF eligibility criteria, you are welcome to indicate your interest in being reconsidered for the HLAF in a future month when the Fund has re-opened. You do not need to submit a full new application; instead, you can simply add a case update by indicating the email address you previously used to apply.. Please make sure to note any changes to your situation/circumstances.