1. Click here and follow the instructions to submit a Survivor Fund Appointment Eligibility Form. The form becomes available around the 15th of each month and remains open for about a week, depending on funding availability. You only need one form in the system. The system will recognize duplicates and only use the most recent form submitted. Submitting this Appointment Eligibility Form is not the actual application for funding. You must meet with an Application Specialist to submit your application for funding..
2. Based on your answers in the Eligibility Form, you may be randomly selected to book an appointment with an Application Specialist.
   1. If you are randomly selected, you will get an email sometime between the 22nd and 30th with a link to book an appointment with an Application Specialist. You will have a one-time use link that is specific to you. Appointments are limited and you are encouraged to book within the first 48hrs. If you successfully book an appointment, you will get an email from Calendly with a zoom link. We will ask that you create a Submittable account prior to your meeting with the Application Specialist. For steps on how to do this, see our guide ​​here​​.
      1. If you do not book your appointment using the Calendly link during the first 48-hour window, appointments may be offered to other applicants. If there are no longer appointments available, please reach out to survivorfund@the-network.org. You can also submit a new Appointment Eligibility Form for a future month.
   2. If you are not randomly selected this month for an appointment, but you are deemed eligible for funding, your form information will roll over into the random selection process for all following months where funding is available. You do not need to submit a new form unless your contact information has changed. You will get an email between the 22nd and 30th of the month to notify you.
   3. If you are deemed not eligible for funding at this time, you will also get an email between the 22nd and 30th to let you know. If something changes, you are welcome to submit a new Eligibility Form in future months. Note: if you have received funding from The Network in the past 12 months, you will be deemed ineligible for funding at this time.

The Survivor Fund Appointment Eligibility Form found HERE will open for about a week around the 15th – 21st each month until funds are exhausted. Dates are subject to change to accommodate normal business hours. See https://the-network.org/survivor-fund/ for any updates. You only need to submit one Appointment Eligibility Form for the year..

1. We ask that you create a Submittable account prior to your meeting with the Application Specialist. For steps on how to do this, see our guide ​​here​​.
2. During your appointment, the Application Specialist will review the application process with you, answer your questions, and complete your initial application for funding with you in our Submittable system. You will then need to complete an Additional Form in your Submittable account in order to finalize your application and move your application to our review stage of the process.

You will meet with an application specialist for up to 60 minutes via Zoom to submit your initial application form into Submittable, our application management system. Zoom and Submittable are online systems. During the meeting, you will be asked to turn your camera on for at least a few moments to show your photo ID and verify your identity. After verifying your identity, you may turn your camera off, if you prefer. Then, you will work through the application with the application specialist. You will be given clear instructions on the next steps as well as additional resources, if needed.

Residents without access to a computer, tablet, smartphone and/or the internet are encouraged to visit a Chicago Public Library location, a Department of Family and Support Services Community Service Center, or (for adults 60 and older) a Department of Family and Support Services Senior Center. Individuals can also contact The Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at 877-863-6338 (877-TO END DV) to be referred to an advocate for assistance booking an appointment with an application specialist. We recommend making a plan prior to the monthly eligibility form launch date.

Once you have submitted your Additional Form, your application will move through our review process.  If a reviewer has any questions or needs additional information, we will send a message through Submittable (and the submitter will get an email notification of the message). If your application is reviewed as eligible, and funding is still available, a message will be sent to notify you when the funds are on the way to you.

This funding is intended to be a one-time payment. There is a much greater demand for funding than we ever have available. If you received any funding from The Network in the last 12 months, you are not eligible to receive Survivor Fund funding. You must wait to apply until at least 12 months have passed since your last payment.

To qualify for this funding, at a minimum, you must live in the City of Chicago and have a household income below 300% of the federal poverty level. You will be asked to upload documents to show proof of identity, residence, and income. These documents are intended to verify your identity and date of birth, proof of residence in Chicago, and total household income.

Household income encompasses the approximate pre-tax income for yourself, or any income-earning adult in your household. Please include income that you have access to; if you live with a person who is causing you harm and you do not have access to use all of the income coming into your household, you do not need to include income that you do not have access to.

Household income also includes all money from jobs, gifts, loans, and cash benefits like Social Security, disability, retirement or pensions, and unemployment.

If your adult child or relative is your dependent, and you pay for their day-to-day expenses, you should consider them a part of the same household. If your adult child or relative lives in your home but is otherwise financially independent, they are considered a separate household, similar to a roommate. Adults who are roommates and not financially dependent on one another are not considered the same household.

In the application, you will be asked which documents you have. If you do not have access to any of the documents in the list, you will have the option to self-attest. Note: We are limited by the funder to how many applicants we can fund who self-attest to all areas. If you have any of the documents, please upload them.

If we send a payment to a vendor (such as a landlord) on your behalf, that vendor would consider the funds as income and we would send the vendor a 1099.

If your application is accepted, payment from The Network’s Survivor Fund is sent to you through a virtual wallet or mailed physical card from Akimbo Mastercard. The wallet can be used as a digital debit card to make online purchases or to transfer money to cash apps or to a bank account.

Payees cannot be a minor under the age of 18 or an advocate.

The Network cannot replace misdirected wallets or stolen cards.

If you are sent a payment, we will also send further guidance on how to access the funds.

The applicant is the victim/survivor of domestic violence, sexual abuse, stalking or human trafficking who is seeking funding.

An advocate can be someone employed by a social service agency such as a case manager, counselor, legal advocate, etc. and the person they are applying on behalf of is their client.

Gender Based Violence (GBV) refers to harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender. It is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power and harmful norms. GBV is an umbrella term for a range of interpersonal violence including, but not limited to, sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation. Domestic violence and sexual assault are thought of as subset behaviors of GBV while human trafficking is not exclusively a GBV behavior.

Domestic violence (DV) is a pattern of behavior, including physical, emotional, mental, verbal, financial, and sexual abuse, by a partner or someone living with you to maintain power and control over you (this person can be a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, ex-partner, roommate, family member, caregiver). DV can include things like hitting, pushing, stopping you from leaving; threats; name-calling; isolation from loved ones; controlling your money, not allowing you to work; etc.

Call the IL DV Hotline at 877-863-6338 to learn more about domestic violence or see https://www.ilcadv.org/types-of-abuse/.

Sexual assault (SA) is any unwanted sexual contact or behavior without explicit consent (or agreement) of the victim. Some forms of sexual assault include rape, forced sex, attempted rape, unwanted sexual touching (including touching of any private parts of the body), fondling, or forcing any sexual act.

Call the Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline at 888-293-2080 to learn more about sexual assault or see https://www.rainn.org/.

Human Trafficking (HT) is the use of force, fraud, or coercion that can be subtle, overt, physical, or psychological to make a victim participate in commercial sex or forced labor. This can include actions by manipulation or force; false promises of well-paying jobs; romantic relationships, etc.

Call The Salvation Army STOP-IT Program’s hotline at 877-606-3158 to learn more about human trafficking or see https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-Trafficking/Human-Trafficking.html.

Stalking is when someone repeatedly calls, texts, follows, or otherwise communicates with another person, causing fear for their safety and emotional pain.

Examples of stalking can include following you around or spying on you; sending you unwanted emails or letters; calling you often; showing up uninvited at your house, school, or work; leaving you unwanted gifts; damaging your home, car, or other property; threatening you, your family, or pets with violence; etc.

Call or text the IL DV Hotline at 877-863-6338 for support if you or someone you know is experiencing stalking or see https://victimconnect.org/learn/types-of-crime/stalking/ to learn more about stalking.