We have cash assistance ($1000) funding available for survivors of gender-based violence residing in the suburbs of Cook County. This funding is provided by the Justice Advisory Council (JAC) of Cook County. Information on any other kinds of funding will appear on our webpage FAQ when it is available.

Please use the appointment request form here. Note: if we currently do not have any open appointments, the form will be closed temporarily. It may take up to five business days to receive a response.

Each survivor only needs to submit one request form.

Funding is limited. We will cap the number of appointments we book each month so that we do not accept more applications than we can fund.

Once your appointment is confirmed, you must create an account in our application system, Submittable, before your scheduled appointment. Create an account by going to www.submittable.com and clicking on Sign In>Submittable>Sign Up. If you already had a Submittable account, please make sure you are able to still login to it before your appointment date.

Yes. Residents without access to a computer, tablet, smartphone and/or the internet are encouraged to visit their local library branch location or a Cook County Family Community Resource Center.

Individuals can also contact The Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at 877-863-6338 (877-TO END DV) to be referred to a DV agency that may be able to connect you with an advocate for assistance booking an appointment with the Survivor Fund. We recommend making a plan prior to scheduling an appointment.

To qualify for this funding, at a minimum, you must live in the suburbs of Cook County, not within the City of Chicago. You must also have experienced economic hardship due to COVID. You will be asked to upload documents to show proof of identity and residence. These documents are intended to verify your identity and date of birth, and proof of residence in suburban Cook County.

Yes. To qualify for this funding, at a minimum, you must reside in the suburbs of Cook County, not Chicago, and have experienced economic hardship due to COVID.

No. To qualify for the suburban Cook County funding, at a minimum, you must reside in the suburbs of Cook County, not Chicago, and have experienced economic hardship due to COVID.

To qualify for this funding, at a minimum, you must live in the suburbs of Cook County, not Chicago, and have experienced economic hardship due to COVID. You will be asked to upload documents to show proof of identity and residence. These documents are intended to verify your identity and date of birth, and proof of residence in suburban Cook County.

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. If you have any of the documents, please have them available for your appointment and 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 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, 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.

Advocates may book an appointment with an application specialist on their client’s behalf. If the client chooses, the applicant can also be submitted using the advocate’s Submittable account. The survivor (applicant) MUST also be present at the appointment with the advocate.

Advocates: Please use the appointment request form here. Note: if we currently do not have any open appointments, the form will be closed temporarily. It may take up to five business days to receive a response.

Advocates can submit a request form for their clients (with consent from their client); one form per client.

Funding is limited. We will cap the number of appointments we book each month so that we do not accept more applications than we can fund.

Funding is intended to be a one-time payment. If your client received any funding from The Network less than 12 months ago, they are not eligible to receive Survivor Fund funding again until at least 12 months have passed since their last payment. There is a much greater demand for funding than we ever have available.

You may also email survivorfund@the-network.org with any additional questions.

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.