Understanding the FirstService Relief Fund Documentation Requirements       

The FirstService Relief Fund was designed to help our team members facing personal financial hardship.

Although the application process is pretty straight forward, applicants are sometimes surprised to learn about the documentation requirements. This is a topic we get many questions about.

Understanding what documents are required – and why – will help streamline the process for our applicants and ensure grants are processed quickly.

Why is documentation required?

Documentation is required to support the circumstances under which you are applying for a grant, and also to show a financial hardship.

The types of documentation to support a qualified event could include:

  • Photos

  • Insurance claim

  • Repair estimates

  • FMLA documentation

  • Doctor’s note

  • Police report

  • Obituary

Because our Fund is subject to IRS regulations, which follows a “needs based” evaluation process, you will need to provide evidence of financial impact. This could include documentation describing loss of income due to illness or quarantine, medical bills, funeral expenses, repair estimates for damage to a residence not covered by insurance, etc. The circumstances under which you apply for a grant will dictate which forms of documentation are required.

How can I expedite my application?

Having the necessary documents available when you apply will help your application move through the process quickly. It’s a good idea to have the necessary documents available when you apply. And if you don’t have a scanner at home, not to worry. Employee Assistance Foundation, or EAF, our Fund’s administrator, accepts photos of documents taken on a smart phone.

What’s the typical turnaround time for my application?

We understand the sense of urgency one has when applying for a grant, so we do everything we can to help process the application as quickly as possible. After your application is submitted, you will receive an email confirmation from EAF (sometimes these emails will go to a junk or spam folder, so you will want to check there if you haven’t received a confirmation). Next, EAF will verify your application by contacting your employer to confirm you meet eligibility requirements. Assuming that checks out, and you have provided documentation timely, your grant can be processed and paid in as little as a week!

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

We have established a hotline set up to answer questions or to help with applications. This line is staffed by the professionals at EAF who are available to help you. Please call 888-497-4114 with any questions.

For more information about the FirstService Relief Fund, please visit  https://purpose.firstservice.com/our-people-firstservice-relief-fund/