FAQ

General

What is the Advantage Associate Support Fund?
The Advantage Associate Support Fund is a charitable program funded by our associates, board members and private equity partners. It provides cash grants – not loans – to eligible colleagues in need as a result of disasters or personal hardship.

Where can I apply for a grant or make a donation?
Please visit the Apply page to begin the grant application process. To make a donation, please visit the Donate page.

Who can I contact with questions regarding a grant application or how to make a donation?
Please contact 833.386.0340 or email advantagesolutions@e4erelief.org Monday through Friday, 8am - 8pm ET.

What is the Advantage Fund Number?
Advantage Associate Support Fund 3745.

Who is E4E Relief?
E4E Relief is a wholly owned subsidiary of Foundation For The Carolinas, a 501(c)(3) public charity. With more than a decade of experience serving clients across the United States, E4E Relief is the nation's leading provider of employee disaster and hardship funds.

Applying

How can I determine if I’m eligible for a grant?
Please see the Program Eligibility section on the Apply page. 

The application requests information around personal circumstances, income level, number in household, etc. Will this information be used to determine my eligibility for a grant?
Only the information listed under Program Eligibility on the Apply page of the website above will be used to determine eligibility. All other information requested on the application is used for reporting purposes by E4E.

Will my personal information collected through the application be shared with Advantage?
Your information is held in confidence and not shared with Advantage, unless you opt to share your story by selecting ‘YES’ on the last question of the application. Even if consent to share is given, Advantage will only see an associate’s name, qualifying event and award amount. All other data is reported in aggregate. Sharing your story is completely voluntary and has no bearing on your ability to receive a grant.

Are the grants received considered taxable income?
No, the grants received are not considered taxable income.

Do I need a bank account in order to receive a grant?
No. If you do not have a checking account, please select “Check” when asked for preferred method of payment in the application. A check will be mailed to the address provided.

As part of the application, if I request to receive payment notification by Text, what type of text message should I expect to receive?
You will receive a text message from Zelle stating that you have received funds from Bank of America: Relief Fund. To receive payment via digital disbursement, you will need to click the link that is provided and register.

For information on how to enroll and receive your payment via Zelle, please refer to the Zelle Enrollment Guide. You can enroll with Zelle before you have been approved to receive a grant.

Can I receive more than one grant per year?
Yes, an eligible associate may receive more than one grant within a 12-month period provided the total amount doesn’t exceed $1000.

As part of the application, I’m requesting a grant to help cover expenses related to the death of an extended family member.  How does Advantage define this? 
Beyond a spouse/registered domestic partner and children, extended family member can include siblings, step-siblings, parents, step-parents, grandparents, step-grandparents, grandchildren and step-grandchildren. 

For a natural disaster, what is covered under short-term evacuation expenses and when do these expenses need to be submitted?
Short-term expenses related to a catastrophic disaster include clothing, food, transportation (evacuation/mileage) and hotel. An associate must submit the request for assistance within 45 days of the event’s occurrence.

How should I apply for financial assistance for a hardship resulting from COVID-19?
As part of the application, please select the event that best describes your hardship, e.g., Short-Term Illness, Death, etc.  For hospitalization expenses resulting from COVID-19, please select Infectious Disease Outbreak (Epidemic/Pandemic) from the list of events. 

Can I apply for a grant while on a leave of absence (LOA) from work?
Your employee status must be that of an active associate to be considered for a grant. If you are on leave, please wait 4-6 weeks after returning to work before applying for a grant.

Can I submit more than one application for multiple or recurring expenses related to the same event?
Only a single grant can be awarded per event. If there are multiple or recurring expenses related to a single event, you can combine all these related expenses in a single grant application. Grants up to $1000 may be awarded in a 12-month period. 

If I have had a recent complication or development related to a pre-existing medical condition, could my recent medical expenses be considered as an eligible expense for a short-term illness event application?
Yes, with appropriate documentation, a grant could be reviewed in this case.

Giving

Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. Because the Advantage Associate Support Fund is a component fund of E4E Relief, and not a private foundation, Advantage associates can make tax-deductible donations to the Advantage Associate Support Fund, which can subsequently make tax-free grants to qualifying associates.

Is there a minimum donation amount?
No, there is no minimum donation amount.

Can donations be directed to a specific associate?
No, all donations are collected and added to the general fund that supports ALL eligible Advantage associates.