What I've Learned About Grants

I started applying for grants as many do - in college, as a way to offset the costs of my education. I was able to really refine that skill set while seeking to make fertility treatment more affordable. Over about an 18 month period, I applied to seven separate grant programs (listed below). Several of those programs allow applicants to re-submit each grant cycle, so I applied to some more than once. We are lucky enough to have been selected for a grant that will cover a portion of our first transfer cycle. This significantly reduces our financial burden, allowing us to focus on the emotional and physical demands of conceiving and carrying a pregnancy. It is a strategy I would recommend to anyone with the means to apply. The following are some tips I’ve picked up while navigating the world of fertility grants:

• Applying is not free. This came as a surprise to me at first, but each of the grants I applied to has an application fee between $25 and $60 (with the exception of the Fertility IQ Grant). The application fee usually helps to fund awards, and is considered a charitable donation. Keep a record of the payment for your taxes!

• Timing is key. Many grants have a window of time (some as short as 3 months) during which the grant funds can be used. Be sure to check on grant deadlines and disbursement periods to ensure that you would be able to use the grant money if selected.

• Read the fine print. I researched many, many more grants than I actually applied for, because there were factors that disqualified me from most fertility grants. If the organization explicitly excludes singles or same-sex couples from applying, that information tends to be stated on their website. However, other grants may require a diagnosis of infertility, which is often still defined by a 12 month period of unprotected sex without a pregnancy - not exactly how things work for Queer couples. Send an inquiry if possible if you’re worried you might not qualify.

• Be clear on what the grant will cover. This one is similar to the previous tip. Some grants will only pay for medical expenses, but not legal or administrative fees. Others may exclude medication costs. Some grants will only provide payment directly to your clinic, and others will not reimburse costs already incurred. Make sure you know all of these things before you go to the effort of submitting an application.

• Tell a story. If you’ve applied to a college or special program before, you’ll likely remember this advice. Most applicants will probably have comparable medical costs and stats, so use the part of the application where you have creative control to make yourself stand out. If your personal statement tells a compelling story, auditors are more likely to remember (and then select) you.

• Include supplemental documents - within reason. If you’re worried that the application doesn’t tell your story accurately, add a page or two to clarify. For example, I included a page titled “Breakdown of Costs” to explain that while we hadn’t spent much yet on medical expenses, we had spent a large sum on legal expenses as part of the same process.

Below is a list of the grants I applied to. At the time of this posting, they are all are open to applications from same sex couples. Please visit each organization's website for complete and up-to-date information.

• AGC Scholarship Foundation aims to award recipients $1,000-15,000. The application is online only, and has a fee of $25.

• Baby Quest Foundation aims to award recipients $2,000-15,000 each. The application is submitted by mail, and has a fee of $50.

• Family Formation Charitable Trust was founded by the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys. It is one of the few grants here which explicitly covers legal fees as well as medical. They provide awards up to $2,000, and the mail-in application has a fee of $25.

• Fertility IQ is the one grant on this list which you have no excuse not to apply to. Simply submit a review of your fertility clinic to Fertility IQ’s website, and you will automatically be eligible for $10,000, to be paid directly to your clinic. This site (and the reviews section in particular) was a huge resource to me while researching clinics!

• Gift of Parenthood has multiple grant cycles per year. The short online application has a fee of $60.

• Journey to Parenthood aims to provide awards up to $10,000. The application is submitted by mail, and has a fee of $50.

• Starfish Infertility Foundation typically has multiple grant cycles per year. The application is submitted by mail, and has a fee of $50.

Best of luck! Happy applying - and watch out for paper cuts!

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Have you applied for fertility grants? Please list any tips or organizations you've used in the comments!