The Northern New England Clinical Oncology Society (NNECOS) offers the Cancer Community Support Emergency Need Grants to address the urgent financial and food insecurity needs of cancer patients across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The grant program is targeted specifically at patients undergoing hematology/oncology treatment or those receiving palliative care as they transition toward hospice. It is not intended for long-term survivors who are not in active treatment. The funder, NNECOS, aims to reduce the financial toxicity associated with cancer care by facilitating emergency aid through nonprofit intermediaries with the infrastructure to deliver direct patient support.

Grants are awarded exclusively to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, not individuals. Eligible organizations must demonstrate their capacity to distribute emergency assistance effectively to cancer patients in Northern New England. Each awarded grant is expected to serve at least six patients, with an average award per patient targeted at $375. Importantly, the funds provided through this grant do not count against any existing per-patient annual assistance caps, allowing organizations flexibility in maximizing patient outreach.

Applications for this grant are accepted on a rolling basis. Submissions received by the end of each month are reviewed during that month’s cycle, and award decisions are communicated by the 15th of the following month. Although organizations are typically eligible to apply only once per year, if funds remain in the fourth quarter, past recipients may be invited to reapply. Pilot program grant recipients are permitted to apply upon program launch.

A critical component of the grant is the mandatory reporting requirement. Awardees must submit a utilization report within 60 days of receiving funds. If funds remain after the initial reporting period, subsequent reports are required every 30 days. NNECOS strongly encourages recipients to include patient vignettes or stories to be shared with the broader community, although patient confidentiality should be preserved.

Funding decisions are guided by a rubric-based evaluation, and efforts are made to ensure equitable geographic distribution of the funds across the three eligible states. All applications must be submitted through the online portal provided by NNECOS.