Bronco Employee Relief Fund
Program Overview
The Bronco Employee Relief Fund offers one-time grants to assist with unexpected financial hardships. These grants are designed to alleviate immediate burdens and help employees navigate challenging times. To ensure that the Bronco Employee Relief Fund supports employees experiencing urgent and unforeseen financial hardship, eligible emergencies must meet the following conditions:
- Be unexpected, not the result of planned or anticipated expenses
- Be clearly documented with supporting materials
- Cause a significant, immediate financial impact
Examples of qualifying emergencies:
- Declared Natural Disasters
- Fires, floods, earthquakes, or other state/federal/local-declared disasters that cause damage, loss of housing, or displacement.
- Requires proof of residence in the impacted area and evidence of loss or required repairs.
- Medical or Dental Emergencies (Uninsured/Underinsured)
- Urgent procedures not covered by insurance that result in substantial out-of-pocket costs.
- Must include medical/dental invoices, insurance denial, and proof that costs could not be deferred or paid via installment plans.
- Death of an Immediate Family Member
- Includes funeral costs, cremation/burial services, or travel for immediate family member bereavement.
- Must be recent (within 3 months) and documented with a death certificate or equivalent.
- Violent Crime or Major Accident (Affecting the Employee or Dependents)
- Includes domestic violence, major auto accidents, or theft resulting in immediate financial need (e.g., home or vehicle loss).
- Must be supported by a police report, insurance claim, or repair invoice.
- Risk of Eviction or Foreclosure
- Must provide a formal eviction notice or mortgage default warning with clear dates and amounts owed.
- General rent struggles without formal notices do not qualify.
- Utility Shut-Off Notices
- Electricity, gas, or water services in danger of termination due to overdue bills.
- Requires official shut-off notice with disconnection date.
- Mental Health Crisis (Immediate Financial Impact)
- Emergency mental health treatment or hospitalization, or urgent therapy needs where insurance provides no coverage.
- Documentation must include a provider's invoice and insurance denial or explanation of benefits.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for assistance, applicants must:
- Be a current faculty or staff member at Cal Poly Pomona
- Demonstrate an urgent financial need with supporting documentation
- Experience an unforeseen emergency or crisis impacting personal and professional well-being
Common Examples of Ineligible Requests
- Accumulated debt or credit card balances
- Back taxes or IRS-related liabilities
- Routine or planned travel (even for memorials or cultural customs)
- Medical or dental costs without evidence of urgency or insurance denial
- General cost-of-living increases, budgeting shortfalls, or expenses from non-CPP employment
- Housing issues without eviction risk or formal notice
- Applications with missing or unclear documentation
Application Process
- Submit Application: Complete the Bronco Employee Relief Fund Application Form.
- Confirmation: After submission, you'll receive a confirmation message acknowledging receipt.
- Review: Your application will be reviewed by a selection committee, and you'll be notified of the decision via email.
Note: The entire process may take a few weeks to allow for all submissions to be thoroughly reviewed by the selection committee.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To qualify for assistance, applicants must:
- Be a current faculty or staff member at Cal Poly Pomona
- Demonstrate an urgent financial need with supporting documentation
- Experience an unforeseen emergency or crisis impacting personal and professional well-being
Common Examples of Ineligible Requests
- Accumulated debt or credit card balances
- Back taxes or IRS-related liabilities
- Routine or planned travel (even for memorials or cultural customs)
- Medical or dental costs without evidence of urgency or insurance denial
- General cost-of-living increases, budgeting shortfalls, or expenses from non-CPP employment
- Housing issues without eviction risk or formal notice
- Applications with missing or unclear documentation
Examples of qualifying emergencies:
- Declared Natural Disasters
- Fires, floods, earthquakes, or other state/federal/local-declared disasters that cause damage, loss of housing, or displacement.
- Requires proof of residence in the impacted area and evidence of loss or required repairs.
- Medical or Dental Emergencies (Uninsured/Underinsured)
- Urgent procedures not covered by insurance that result in substantial out-of-pocket costs.
- Must include medical/dental invoices, insurance denial, and proof that costs could not be deferred or paid via installment plans.
- Death of an Immediate Family Member
- Includes funeral costs, cremation/burial services, or travel for immediate family member bereavement.
- Must be recent (within 3 months) and documented with a death certificate or equivalent.
- Violent Crime or Major Accident (Affecting the Employee or Dependents)
- Includes domestic violence, major auto accidents, or theft resulting in immediate financial need (e.g., home or vehicle loss).
- Must be supported by a police report, insurance claim, or repair invoice.
- Risk of Eviction or Foreclosure
- Must provide a formal eviction notice or mortgage default warning with clear dates and amounts owed.
- General rent struggles without formal notices do not qualify.
- Utility Shut-Off Notices
- Electricity, gas, or water services in danger of termination due to overdue bills.
- Requires official shut-off notice with disconnection date.
- Mental Health Crisis (Immediate Financial Impact)
- Emergency mental health treatment or hospitalization, or urgent therapy needs where insurance provides no coverage.
- Documentation must include a provider's invoice and insurance denial or explanation of benefits.
- A detailed explanation of the emergency and its financial impact.
- Supporting documents such as invoices, bills, or official notices that clearly show:
- Total amount owed.
- Date of the service or emergency.
- Proof of insurance denial or ineligibility, if applicable.
- Evidence of efforts to resolve the financial obligation, such as payment plans or communications with service providers.
- Routine or elective medical/dental procedures.
- Utility bills, unless under extraordinary, documented circumstances.
- Tax-related debts.
- Bereavement-related travel, unless exceptional circumstances are documented.
Approved funds are processed through Enterprise Financial Services. If you have direct deposit set up, funds will be deposited directly into your account within a few business days. Otherwise, a check will be mailed to your address on file.
Please note that funds will be approved based on funding availability.
Yes. If you are awarded funding, you will be notified by email and given 30 calendar days from the date of that notification to complete the appropriate documentation to disburse funds.
If we do not receive your completed VDR form within those 30 days, you will forfeit the funds, and the money will be reallocated to support other employees in need.
Please note: The Bronco Employee Relief Fund is a donation-based program with limited resources. We are committed to fairness and transparency, and it would not be equitable to hold funding indefinitely when other applicants may be experiencing urgent hardship. Make sure to check your email and complete the form promptly to avoid losing your award.
Employees may submit one application every 12 months. This policy helps ensure that limited funds remain available to support as many employees as possible who are facing emergency situations.
However, exceptions may be considered in extraordinary circumstances, such as:
- A new qualifying emergency (not related to a previous application)
- Emergencies related to a federal, state, or local declared disaster
Support the Bronco Employee Relief Fund
Your generosity can make a significant difference in the lives of our faculty and staff during challenging times. To contribute to the Bronco Employee Relief Fund, please visit our donation page.
Together, we uphold the spirit of the Bronco community by supporting each other through life's unexpected challenges.
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