Apply Here: English Inquiry Form Versión en Español
Scroll down to read the eligibility requirements
**For fastest service, please email completed grant applications to balmon@fcif.org or outreach@fcif.org.
Resources
- Info Sheet
- Grant Steps Overview
- 2026 Grant Application in English or Spanish - Note there is a Part 2 to the application that you will be emailed after the initial application is processed. We also have an example of a completed grant application that you can review.
- Marketing Toolkit - graphics, posters, flyers, applications, and more that you can download and share!
Eligibility Requirements
- Application Requirements: To determine eligibility for assistance, applicants must submit a completed Financial Assistance Application, a recent tax return, copies of household bills, relevant medical records, and employment documentation.
- Employment Criteria: An applicant or an immediate family member may qualify for assistance if the individual lives in the same household, is financially supported by the applicant or the applicant’s spouse, and has earned their primary income from employment in the floor covering industry for at least five years. For purposes of eligibility, an immediate family member is defined as a spouse, parent, grandparent, child, or grandchild. Employment in the flooring industry must be current or have ended within the past five years, unless the individual left the industry due to retirement or a qualifying illness, injury, or disability, as determined by the Foundation’s severity criteria. Eligible years of employment do not have to be consecutive. For self-employed applicants, industry employment will be verified using the business or industry information reported on Schedule C of the applicant’s tax return.
- Medical Criteria: The applicant must have a life-altering hardship, such as a severe medical crisis, life-altering injury, or disability, diagnosed by a practicing, licensed physician.
- Financial Criteria: The applicant or immediate family member must demonstrate significant financial need, with limited income and expenses that exceed the household’s ability to meet basic living needs.
Grants
- Grants may be provided for medical expenses or basic necessities such as food, housing, and utilities. Financial assistance is based on each applicant’s individual circumstances and demonstrated need.
- Grants may be awarded on a one-time basis for a specific procedure or expense, or they may be provided as a monthly stipend.
- Grant amounts are determined based on documented financial need and are awarded at the discretion of the Grant Distribution Committee of the Foundation Board of Directors. All decisions of the Committee are final.
Instructions
- Please complete all sections of the Financial Assistance Application and provide all requested documentation. All information submitted will be considered when evaluating eligibility and the urgency of need. Incomplete applications or missing documentation may delay the review process.
Conditions & Limitations
- All grant recipients must provide ongoing medical and financial reports and documentation as requested by the Foundation as a condition of continued assistance.
- Financial assistance will be reviewed every six months. Any continued assistance will be determined by the Grant Distribution Committee of the Foundation Board of Directors based on the recipient’s current circumstances and available funding.
- In the event of a recipient’s death, the Foundation must be notified within two weeks of the recipient’s passing. Notification may be provided in writing to FCIF, 855 Abutment Rd. #1, Dalton, GA 30721, or by telephone at 855-330-1183. Due to limited funding, grants are not available for funeral, burial, or other postmortem expenses.