Portable Caregiving Grant
Northwestern's Portable Caregiving Grant is intended to help mitigate the financial and accessibility burdens caregivers currently face. The grant complements our center-based fee assistance program and may be used for care at centers outside our center partnerships as well as for home day cares and in-home care.
Click here to complete the Portable Caregiving Grant application. All application information will be kept confidential.
About the Portable Caregiving Grant
The Portable Caregiving Grant provides single payment taxable grants of up to $1,500 to help Northwestern full-time benefits-eligible faculty and staff offset the costs incurred of caregiving for their dependent child(ren) and/or adult/senior dependents.
Eligibility requirements
- For the care of children under the age of 14 or a child over age 13, parent, sibling or in-law-who is incapable of self-care.
- Total annual combined household income (including base salaries, summer salaries, additional assignments, additional bonuses, etc.) must be $150,000 or less, as documented on their most recent tax return.
- All parents/guardians must be employed or in school full-time (as is consistent with Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account rules).
- Recipients cannot be receiving fee assistance or scholarship funds from another source, including Northwestern center-based childcare fee assistance and the Northwestern Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Match Program.
- Recipients must be in good standing. Staff and faculty on leave are not eligible.
- In accordance with the Internal Revenue Code and related Regulations, certain employer provided dependent care assistance is considered taxable income. The University is reporting employer provided childcare fee assistance on Form W-2.
Subsidy amounts and limits
- Applicants with total combined annual household income (including base salaries, summer salaries, additional assignments, additional bonuses, etc.) of up to $75,000 will be eligible to receive up to $1,250 for one dependent and up to $1,500 for two or more dependents.
- Applicants with total annual combined household income (including base salaries, summer salaries, additional assignments, additional bonuses, etc.) of between $75,001 and $150,000 are eligible to receive up to $750 for one dependent and up to $1,000 for two or more dependents.
| Salary Range | One Dependent | Two+ Dependents |
| $0-$75,000 | $1,250 | $1,500 |
| $75,001-$150,000 | $750 | $1,000 |
Application window and process
- Applications will be accepted from August 1, 2023 through the end of Summer Quarter 2024.
- Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and will be reviewed based on the eligibility criteria and the availability of funds.
- Approved funds are distributed via Add Pay (Payroll) and automatically deposited in approved applicants’ accounts, subject to the usual taxes and in accordance with the University’s standard payroll schedule.
- The University reserves the right to audit grants prior to or after approval to validate that grantees meet eligibility requirements.
Questions?
- For any questions regarding the Portable Caregiving Grant, please contact wellbeing@northwestern.edu.