Hurricane Ian Relief & Recovery Fund
Eligibility and Disbursement Process FAQsWho is eligible to apply?
Phase Two Hurricane Ian Relief & Recovery Initiative funds are restricted to support teachers who were most adversely affected by Hurricane Ian. For the purposes of this plan, a “teacher” is defined as:
- Any instructional staff, which includes guidance counselors, speech-language pathologists, ESE liaisons, classroom teachers, program specialists, and all positions that are not classified (hourly employees) or administrative.
- It also includes active classified school-based support staff (hourly employees), including custodial and food & nutrition services whose primary work site is a Sarasota County school location, including non-profit charter schools.
- It also includes bus drivers.
- Active employees include part-time and full-time status.
These employees must also live in Charlotte County, Lee County, or Sarasota County.
Active employees of Sarasota County Schools classified as instructional staff are eligible to apply if they live on or south of Center Road in Venice or if they currently work at one of these schools:
Elementary: Atwater Elementary School, Cranberry Elementary School, Englewood Elementary School, Garden Elementary School, Glenallen Elementary School, Lamarque Elementary School, Taylor Ranch Elementary School, and Toledo Blade Elementary School
Middle School: Heron Creek Middle School, SKY Academy Englewood Charter School, and Woodland Middle School
High School: North Port High School
Why is only Sarasota County, Charlotte County or DeSoto County included in the eligibility requirement for Grant Process B? Why not Manatee County?
The funds being used for Grant Process B were provided by the Florida Disaster Fund in support of six counties who were most adversely impacted by the hurricane. Manatee County was not identified as one of the six counties.
How do I submit my application?
Submit your application online. You can apply here.
How do I start the online application?
If you’ve never applied for a grant from the Education Foundation, you will need to create a UserID and set up a new account on our online system.
What if I submitted a request to the district but am still awaiting a decision?
Any applications received by the school district after October 21 and before October 31 will be transitioned to this Grant Process B effort. Any pending applications by the district will transition to this Grant Process B effort and will be subject to the eligibility requirements of the Grant Process B process.
What qualifies as a transportation need?
Transportation needs involve the loss of your primary vehicle to Hurricane Ian or the inability to commute to work via your primary vehicle used prior to the hurricane.
Can I appeal my application if it is denied?
No. All decisions are final.
What if I do not receive anything from the Grant Process A?
Unfortunately, all grant decisions are final. Each school has a shared decision-making team that has full discretion on the use of funds. Please contact your school principal for more information.
Why are only teachers included in the Grant Process B?
The funds received for Grant Process B were provided by the Florida Disaster Fund with a restriction that they can only be used for teachers. The Education Foundation must honor the wishes of the donor and is unable to modify the gift agreement.
What if I already received a temporary housing extension? Can I receive a third extension for a temporary housing voucher?
Extensions are granted only once. If you have already received an extension through the school district, you are ineligible for another extension. Temporary housing vouchers are granted twice: the initial voucher and one extension.