Apply for Disaster Relief

Proceeds from the Caltech and JPL Disaster Relief Fund (The Fund) will help with immediate financial support to Caltech and JPL affected students and employees, including staff, faculty, and postdoctoral scholars, whose lives have been significantly impacted by this tragedy, whether they've lost their homes, are displaced, or are experiencing some other dire situation due to the Los Angeles County wildfires.

We are humbled by the tremendous outpouring of donations from staff, Trustees, faculty, donors, alumni, parents, and friends of Caltech and JPL. The goal is to distribute the funds equitably and expeditiously to members of our community.

Disaster relief grant funding is provided to eligible members of the Caltech and JPL community in the form of a one-time grant of up to $3,000 per household, subject to applicable taxes, while funds are available. This funding is not a loan nor is it intended to replace existing support from insurance companies or other sources.

Applications will be reviewed starting at 11 a.m. (PST) on Saturday, January 18, on a first come basis by representatives from Caltech and JPL, with the support of human resources, budget, and finance departments.

Employee beneficiaries must be employed by Caltech at the time of the disaster in one of the following classifications: Caltech staff and faculty members, JPL employees, and all postdoctoral scholars working at Caltech or JPL.

Student beneficiaries include students currently enrolled in a Caltech undergraduate or graduate program.

Beneficiaries must have incurred expenses resulting from the Los Angeles County wildfires and have not been reimbursed by other sources.

Examples of economic loss include, but are not limited to:

• Loss, damage to, or destruction of real or personal property.
• Loss related to displacement from the individual's primary residence for 72 hours or longer.
• Food insecurity, childcare, and safety-related needs resulting from the emergency.

Funds will be restricted to one grant per household.
If eligible spouse, domestic partner, or child working at Caltech living in the same household is applying for the same grant for the same qualifying event for which you are applying, only one payment will be distributed.

Applications will be reviewed starting at 11 a.m. (PST) on Saturday, January 18, on a first come basis, while funds are available.

Eligible beneficiaries may apply for a grant of up to $3,000 to defray immediate costs associated with this disaster.

• You may apply for a lesser amount if your losses are less than the standard grant amount.
• If you have received the $1,000 financial assistance in response to the JPL-Caltech Disaster Relief Survey fund, the maximum amount you can receive from this fund is $2,000. You can request a lesser amount if your losses are less.
• Grants to undergraduate students will be administered through the Caltech Student Emergency Fund. In addition, if a student has received other assistance from the Student Emergency Fund for wildfire related losses, their grant from the Caltech and JPL Disaster Relief Fund may be reduced to offset the amount of such grant.

Additional support will be considered at the discretion of Caltech-JPL.

If you are approved for funding, payments may be made in the form of electronic deposit or check.

Payments to beneficiaries will be made in compliance with applicable IRS and other legal requirements and are intended not to be taxable for income tax purposes under Federal and California law. Generally, grants distributed will not be subject to Federal or California personal income taxes but may be subject to certain California payroll taxes that will be deducted from the grant. To the extent the expenses covered by the grant from the Disaster Relief Fund are reimbursed or covered by insurance or another source, please notify Human Resources as this may affect the taxability of the grant payment.

Caltech retains the sole discretion for determining eligibility and making grant decisions.

No fees or overhead are applied to the Caltech and JPL Disaster Relief Fund.

In addition to the examples provided in the Eligibility section above, the following are examples of eligible expenses:

• Replacement of necessary and essential personal effects.
• Temporary housing assistance which could include additional rent, security deposit, or short-term hotel costs incurred to relocate.
• Unexpected medical or mental health costs related to the emergency and not covered by insurance.
• Unplanned transportation expenses related to the emergency.

Complete the Disaster Relief Fund Application [application link will be live at 11 a.m. (PST) on Saturday, January 18, 2025]. Verification of primary address may be required. Other documentation may also be requested during the application process.

Applications will be reviewed on a first come basis as they are received, while funds are available. Beneficiaries will be notified of their status generally within three business days.

Please consult with your financial advisor and/or tax advisor regarding receiving money from the Caltech and JPL Disaster Relief Fund regarding any personal tax implications and to determine any impact on your insurance or FEMA payments. Ideally, the grant from the Disaster Relief Fund will not otherwise be reimbursed or covered by insurance or another source.

If you have questions, please reach out to:

Updates can be found here: https://www.caltech.edu/fire.

Learn more or make a gift to the Caltech and JPL Disaster Relief Fund.