FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We understand you might have some questions about BOOST, and we're here to help!

Below, you'll find answers to the most common questions regarding eligibility, applications, the review process, and more. Whether you're an early education business owner, interested donor, or teacher in need, this page is designed to provide you with all the information you need to get involved with our BOOST non-profit

If you can't find the answer you're looking for, feel free to contact our Executive Director Kate Hubschman at khubschman@hingeadvisors.com. We're always here to assist you!

  • Business owners or multi-site managers of licensed private preschool facilities may nominate an eligible teacher who is in need of financial support. The business should be located in the United States, open and operating, and in good standing. We would recommend advising the nominated teacher about the submission on their behalf in the event that our review team requires additional information or would like to speak to the teacher personally. Please note we do not accept applications from center directors.

    • Full time employees (30+ hours/ week)

    • Spend 50% of their time in the classroom (Directors are not eligible)

    • Employed by the nominator for at least 90 days

    • In good standing

  • BOOST provides grants for:

    • Overdue rent/mortgage payments

    • Overdue utility bills

    • Necessary home repairs

    • Overdue Medical Bill for Self, Spouse or Child

    • Necessary Procedure or Prescription Costs

    • Funeral Costs for Immediate Family Member

    • Overdue Insurance and/or Car Payment

    • Down Payment for a Vehicle

    • Necessary Vehicle Repairs

    • Other Transportation Costs Affecting Work Attendance

    • Food Insecurity (Note: BOOST Pantry assistance is only be provided in addition to other home or health crisis support.)

    • Bills That are Not Due/ Overdue

    • General Creditor Bills

    • General Credit Card Bills

    • Non-Immediate Family Member Medical Expenses

    • Traffic Tickets

    • Financial Aid Payments

    • College Tuition for Self or Immediate Family Members

    • Home Upgrades or Improvement Projects

    • Legal Bills

    • Wage Garnishment Reimbursements

    • Cosmetic Dental Procedures

    • Tuition Payments

    • Future Costs for Maternity Leave

    • Projected Expenses for Time Off

    • A specific amount you are requesting up to $10,000.

    • A detailed explanation of the teacher’s need for the grant,

    • Correct contact information for nominator and teacher in need,

    • Documentation of the need (your application will not be reviewed without appropriate supporting documents. See below for documents accepted).

    Applications that are missing any of these components may be considered incomplete or face delays in processing.

  • Supporting documents include current bills that clearly display the payor’s name, the amount due, and the due date. Some examples include:

    • A utility bill that was issued no more than 45 days ago and includes the applicant’s name;

    • A rental statement showing the overdue amount and date;

    • Past due medical bills that have already been processed through insurance

  • Each application is carefully reviewed by our team to determine if the teacher’s need falls within our mission here at BOOST and the appropriate funding needed. Generally, the life of an application takes less than two weeks to receive a final determination — some applications are addressed quicker than others and are reviewed in the order in which they are received.

  • Not all applications can be funded by our organization. If you believe your application should be re-reviewed, you may submit a new application no less than 90 days after the original dismissal. Please remember to provide updated documentation when submitting your new application.

  • Yes. Each nominator may submit a maximum of three (3) applications per location, per calendar year. This includes any applications that are dismissed or not approved. Additionally, each teacher may receive BOOST assistance no more than two (2) times total from our organization. These limits help ensure we can support as many teachers as possible with our available resources.

  • It depends. If the Board deems it appropriate to contact the nominee, they may do so to ask additional questions and make an informed decision. We would ask that the nominee respond to any requests of the review board within three (3) days. The more detail about the nominee’s current situation as well as supporting documentation, the more efficiently our review team can address the application. 

  • Yes. We strongly recommend that nominators research and explore local and national benefit programs for which the teacher in need may qualify prior to submitting an application. As part of the application process, nominators will be asked to provide information about the programs they have investigated or applied for.

  • BOOST has the ultimate goal of helping teachers to succeed both professionally and personally. Learning the essentials to budgeting, tackling debts and goal setting will give applicants the tools they need to move forward with their lives with reduced financial stress.  Our Care Team specializes in connecting applicants with local and national resources that you may not even know are available to you.  For more information on our educational component, please contact wcarper@boostbyhinge.org.