Grants & Scholarships

MAD HUGS Foundation provides monetary resources and education advancement opportunities to empower survivors of domestic violence, abuse, racism, and people from cultural minorities wanting to rebuild their lives and secure independence for their families and find financial success with the following programs. 

  • Scholarships
  • Small business start-up grants
  • Business Mentoring
  • Home ownership down payment grants

Scholarships are primarily for people going into social work, family law, and trades. However a scholarships may be awarded to anyone with a compelling essay. Share your vision for your life and what your mission will be in life and how you'll make a difference in your community and the world. Our committee will review it and see what we can do help you reach your dreams.  As a recipient of our scholarship program you will also attend cultural competency and anti-racism training and commit to giving back a pre-agreed upon number of pro bono or discounted hours to charitable organizations and those in need.  Email your essay to applications@madhugsfoundation.com and be sure to include the following:  1) Full name, address, and phone number.  2)Tell us about yourself and why you feel you qualify for this scholarship? 3)Education plans.  4)Vision and mission for your life and how you’ll make a difference in your community and the world.  5)What your commitment will be to give back after you complete your training. 

 

Home ownership down payment grants. In order to qualify for a home ownership grant you must demonstrate that you have stable income and are able to qualify for a mortgage. The down payment grant will help purchase a home to stabilize your family and provide an opportunity for equity growth.  As part of the program, you will agree to lien being attached to your home so that in the future when you sell the home or transfer title, you will use a portion of the equity you have built up to return the grant amount plus a pre-agreed upon amount to the foundation - thereby generating smiles and opportunity  for another person. TO APPLY:  Email your essay to applications@madhugsfoundation.org and be sure to include the following:  1) Full name, address, and phone number.  2)Tell us about yourself and why you feel you qualify for this grant program? 3)How much of a down payment grant you are requesting? 4)Pre-approval letter from a qualified lender showing they have verified your income and credit and you qualify for a mortgage.  5)Vision and mission for your life and how you’ll make a difference in your community and in this world. 6)The amount you are willing to gift the down payment program at such time you ever sell the home or transfer title, using the equity you have built up in the home at that time, thereby generating smiles and opportunity for another person.

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Small business start up grants and mentoring. We will review your business plan and and help identify key costs that the foundation can help pay for a specified amount of time. During that time, you will recieve financial mentoring, helping your business be successful. We will also connect you with a volunteer mentor for your industry.  Once the business reaches a point of stabilization and begins to make a profit, you will begin to achieve success, you will begin to "give back" to the small business fund, thereby generating possibility and opportunity for the next grant recipient.   TO APPLY:  Please submit a letter with the following:  1) Full name, address, and phone number.  2)Tell us about yourself and why you feel you qualify for this grant program? 3)How much of a business grant you are requesting and what will it be used for?  4)Business plan and proforma (financial statements forecasted for your business.)  5)Vision and mission for your life and business and how you’ll make a difference in your community and in this world.  6)The amount in monthly contribution over time you are willing to gift the foundation once your business is profitable, thereby making a difference and generating smiles for other people. 

 

4) The fourth program is scholarships from the Denver 2 Starfish Fund and is funded solely through ongoing support of the DEN2 FOC and sales of our Starfish Hoodie Collection.  This program provides scholarships for people going through personal development training programs and scholarships are awarded based on committee review of your application and current funds available. We highly recommend you consider a way you can begin to give back to your community and the world at large as a part of your journey.  Priority is given to applications for attendees of the Atlas Project and we thank the members of the DEN2 Family of Choice for their ongoing support. 

TO APPLY:  Please submit a letter with the following:  1) Full name, address, and phone number.  2)Tell us about yourself and why you feel you qualify for this scholarship program? 3)Are you receiving any other scholarships for the training program?  4) The amount of tuition you will be funding and the efforts you are making to gather tuition.  5)Vision and mission for your life and business and how you’ll make a difference in your community and in this world.  6) How will you make a difference for others when you are in a position to do so?



FAQs

 

How do I apply for scholarships, home ownership grants, and business grants?

Please visit the "Apply" section of our website and complete the inquiry form. We will get back with you shortly to process your application for scholarships and grants.  Priority for scholarships is given to those going into family law and social work, trades programs, and specific job training. 

How do I apply for scholarships, home ownership grants, and business grants? Every grant or scholarship recipient is asked to give back when they are in a position to do so. For example, scholarship recipients going into family law and social work are required to attend a couple awareness trainings, such as cultural competency training for working with cultural minorities, and anti-racism training. Recipients commit to giving back a certain number of pre-agreed upon hours of pro-bono or discounted services to charitable organizations after licensing. 

How much of my donation directy supports the grant and scholarship programs? 100% of monetary donations go directly to support our grant and scholarship programs.  We ensure that when you donate, your donation makes a difference in people's lives. 100% of profits from merchandise sales go toward supporting our programs.  

 

Get Involved

We are always looking for mentors to volunteer. If you would like to be matched with a mentee to provide support as they start their business or go through school, please fill in the information below. For separate donations - please contact us below. We are working on being able to accept monetary donations through this website and will add this option soon.  Meanwhile all donations will be gratefully handled one by one.  You can also support us by purchasing "GET YOUR HUG ON" merchandise from our online shop. 

 

CORPORATE DONOR CUSTOMIZATION:

At MAD HUGS, we love our corporate donors. For any corporate donor ordering quantities of at least 50 hoodies or more you have the option to receive recognition by printing your name on the hoodies as a corporate donor to the MAD HUGS Foundation.  Please contact us for more information and to set up this program with your logo and name on the hoodies. 



Our Merch Brand: Get Your Hug On

 

The Merch section needs to have a landing page that I can direct all shopping to first. The merch line is owned by MAD HUGS Foundation and 100% of profits go to support the MAD HUGS Foundation programs

 

Would like a video that ppps up when they go to the merch section that really paints the picture of what Get Your Hug On is about… something that captures attention and makes them feel connected to the brand. Idk how this will go since the merch section is connected to Pietras fulfillment platform. 

 

“Get Your Hug On” is more than a slogan, more than a brand, more than a catchy phrase to sell hoodies – it’s a mindset of giving and making a difference wherever you can, a lifestyle of making sure people in your life know every day “You matter, I matter, we matter”. It's a way of being that embodies love, support, possibility and joy in such a way that lifts others up to their best selves and the masterpiece of who they are.

 

Get Your Hug On every morning when you choose to be active and take care of your body with a healthy workout routine.  Get Your Hug On when you reach for the phone to let someone know the gift they are to you, or turn on the music and dance with your partner in the kitchen, just because you value them in your life. Get Your Hug On when you volunteer your time with a service organization making a difference in your community, or shovel the snow off your neighbor's walk.  Get Your Hug On when you leave a random love note on your teenagers pillow, or a kind note on a stranger's car. Get Your Hug On when you hold the door open for the person behind you, and when you show up and cheer at your niece or nephew's ball game. Get Your Hug On when you snuggle your kids and tell them you love them, or read books with them before bed. Get Your Hug On when you show up to support your friend going through a rough time, and when you allow someone else to show up for you. Find a way to Get Your Hug On every day, because you deserve to be loved and so do the people in the world around you.