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JFF Fertility Grants

How do I apply for a grant?

The First Step

No matter what stage you are in, the first step for applying for a grant is to have a need for fertility treatment.

How do I receive proof of my need for fertility treatment?

  • Visit a reproductive endocrinologist for a consultation and workup. Please note: you must be working with one of our clinic partners. Visit your city’s page to view a complete list of clinic partners in your area.
  • If you have questions about your diagnosis or anything else, reach out to one of our JFF staff members or reach out to our partners at CoFertility.
  • Get a basic fertility workup consisting of:
    1. AMH
    2. Semen Analysis (unless paying for a sperm donor)
    3. HSG
    4. Ultrasound for uterine architecture
    5. Bloodwork for ovarian reserve and FSH levels
    6. BMI
    7. AFC
  • Have your Reproductive endocrinologist complete the Medical Form, which you will need to submit along with the rest of your application.
Medical Form

Should I apply?

If you’ve received a medical infertility diagnosis or have a need for fertility treatment to build your family, you may be qualified to apply for a JFF grant.

Can I apply?

  • Must live in a JFF Community
  • Must be receiving treatment at one of our clinic partners; visit your city’s webpage for a complete list of clinic partners in your area
  • Have at least 1 Jewish parent with the intention of raising the child Jewish (Jewish = as from birth or conversion from any denomination)
  • Be a non-smoker, non-drug user
  • May already have up to one child 
  • NOT eligible if fertility treatments are due to vasectomy or BTL (bilateral tubal ligation)

Optional but encouraged: JScreen Carrier Testing

If you’re currently family planning or in the early stages of pregnancy, you might consider genetic carrier testing. JScreen, a national non-profit, provides comprehensive screening of diseases including ones prevalent in the Jewish community.

The screening involves a $49 program fee which includes $10 for access to our genetic counselors and care navigators, and $39 for a 3rd party physician test order. The lab fee will depend on several factors, including the individual’s insurance plan and any copay or unmet deductible. More than 80% of individuals pay $0 out-of-pocket to the lab because their insurance companies cover carrier screening.

Once the lab receives your kit, you will be sent a personalized cost estimate letting them know what your insurance is likely to cover, what your additional out-of-pocket costs are expected to be, and what your options are. If your insurance does not pay for testing, are uninsured, or have a high unmet deductible, you can forgo insurance and directly pay a self-pay price of $249. If you cannot afford testing, there are financial assistance programs available for those who qualify.

Fertility Medication is EXPENSIVE! Here’s how we can help… 

JFF partners with pharmacies to provide discounts to JFF clients. Reach out to your city manager to find out more!

 

Funding FAQs

How much money does JFF offer its grantees?

IVF Grants 

  • Atlanta: $1,000 – $10,000
  • Birmingham: $1,000 – $10,000
  • Cincinnati: $1,000 – $10,000
  • Cleveland: $1,000 – $10,000
  • Denver: $1,000 – $10,000
  • Detroit: $1,000 – $10,000
  • Greater DC: $1,000 – $10,000
  • Pittsburgh: $1,000 – $10,000
  • South Florida: $1,000 – $10,000

Additionally:

  • Each of our partnering clinics offers a significant discount to JFF grantees.  Please note that the discount might not apply to their baby guarantee programs.
  • JFF offers up to $20,000 of Interest-Free loans to grantees, through our partnering organizations.
  • JFF partners with National Pharmacies to offer clients fertility medication discounts.

IUI Grants

$1,000 

Does it matter which clinic I use?

Yes, you must use one of the fertility clinics listed below. Please note, each of these clinics offers IVF and IUI discounts to JFF Grantees of approximately 20%. (The discount might not apply to their baby guarantee or ‘shared risk’ programs since those are already significantly discounted. The discount is also for self-pay patients only.)

ATLANTA

BIRMINGHAM

CINCINNATI

CLEVELAND

DENVER

DETROIT

GREATER-DC

PITTSBURGH

SOUTH FLORIDA

What part of the IVF process can a JFF grant be applied to?

JFF grants can be applied to the cost of an egg retrieval and/or embryo transfer at one of JFF’s Partner Fertility Clinics. 

If I am selected to receive grant money from JFF, how will the money be distributed?

  • If selected to receive a grant from JFF, the money will be sent directly to the fertility clinic to cover fertility treatments. The recipient will not receive money directly.
  •  We will work with you and the clinic to coordinate receipt of funds in a manner that ensures your treatments can proceed smoothly.
  • See below for notes on how JFF offers grants for Baby Guarantee Programs.

Do JFF Fertility Grants cover Shared Risk Program?

Yes, with the following notes:

  • No clinic discounts are applied to the Shared Risk Program.
  • JFF will pay the full grant upfront, prior to treatment.
  • If the patient is removed from the program, 100% of the funds from the JFF Fertility Grant go back to JFF (the patient pays for any administration fees).
  • If there is no success through the terms of the clinic agreement, JFF is reimbursed for the full grant amount.
  • The Shared Risk Program may also known as the Baby Guarantee Program.

Do JFF Fertility Grants cover egg freezing?

JFF does not provide grants for egg freezing (for women who are freezing their eggs for the future, but not planning to have kids right away).

How much funding is typically awarded for the IVF grant?

  • Each case is considered individually based on treatment costs and the applicant’s financial situation. And all applicants will be required to make a personal contribution to the cost of treatment.
  • JFF IVF Grants generally range between $1,000 and $10,000.
  • Additionally, each of our participating clinics offers IVF discounts to JFF IVF Grantees of approximately 20%.  Please note that the discount might not apply toward their baby guarantee programs.
  • All Atlanta, GA residents are eligible to receive a $10,000 interest-free loan through our local partner, JIFLA.  On the application, you can check a box to let us know if you want us to share your application with JIFLA.
  • All Birmingham, AL residents are eligible to receive a $3,000 interest-free loan through our local partner, The Birmingham Jewish Foundation. On the application, you can check a box to let us know if you want us to share your application with the Foundation.
  • All Cincinnati, OH residents are eligible to receive a $7,500 interest-free loan through our local partners, the Hebrew Free Loan Society. On the application, you can check a box to let us know if you want us to share your application with The Hebrew Free Loan.
  • All Cleveland, OH residents are eligible to receive up to a $10,000 interest-free loan through our local partner, the Hebrew Free Loan of Northeast Ohio.
  • All Detroit, MI residents are eligible to receive up to a $20,000 interest-free loan through our local partner, the Hebrew Free Loan of Detroit.
  • All Greater DC area residents are eligible to receive up to a $20,000 interest-free loan through our local partner, The Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Washington.
  • All South Florida residents (Miami-Dade and Broward counties) are eligible to receive up to a $24,000 interest-free loan through our local partner, The Hebrew Free Loan Association of Miami Fertility Loan Fund.
  • All Pittsburgh, PA residents are eligible to receive up to a $10,000 interest-free loan through our partner, the Hebrew Free Loan Association of Pittsburgh.

What does the IVF grant cover/not cover?

  • The grant money will cover treatments performed on the applicant at the fertility clinic for a new IVF cycle.
  • The IVF grant might cover Money Back Guarantee Programs through your clinic, but the discount will not apply in these cases since the treatments are already discounted.

How long do I have to use the funding?

Funding must be used within 1 year.

Can I apply for a 2nd grant? What steps do I need to take?

  • Yes! You can apply for up to 2 JFF grants. Please email Sarah Shah the following information without submitting an entirely new application:
    • Personal Statement: Add a few sentences in red on top of your (previous) personal statement addressing why you are requiring an additional grant.
    • Medical – New form required: Please have your physician complete and sign the medical form (download here). Please be sure your physician either clearly notes the reason(s)/explanation for the previous failed cycle(s) OR attaches the ovarian/embryo flow sheets.
    • Financials- ONLY required if your grant application was from the previous year: JFF Applicant Financials (download here) + Last two (2) Federal income tax returns for both applicants + Two (2) most recent pay stubs for both applicants + Two (2) most recent Forms W-2 for both applicants

Can JFF pay for things like genetic testing or labs done through my clinic?

  •  First, your grant must go to fully paying the fertility clinic
  • If and only if funds remain, we can pay directly to the lab/pharmacy if an invoice is provided

Can JFF pay for surrogacy?

  • While we do not cover the cost of a gestational carrier or a surrogate, we will cover the medical portion:
    • IUI grant Grant Size – $1,000
    • IVF grant (up to 2)
    • IVF – up to $10,000
    • Frozen Embryo Transfer Grant Size – $2,500
    • 20% Clinic Discount
    • Jscreen valued at $299
    • Medication Discounts

How is my privacy protected when submitting all these documents with my application?

To protect privacy, all applicants are given a number upon receipt. The financial documents which have your identifying information on them are only reviewed by the Financial Qualifications Committee (FQC) Chairperson. The medical form is reviewed only by our Director of Operations and a pair of Reproductive Endocrinologists from our Medical Advisory Council before a medical score is determined, which is combined with a financial score assigned by the FQC.

We use Formstack for our application due to their high standards and stringent data security measures. “Formstack is committed to upholding the highest standards of data privacy and security. Formstack for Salesforce is built on the Force.com platform and has undergone and passed Salesforce’s stringent security review procedure for its AppExchange partners.

Here are some ways that Formstack for Salesforce ensures that we encrypt all customer data:

  • We’ve implemented encryption in transmission and storage of data. All form submission data that is temporarily stored on our servers is encrypted using AES symmetric key encryption.
  • All traffic to and from your Salesforce instance is transmitted using HTTPS with a CA-signed server certificate. This means that any data that is intercepted during transmission between our servers and Salesforce’s servers is encrypted.

Can I be awarded a grant even if I have some insurance coverage?

For most of our partner clinics, the answer is yes, you can still be awarded a grant if you have some insurance coverage.  However, you will most likely not be eligible for any clinic discounts or matching grants on top of your grant award if you have any insurance at all. There are a very few exceptions to this; please discuss with your location’s manager.

I read through the FAQs and would like to apply

Apply for a JFF Grant

If you’ve read all of the Funding FAQs, you can continue with an application. Please be specific, accurate, detailed and thoughtful as possible in your responses to the financial questions. For the ‘previous treatment expenses’, an estimate is fine.

IUI Grant ApplicationIVF Grant Application

How are the grant decisions made?

How we decide

Each case is individually considered based on treatment costs and the applicant’s financial situation. And all applicants will be required to make a personal contribution to the cost of treatment.

Grant decisions are generally made within 2-4 weeks after the application is received.

Check out this short video interview where Elana, our CEO & Founder discusses some answers to frequently asked questions about our grant decisions!

The process

  • Screening: Your application will first be screened to ensure that it is complete and that you meet our qualifications for the grant.
  • Financial Qualification Committee: From there, it will be presented to our Financial Qualification Committee (FQC) where it will be analyzed for financial eligibility.
  • Medical Advisory Committee: If approved by the FQC, the application will be presented to our Medical Advisory Committee (MAC).  They will review the application to determine medical eligibility and make their recommendations.

Questions?