Students

The Orion Fund Grant Programs

The Orion Fund’s Annual Grant Program is Now Open!

Our annual grant program is our largest award program and runs from December to April every year. Please see below for information regarding our grants and how to apply.

Link to the Kaleidoscope grant portal: GRANT APPLICATION

Application deadline: Tuesday February 25th, 2025.

Grants are awarded in April each year.

Each year The Orion Fund awards grants to California college students with serious illness or injury. If you are in college, age 32 and under, and have a serious medical condition affecting your ability to stay in school, then The Orion Fund may be able to help.

Emergency Bridge Grants (closed)

This limited grant program is for medical emergencies only and runs every year from April to December.

Grants are awarded to cover:

• Uncovered medical expenses incurred during a medical crisis.

• Limited medical costs going forward to support recovery from a medical event (short term only).

• Educational costs when associated with recovery from a medical event.

• Living expenses when associated with recovery from a medical event.

Grants range from $500 to $5000 depending upon circumstances.

** Please note that The Orion Fund does not cover tuition costs or provide basic financial aid. Thanks.

Check to see if you qualify:

  1. You are enrolled in a California College

  2. Your are 32 or younger

  3. You have a serious medical condition affecting your ability to stay in school

How to Apply

Create an account at Kaleidoscope and log in to complete your grant application.

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Please provide a personal statement describing why you qualify for the grant and justifying the grant amount requested. Upload it to Kaleidoscope.

If asking for a grant to cover uncovered medical costs, please upload copies of bills supporting your request.

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Also upload an unofficial transcript to Kaleidoscope. A letter of recommendation from a medical provider or campus administrator is also required.

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Contact information

Help at Kaleidoscope: please email Kaleidoscope directly at help@mykaleidoscope.com.

You can also email us at info@theorionfund.org with any questions. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible. We can be reached by phone at 510.652.1883 or leave a message with a call-back number.

“As a former foster youth, I do not have a family that I can turn to for financial support. Receiving a grant from The Orion Fund has relieved some of the stress from external costs of higher-education and has allowed me to focus on school work.”

Marciela, 2021 Orion Fund Recipient