Published January 21, 2025
Last Updated January 21, 2025, 12:51 pm
The ability of the USC Family to Fight On! is tremendous. During the recent LA wildfires, our community banded together and through their generosity, have established funds to offer direct financial support to our students, faculty, and staff who have been displaced by the wildfires or have other costs associated with evacuation or other fire related damage. The support is intended to help cover the cost of transitional expenses and immediate recovery needs, such as temporary housing costs and other basic living expenses (e.g., food, transportation).
Eligibility
- All employees (regardless of length of service), students, and Post Docs who have been affected by the LA wildfires.
Program details
- Funds are for those who were or have been displaced and have an immediate need for financial assistance to cover the cost of transitional expenses and immediate recovery needs. See below for examples.
- The university will make every effort to review applications as quickly as possible.
- The university reserves full discretion as to the amount and decision to award any emergency funds.
Support funds are meant to cover reasonable and necessary expenses incurred as a result of the wildfires, including necessary transitional personal, family, and living expenses such as:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Healthcare
- Child care
- Food
Applying for a grant
To facilitate application reviews and grant approvals, the university is leveraging processes already in place for requesting support due to emergency needs. Please click below to take you to the application process that applies to you:
Keck Medicine of USC and Keck School of Medicine employees
All other employees, postdocs, and students
Frequently asked questions
All employees (regardless of years of service), PostDocs, and undergraduate and graduate students who were or have been displaced by the L.A. wildfires or have other costs associated with evacuation or other fire-related damage.
To facilitate application reviews and grant approvals, the university is leveraging processes already in place for requesting support due to emergency needs. Please click below to take you to the application process that applies to you:
Every applicant will receive an email confirming that their application has been received. Once an application has been reviewed:
- Keck Medicine of USC and Keck School of Medicine employees will receive an email from Care for the Caregiver.
- Students will receive an update from Financial Aid.
- All other employees and postdocs will receive an email from Campus Support and Intervention.
Although there is no deadline to apply, please note that funds are limited. If you were displaced by the wildfires or have other fire-related transitional expenses, you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. If you receive a grant and have a continued need, you are welcome to apply more than once. We will evaluate the ability to grant additional funds after reviewing initial requests.
Keck Medicine of USC and Keck School of Medicine employees, please reach call Care for the Caregiver at 323-865-9897.
All other employees, postdocs, and students, please reach out to the USC L.A. Wildfires hotline at 213-740-6291 or campushealth@usc.edu.
Support funds are meant to cover reasonable and necessary expenses incurred as a result of displacement or impact due to the wildfires, including necessary transitional personal, family, and living expenses such as:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Health care
- Childcare
- Food
The funds will not cover wage replacement, impacts to secondary incomes, or expenses that have been submitted for reimbursement by insurance (as this may have tax implications on the program).
Yes. Grants will continue until the fund is depleted. We will evaluate the ability to grant additional funds after reviewing initial requests.
No, given the payment is due to a qualified federally declared disaster, this is not considered taxable income.
Keck Medicine of USC and Keck School of Medicine employees, please reach call Care for the Caregiver at 323-865-9897.
All other employees, postdocs, and students, please reach out to the USC L.A. Wildfires hotline at 213-740-6291 or campushealth@usc.edu.
Yes. To donate, please click here.
We’ve gathered a list of community resources for real-time incident response information, evacuation shelters, and temporary housing, which you can find at the Community resources for emergency response support page on the Employee Gateway.
Also, for more information on the current situation, visit the USC Emergency Information page.