The Empowerment Fund

Grants are available to survivors of sex trafficking in Washington State who are ready to pursue their educational or career goals. Applicants no longer need to be referred by an advocate or support person and can now apply directly for a grant themselves. 

Empowerment Fund grants can only be used towards tuition, licensure exams, lab fees, and other non-material educational support. Eligible Programs must demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of contributing to the applicant’s employability or long-term financial stability. 

The Empowerment Fund may be used for most educational programs. In the past, funded programs have included GED courses, Associates, Bachelors, Masters, PHDs, and a variety of career and technical courses. Programs must be offered by an accredited institution, licensed training provider, or otherwise verifiable educational or credentialing body. Everstrong may request additional documentation to confirm legitimacy. 

The following types of programs are considered ineligible and fall outside the eligibility criteria for this grant:

• Multi-level marketing (MLM), recruitment-based, or commission-dependent programs. 
• Programs that guarantee income, financial success, or rapid wealth-building outcomes. 
• Investment, trading, cryptocurrency, or other speculative financial platforms. 
• Programs that lack transparent tuition costs, defined credentialing outcomes, or clear pathways to employability. 
• Programs that require upfront purchases, inventory buy-ins, equipment leasing, mandatory product purchases, or other debt-creating financial commitments as a condition of participation, training, or employment. 
• Programs that rely primarily on recruitment of others for income generation. 
• For-profit educational institutions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may require additional documentation prior to approval. 

At this time, we are unable to cover room and board, books, or other supplies. 

If you are unsure whether your desired program qualifies, you are still encouraged to apply.

The maximum amount awarded per individual per year is $5000. If the requested funds will be used for multiple enrollment periods, a new tuition statement must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the due date.

​There is no guarantee the total amount can be funded. In some cases, only a portion of the requested amount may be paid for.

Applications can be submitted at any time of the year until the funds expend. Please apply at least two months prior to your tuition due date. We require proof of enrollment within 6 months or funds will be released back into the pool for other applicants.

Within 30 days of receipt of the application, notice of approval/denial of grant will be emailed. We may contact you during the review process if there are any additional questions.

This depends on how many applications we receive and how much is requested per application. Once our Empowerment Fund budget is exhausted, the application will be closed until the next calendar year.

We ask that you alert us as soon as you realize you won’t be able to complete the program. If the issue is financial, we would like to be able to help you find resources so you can complete your course of study.

Everstrong will directly pay the school or institution you are attending.

As part of our review process, Everstrong will reach out to your reference to help assess your personal motivation and career goals. This person could be an advocate, case worker, colleague, teacher, counselor, or non-familial member of your support system. Please choose someone who can speak knowledgeably about your work ethic, career goals, personal growth, and likelihood to complete this program/course of study.

We will not ask references about trafficking or trauma history, but please be mindful of how readily available information about Everstrong mission and the Empowerment Fund could inadvertently reveal information about an applicant’s survivor status. We encourage applicants to be thoughtful and intentional about who they choose as a reference.

Grant recipients are expected to work with Everstrong to facilitate the payment process to the school or program. In order to complete payment, we will require a signed grant agreement, proof of enrollment, and a current tuition statement with your name and student ID.

Grant recipients will also be expected to complete two check-ins with the staff at Everstrong, one mid-way through their program, and one upon completion of the program.