Emergency Assistance

Click here to visit our help page on how to apply for Emergency Assistance ( PRC)

Emergency Assistance programs help Franklin County families through unexpected financial emergencies.

• Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC) provides short-term benefits and services to families with household income below 175% of the federal poverty level (FPL).  

Applicants must reside in Franklin County and have at least one minor child or a pregnant person in the household.
 
You are automatically ineligible if you:

• Are not a U.S. citizen or qualified alien;
• Are a felon fugitive or probation/parole violator;
• Have an outstanding Ohio Works First or PRC fraud overpayment balance, committed an Intentional Program Violation (PIV), have fraudulently misrepresented your residence to obtain assistance, previously falsified a PRC application, are ineligible for other programs due to non-compliance with terms of your assistance, or demonstrate a pattern of requesting assistance and/or non-payment of expenses;
• Are an unmarried, non-graduate under the age of 19, not attending high school or its equivalent;
• Are an unmarried parent under 18 who is not living in an adult-supervised living arrangement;
• Are on strike; or
• Unemployed assistance groups who are receiving public assistance and who are not actively engaged with FCDJFS Workforce Development (e.g., completing assessment, completing and signing Self-Sufficiency Contract/Plan, participating in a work activity, etc.) unless a member of the assistance group is pregnant, caring for an individual with a short-term medical issue, or in receipt of a type of income that is indicative of a disability (e.g., SSI, Social Security Disability, etc.) and or support documents to obtain assistance.

• PRC Emergency Assistance can provide up to $2,000 for past-due rent or utility payments.
• Families cannot have received PRC assistance in the previous 12 months. 
• Franklin County notifies applicants about how much assistance they qualify for upon approval, then issues payment directly to the landlord or utility company. 

For all PRC applications, please include scanned or photo copies of:

• Social Security number or proof one has been applied for
• Proof of U.S. citizenship if a U.S. citizen
• Permanent resident card or other INS documentation if not a U.S. citizen
• Documentation of the last 30 days of income, including but not limited to pay stubs, a letter from your employer, unemployment verification, or disability award letters
• New employment in the last 30 days may require a “New Hire Letter” signed by the employer which contains the applicants name, date of hire, rate of pay, hours worked per week, contact name and number of the employer
• If not employed, you may be able to use documentation of 12 months (consecutive or non-consecutive) of work history or unemployment compensation as well as proof of OhioMeansJobs registration over the previous 24 months
• Current signed lease (all pages)
• A copy of any subsidized agreement is required
• Itemized statement signed by the landlord of the amount due by month and cost
• Property management agreement if the landlord uses a property management company
• Landlord’s W-9

Digital photos or copies of these documents can be attached with your emailed application.   Applications cannot be processed without complete supporting documentation. Applications with incomplete or missing documentation will be denied.