FTM Top Surgery Funding in 2019
More and more, insurance companies are covering the cost of transition-related surgeries. However, the prevalence of crowd-funding campaigns and personal fundraisers are telling. For many people, the idea of having your insurance company pay for top surgery is still a far off fantasy.
What if your insurance company doesn't cover transgender-related care? What if you don't have insurance at all? Or what if your insurance company only pays for a surgeon "in network" and you aren't confident with the results of any surgeons in your area?
For those of you in any of these boats, this list is for you. Check out our 2019 guide to organizations that can help raise money for your chest surgery:
The Jim Collins Foundation
The Jim Collins Foundation was created to honor Jim Collins, a trans social worker, psychotherapist, and Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. The foundation chooses several recipients per year depending on available funding.
Grant Size Avg / Estimate: Undisclosed
Rules of Eligibility:
- The Jim Collins Foundation makes selections for grants based on a combination of demonstrated financial need and level of preparedness.
- Applicant must understand the steps that are currently required to undergo the medical process of transition, and must have completed - or have outlined plans to complete - the following steps:
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Secure a letter of support from a licensed medical or mental health professional such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, or therapist.
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Select a surgeon who is knowledgeable in transition-related surgeries. If you are chosen, the organization assumes this named surgeon is final.
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Identify who will care for and provide support post-surgery.
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If the applicant has not completed all of these steps but is planning to do so, please include your plans in your application.
- Note: If you are selected for funding, the payment will be made directly to the doctor or hospital facility. You must comply with any and all requirements according to the Standards of Care of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), formerly known as the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA), as determined by your selected surgeon.
- Applicant must demonstrate a genuine need for financial assistance.
- Applicant must detail the efforts they have made to fund-raise and the amount of cost they will be able to cover on their own, if any.
When: The 2019 grant cycle will open May 15th, 2019. Their current grant submission deadline is August 1st at 11:59 pm EST.
Where To Apply: https://jimcollinsfoundation.org/apply/
FLAVNT
Flavnt Streetwear is a queer and trans-owned apparel company that donates 15% of profits to selected partners in need of gender-affirming surgery. Flavnt raises funds for one partner at a time and does not have a regular fundraising cycle. That said, you can easily find out if they are accepting applications for a new partner by following them on social media or by signing up for their newsletter. Alternatively, you can always bookmark their partner application page and check back often to see if applications are open.
Grant Size Avg / Estimate: Between $500 and $3000 depending on the duration of the fundraising period
Rules of Eligibility: Flavnt's rules for eligibility are simple -- anyone can apply so long as they are over the age of 18 and they are a trans person (including nonbinary and other gender non-conforming identities) seeking a gender-affirming surgery that they need help fundraising for.
When: Varies
Where To Apply: There is a dedicated link when applications are open. Check their website for updates or sign up for their mailing list for more info.
Point of Pride
Point of Pride is a non-profit organization co-founded by Jeff Main and trans activist and speaker, Aydian Dowling. In addition to an awesome binder donation program, Point of Pride chooses several recipients per year for their annual surgery fund.
Grant Size Avg / Estimate: $6000-$9000
Rules of Eligibility:
- Applicants must identify as transgender (FtM, MtF, non-binary, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, and all other non-cis identities).
- Applicants must be over the age of 18.
- Applicants must already have begun saving money for their surgery.
- Applicants must complete their surgery within 18 months of receiving the funds.
- Applicants must complete their surgery in the United States with a U.S.-based surgeon (you may live outside of the U.S. and still apply).
When: Applications open at midnight EST on November 1 and run until 11:59 pm EST on November 30
Where To Apply: All applications must be submitted online. When they are accepting applications, there is a dedicated link on their website. Check here for updates:
https://pointofpride.org/annual-transgender-surgery-fund/#apply-now
CK Life
The mission of Community Kinship Life (or CK Life) is to provide the trans community with the tools needed to achieve their personal goals while having a sense of community and kinship. CK Life also has an annual surgery fund.
Grant Size Avg / Estimate: Undisclosed
Rules of Eligibility:
- Applicants must meet WPATH standards to be granted a scholarship.
- Applicant must demonstrate a genuine need for financial assistance.
- Secure a letter of support from a personal reference regarding your volunteer work or CONSISTENT community involvement.
- Any funds awarded must be used within three months (for non-genital procedures) or six months (for genital surgeries) after the time they are awarded. If there are extenuating circumstances (such as a surgeon's long waiting list), that time frame may be extended. If the funds are not used within the stated time frame, they will go back into the general pool to be used during the next scholarship cycle.
When: The 2018 cycle is closed. CK Life has not announced when the 2019 cycle will be open.
Where To Apply: When the cycle is open, you can apply via a Survey Monkey link on their website.
The Rizi Xavier Timane Surgery Grant
In 2012, Rizi Timane LCSW, PhD, DSW(I) established an annual transgender surgery grant to pay for gender confirmation surgery for those in need of surgery as part of their transition.
Grant Size Avg / Estimate: $2000-$8000
Rules of Eligibility:
- Applicants must identify as transgender (FTM, MTF, non-binary, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, and all other non-cis identities)
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of your surgery
- Recipients must complete your surgery within 12 months of receiving the grant. This is coordinated with your surgeon as the grant is paid directly to the surgeon's office on your behalf.
- All surgeries must be completed in the United States with a U.S. based surgeon (though you may live outside of the U.S. and still apply.)
- All applicants and care providers must abide by all standards as set by the WPATH
When: the 2019 cycle opens June 2019
Where To Apply: Click this link to learn more or apply.
Gender Bands Top Surgery Grant
Genderbands' primary mission is to help transgender men and gender non-conforming people pay for their gender-affirming top surgery.
Grant Size Avg / Estimate: $2000-$2500
Rules of Eligibility:
- Applicants must be 18 or older at time of applying.
- Applicants will need to show they have already raised 50% of their needed funds as well as an active plan to continue to raise funds. Our grant program is meant to help close the gap from your own fundraising efforts and your surgery amount.
- It is not necessary for applicants to identify as FTM. Non-binary persons are welcome to apply.
- Surgery must be in the USA but applicants can live anywhere in the world.
- Surgery must take place within the calendar year of being awarded the grant.
- Be willing to let Gender Bands follow you on your top surgery journey.
When: Applications for their grant are open November 1 – December 31