SAG-AFTRA Foundation

Overview

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization affiliated with SAG-AFTRA, providing emergency financial assistance, disaster relief, scholarships, and free educational programs for SAG-AFTRA members and their families. Founded in 1985, the Foundation operates independently from the SAG-AFTRA union and is not funded by union dues. It relies entirely on gifts, grants, and donations to fund its programs. If you are a SAG-AFTRA member facing a financial crisis or seeking educational resources, the eligibility requirements and application processes below are what you need to know.

The Foundation's programs address the economic reality of a professional acting career. Most SAG-AFTRA members earn substantially less than the public perception of Hollywood performer salaries suggests, with the majority of union members supplementing their performance income with other work. The Foundation provides resources that help working performers navigate financial hardship, develop their skills, and access educational opportunities.

Emergency Financial Assistance

The Foundation's emergency financial assistance program provides direct grants to SAG-AFTRA members facing acute financial hardship due to an unexpected life crisis. These grants do not need to be repaid. Lack of work alone does not qualify as a financial emergency: the program adheres to IRS guidelines for emergency hardship programs and cannot provide grants simply because someone is a SAG-AFTRA member.

Qualifying Emergencies

• Eviction, foreclosure, or immediate temporary housing emergencies (only once per member's lifetime)
• Catastrophic damage rendering primary residence dangerous or uninhabitable
• Auto or other accidents causing injury or personal property destruction
• Costs associated with burial or cremation of a SAG-AFTRA member or a member's spouse/legal dependent
• Financial impacts of experiencing a verifiable crime
• Senior members (age 65 and older) experiencing a life crisis
• Medical expenses due to serious illness or injuries not covered by insurance
• In limited cases, SAG-AFTRA health insurance or COBRA premiums (restrictions apply)

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for emergency assistance, members must:

1. Be current with SAG-AFTRA dues up to the last dues period
2. Not have any of the following statuses: Non-Member, Suspended Payment, Terminated, Resigned, or Fee Paying Non-Member (Fi-Core)
3. Have joined SAG-AFTRA at least 1 year before applying
4. Meet one of the following earnings benchmarks:

- $25,000 total SAG-AFTRA earnings over the last 5 years, OR

- $50,000 total SAG-AFTRA earnings over the last 10 years, OR

- $200,000 total SAG-AFTRA earnings over a lifetime

1. Be below liquid asset limits:

- Individuals: less than $10,000 in liquid assets

- Applicants with spouses or dependents: less than $15,000 in liquid assets

1. For burial expenses, application must be submitted within 1 year of the person's death

Income and assets must be verified using recent bank statements and tax returns. Applications are submitted through an online HIPAA-compliant form. Each application applies to an individual member: if multiple SAG-AFTRA members live in the same household, each must submit a separate application.

Full details and the application portal are at sagaftra.foundation/emergency-financial-assistance.

Disaster Relief Fund

The Foundation's Disaster Relief Fund is separate from the general emergency assistance program and is dedicated to members impacted by government-declared natural disasters. Key parameters:

• Qualifying events: Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, landslides, wildfires, earthquakes, tsunamis, hazardous materials accidents, and severe disease outbreaks declared as emergencies by state or federal government authorities
• Application window: Within 1 year of the qualifying event, depending on available earmarked funds
• One grant per household: If multiple SAG-AFTRA members live in the same home, only one grant is awarded
• Covered expenses: Emergency temporary housing, move-in costs for long-term housing, temporary relocation/transportation, moving expenses, storage units, medical supplies, prescriptions, limited auto repair/rentals, and limited basic needs (food, clothing, hygiene)
• Not covered: Home repair/construction, auto replacement, insurance premiums or deductibles, expenses later covered by insurance or FEMA, loss of income due to lack of work

Eligibility requirements are the same as for emergency financial assistance (dues current, eligible membership status, joined at least 1 year prior). Apply at sagaftra.foundation/disaster-relief-fund.

Scholarships

The Foundation administers two scholarship competitions for SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents:

John L. Dales Scholarship

• Member/Parent requirement: 10 years in good standing with minimum $225,000 lifetime SAG-AFTRA earnings
• Member-applicants under 27: 5 years in good standing with minimum $40,000 lifetime earnings
• Dependents: Must be younger than 27 upon scholarship disbursement

George Heller Scholarship

• Member/Parent requirement: 5 years in good standing with minimum $50,000 lifetime SAG-AFTRA earnings
• Member-applicants under 27: 5 years in good standing with minimum $10,000 lifetime earnings
• Dependents: Must be younger than 27 upon scholarship disbursement

Additional Scholarship Rules

• Members must be current with SAG-AFTRA dues through April 30th of the scholarship start year
• Terminated, Suspended Payment, Resigned, and Fi-Core members and their dependents are ineligible
• Transitional scholarships are available to members transitioning out of their acting career, aged 27 or older (dependents not eligible)
• Foundation board members, employees, and their relatives are not eligible

2026-27 Timeline

• November 17, 2025: Application opens
• March 15, 2026 (1:00 PM PT): Eligibility questionnaire deadline
• March 31, 2026 (1:00 PM PT): Full application deadline
• July 6, 2026: Recipients notified
• August 8, 2026: Awards distributed

The 2027-28 competition opens November 2026. Full details at sagaftra.foundation/scholarships.

Free Educational Programs

All SAG-AFTRA members in good standing can create a free account on the Foundation's website to access educational programs at no cost. Available programs include:

• Conversations: Screenings and Q&A sessions with industry professionals
• The Business: Panel discussions on the business aspects of a performing career
• Casting Access: Classes with casting professionals
• Voiceover Lab: Workshops and audio recording booth sessions
• On-Camera Lab: Self-tape recording sessions
• Small Group Sessions: Intimate workshops with industry guests

Most programs are restricted to adults, but the Foundation hosts special classes for minors, and most screenings and large-format classes are open to performers under 18.

BookPALS and Children's Literacy

The Foundation's BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools) program sends SAG-AFTRA members into elementary schools to read aloud to children, promoting early literacy through the engagement of professional performers. This community program connects the performing arts community to public education and provides members with volunteer opportunities.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For directors and producers who care about the welfare of the performer community they work with, understanding the SAG-AFTRA Foundation's programs provides context for the economic realities that many working performers face. Supporting the Foundation through charitable donations is one concrete way that industry professionals can contribute to the welfare of the performer community beyond compliance with union agreements.

For performers facing financial hardship, the Foundation's emergency assistance program provides a resource that many SAG-AFTRA members are unaware of until they need it. The eligibility requirements (1 year of membership, earnings benchmarks, liquid asset limits) mean that newer members with limited union work history may not qualify. Members should familiarize themselves with the requirements before a crisis occurs.

See Also

For the SAG-AFTRA union that the Foundation supports, see SAG-AFTRA in this directory. For the broader performing arts nonprofit context, see Film Independent in this directory. For the official Foundation website with application portals and program details, see sagaftra.foundation.