What is the benevolence fund request form template?
Many churches and faith communities keep a benevolence or hardship fund for people facing a crisis — an overdue rent payment, a utility shut-off notice, a car repair that stands between someone and their job. Requests often come quietly, in a conversation after a service, and the team then needs the details to decide fairly and pay the right account. This benevolence fund request form asks for them clearly and kindly.
The form asks about the household, what help is needed, the amount and when it's due, and what has happened. It asks who the payment should go to: most funds pay a landlord or utility company directly, so choosing that asks for the provider's name and an account or reference number. Questions about other help sought and any previous help from the fund give reviewers the full picture, and a photo of the bill or notice can be uploaded.
The person signs a declaration that the information is true, and that help is at the fund's discretion. Each request is filed as a PDF in your FileIt vault, where you choose the folder and who can see it.
- Best for
- Churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and community organisations with a hardship fund
- Filled in by
- The person asking for help, or with a pastor or volunteer
- Time to complete
- About 6 minutes
- Includes
- Needs checklist, amount and due date, direct-to-provider payment, optional bill upload, declaration and signature
Who uses a benevolence fund request form?
- A deacons' or elders' fund reviewing rent and utility requests monthly
- A mosque handling requests for zakat or sadaqah assistance
- A community fund helping families with emergency funeral costs
- A pastor completing the form with someone during a pastoral visit
- Keeping a record of help given so it's fair and consistent over time
Questions on this benevolence fund request form
26 questions over 3 pages · includes signature, file upload, conditional questions, multiple pages, consent checkbox.
1 About you
- Your name*
- Phone*
- Address*
- Your connection to our community* Member · Regular attender · Occasional visitor · Referred by someone in the community · No connection yet
- Who referred you?* asked only when it applies
- People in your household*
- Children under 18
2 What you need
- What do you need help with?* Rent or housing · Utility bill · Food · Prescription or medical costs · Transport or car repair · Childcare · Funeral costs
- Amount you're asking for*
- When is it due?
- Tell us what has happened*
- Who should the payment go to?* Directly to the landlord, company or provider · To me
- Name of the landlord, company or provider* asked only when it applies
- Your account or reference number with them asked only when it applies
- Have you asked any other organisation for help?*
- Which ones, and what happened? asked only when it applies
- Have you had help from our fund before?*
- When, roughly? asked only when it applies
3 Supporting information
- Is anyone in the household working? Yes, full time · Yes, part time · No
- The bill, notice or quote (optional)
- Best time to contact you Morning · Afternoon · Evening
- Would you also like a pastoral call or visit?
- Declaration*
- Signature*
- Date*
The benevolence fund request form, page by page
1 About you
The person gives their name, phone, optional email and address. "Your connection to our community" covers member, regular attender, occasional visitor, referred by someone in the community — which asks "Who referred you?" — or no connection yet. The page ends with the number of people in the household and children under 18.
2 What you need
"What do you need help with?" lists rent or housing, a utility bill, food, prescription or medical costs, transport or car repair, childcare, funeral costs, or another need. The person gives the "Amount you're asking for", "When is it due?" and "Tell us what has happened".
"Who should the payment go to?" has help text noting that most funds pay the provider directly. Choosing the provider asks for its name and the person's account or reference number. "Have you asked any other organisation for help?" and "Have you had help from our fund before?" are required, and each opens a short follow-up when the answer is yes.
3 Supporting information
The person says whether anyone in the household is working, can upload "The bill, notice or quote (optional)", and chooses the best time to be contacted. A yes/no offers a pastoral call or visit as well. The declaration confirms the information is true, that help is at the fund's discretion and not guaranteed, and that the request is kept confidential to the people who review it. The person signs and dates the form.
Make the template yours
- Change the needs list to match what your fund can help with
- Add your fund's limits or criteria as a paragraph at the top
- Set the currency on the amount question
- File requests in their own vault folder, separate from your other forms
- Send the form personally by email from the Share tab instead of sharing a public link
- Rename the form to match your tradition, such as a zakat or hardship fund
Tips for a better benevolence fund request form
- Agree your criteria and limits as a team before requests come in
- Pay providers directly where you can, using the account reference given
- Reply to every request, including those you can't help, and suggest other sources of help
- Keep requests confidential — limit who receives the notification emails
- Offer a pastoral conversation alongside practical help
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
Each request becomes a signed PDF in the vault folder you choose, with any bill or notice attached, and an email notice goes to the form owner and anyone else you list. The person who asked receives a copy if they gave an email address.
The review team can use the Responses table to see requests in order, search by name, and check previous requests from the same household. Export to CSV to keep a record of amounts requested and given.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Benevolence fund request form: frequently asked questions
Is this benevolence fund form template free?
Yes. It's one of the ready-made templates in the Forms app on every FileIt account, including the free plan.
Does the form pay anyone?
No. It collects the request. Your team decides and makes any payment through your usual finance process.
Who can see the requests?
Requests are kept in your FileIt account: the Responses tab and the vault folder you choose. Email notices go to the form owner and anyone on the notification list, so keep that list short.
Does it ask for bank details?
No. The form asks who should be paid and an account or reference number with the provider, not personal bank details.
Can a pastor fill it in with someone?
Yes. Many requests are completed together during a visit or meeting, and the person signs on the same screen.
Can I use it for a non-faith community fund?
Yes. Edit the connection question and the cover text, and it works for any community hardship fund.