Financial Aid Policy

To determine if an individual is Zakat-eligible, the Social & Welfare Committee requires documentation such as bank statements, tax returns, and paystubs. Depending on circumstances, additional documentation can be requested. If the required documentation does not exist, the applicant needs to provide a valid and verifiable reason (proof) for the application to be considered.

Only individuals residing within the greater Raleigh area are eligible to apply for Financial Aid with the IAR Social & Welfare Committee. Applications from outside Raleigh (such as Durham or Chapel Hill) can be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Financial Aid will only be provided to applicants who entered the USA legally or are in the US legally. The applicant must bring a government-issued picture ID and their Social Security card at the time of interview.

The Social & Welfare Committee conducts interviews with applicants to understand their situation and help in final decision making. Only the applicant, and their spouse or immediate family members, can attend the interview with the Social & Welfare Committee interviewers.

The Social & Welfare Committee requires 2 weeks for processing the application after all information on the form and all required documentation is complete.

The Social & Welfare Committee can verify an applicant’s information by running a credit check. By filling out the form and signing it, the applicant authorizes the Social & Welfare Committee to investigate the applicant’s situation and income, including performing a credit check and obtaining a credit report.

The Social & Welfare Committee does not provide funds directly to an applicant who requests monetary assistance. Checks are not written directly to the applicant but are written in the name of the third party to whom the applicant must pay. IAR does not provide any cash payments to financial aid applicants. An applicant must provide a lease contract, bills, or other statements and documentation for which financial aid is being requested, so that the amount and eligibility of the expense can be verified by Social & Welfare Committee staff.

The Social & Welfare Committee does not provide funds to pay taxes on behalf of others (for example, income tax due or property tax).

The Social & Welfare Committee does not provide funds to cover airfare expenses or any immigration-related fees (for example, work authorization application fees).

Any payments toward bills that have incurred interest amounts or late fees need to be adjusted accordingly to remove such amounts. The Social & Welfare Committee does not pay for interest or late fees of any sort.

The Social & Welfare Committee has the right to deny any application that requests financial aid for items considered non-essential (for example, cable TV service), for items that have alternative solutions, or for items considered to be of entertainment value or purpose.

The general rule to receive financial assistance through the Social & Welfare Committee is once every 12-month period. The maximum dollar amount limit per individual, applicant, or family is $1,200, or another amount considered reasonable to cover eligible expenses and bills. Both the frequency and the limit can be reviewed for special circumstances; however, this is by exception and requires the Social & Welfare Committee Chairperson’s approval.

The decision of approval or denial rests with the Social & Welfare Committee. If the applicant disagrees with the decision, the applicant can file a written appeal stating their reasons to the Chairperson of the Social & Welfare Committee. Any misconduct, anger, misbehavior, or lack of cooperation by an applicant or their spouse or relatives can disqualify the applicant from receiving financial aid.

Anyone who has received Financial Assistance through the Social & Welfare Committee is not eligible to join the Social & Welfare Committee as a volunteer or staff member for a period of 2 years from the date of receiving assistance.