FAQS
GENERAL GRANT QUESTIONS
Who is eligible for a Ride Out Lyme grant?
All applicants must be diagnosed with Lyme disease.
Must be an active patient of a Lyme-literate MD, ND, DO, NP, or PA-C
Must be age 26 or older
Must be a USA resident.
What expenses are covered by a Ride Out Lyme grant?
A grant covers expenses relating to the treatment of Lyme disease. This includes:
Medication
Supplements
Doctor Visits
Lab Testing
Alternative Practitioners such as – Acupuncturists and Chiropractors
Transportation to and from an out of area doctor or lab
Grants can only be used for the sole purpose of the grant recipient.
PLEASE NOTE Grants may NOT be used for the following:
Past medical debt
Food
Rent or mortgage expenses
Education expenses
Lyme treatment for anyone other than the recipient
OUR GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS
How does the grant application process work?
Applications are accepted online only. The Ride Out Lyme application dashboard can be accessed here: https://rideoutlyme.smapply.io/. To apply you must create an account, log in, and submit a completed application form with a doctor’s letter, and it is recommended to provide letters of support. All submitted applications go through multiple reviewing stages to determine eligibility. Application updates during the decision-making process will be provided via email and accessible via the online dashboard. The review process will take approximately two months after the application close date.
What is required for the doctor’s letter?
Applicants must be active patients of a Lyme-literate MD, ND, DO, NP, or PA-C to be eligible for a grant from Ride Out Lyme. NDs must have graduated from a CNME accredited institution (link to https://cnme.org/accredited-programs/). Ride Out Lyme will determine medical eligibility with the help of the applicant’s Lyme-literate physician. The letter must be current, on the doctor’s letterhead, and addressed to Ride Out Lyme. The letter must state the applicant’s name and date of birth, confirm the diagnosis of Lyme disease, and provide a brief history of illness and treatment. A positive lab test does not replace the need for a doctor's letter. Grant applications are not considered complete until Ride Out Lyme receives the doctor’s letter.
What is considered “Letters of Support”?
Letters of support can be provided by friends, family members, or anyone who is close to the patient. We look for a letter of recommendation based on the patient's experience and struggles day-in and day-out with the disease from someone or some people who can share the patient’s story from their perspective(s).
Should I check in with Ride Out Lyme regarding my application status?
Ride Out Lyme will send email notifications when a completed application is submitted for review. You will also be provided updates as your applications move through our reviewing stages. Feel free to log into our dashboard at any time to view your account, check the status of your application, and see if there are any open tasks that may be due to be completed. The final decision notification will occur approximately two months after the application deadline closes. We appreciate your patience.
How will I know if I will be awarded a grant?
Ride Out Lyme will notify each applicant via email after the board review stage with a final decision. The final decision will also be posted to the applicant’s account on our dashboard. Please note that the final notification will occur approximately two months after the application deadline.
What if I was declined?
You will be notified via email after the board review stage has been completed. Please reapply next cycle. Though many applicants will be eligible each cycle, not everyone will be awarded a grant. We do plan to continue offering relief twice each year and as our organization grows, we can offer more cycles and provide assistance to more applicants. Keep our website bookmarked and when the next cycle opens, log into your account reapply.
AWARDING GRANTS
What happens when a grant is awarded?
If you are selected for a grant, it is required that you sign into the Ride Out Lyme application dashboard to accept your award by confirming your mailing address and t-shirt size. After you submit this information you will receive an email with the next steps for our Post Award Stage. Our grants team will also be in touch with you to answer any questions about the incoming grants package. Grant packages will typically arrive within 2-4 weeks after the grant has been accepted.
What is the maximum grant that is able to be awarded?
Grants will be awarded in increments that will be determined each cycle. The lifetime maximum grants able to be awarded is up to $10,000 per individual.
Will recipients receive the maximum grant amount in one cycle?
Not typically. Award amounts will vary depending on funding available each cycle.
If awarded a grant, will I automatically receive more financial assistance when reapplying for future cycles?
Not automatically. With many applications and funding dependent on community support, there is no guarantee previous recipients will be awarded upon reapplying for future cycles. We understand that many will be eligible, all applicants are considered for an award and all go through the same review process, which is why we recommend that all who are eligible to do so, reapply for future cycles.
Do all awarded grant funds need to be used prior to re-applying?
Yes. In order to be eligible for future grant cycles, we request that all previously awarded grant money must be used and accounted for within the Post Award Stage on our dashboard. We request that these tasks on our online dashboard be completed prior to reapplying for more financial assistance. However, we realize that grant recipients need financial visibility when making ongoing treatment choices and medical appointments. We also recognize that treatment disruptions are not beneficial. If you are re-applying before the majority of funds are spent please provide a plan for the remaining funds and contact us at grants@rideoutlyme.org with this information or if you have any questions about this policy.
POST AWARD STAGE
What is the post award stage?
After a grant is awarded the recipient’s application is placed into the Post Award Stage. There is where the recipient can upload all grant expense receipts, complete the receipt form, as well as upload an updated doctor’s letter. This task is requested to be completed within 3-6 months of receiving the grant. If you are re-applying for a grant with Ride Out Lyme, you must have these tasks completed on the Ride Out Lyme application dashboard in order to be eligible. Once your completed tasks are reviewed and accepted your awarded application will be Fully Completed and you will be able to reapply for future cycles.
How do I upload my receipts?
Ride Out Lyme requires the submission of receipts used for treatment. We recommend uploading any receipts as they become available to keep track of your records or keep a folder with all receipt copies for easy uploading.
To upload, simply log into your Ride Out Lyme Application Dashboard: http://rideoutlyme.smapply.io/
Go to your awarded cycle’s application.
Scroll to “Upload Receipts” & “Receipts Form”
Follow the prompts on the screen to upload your files and complete the receipts form.
Submit to Complete the Task.
How do I upload an updated doctor’s letter?
Within 6 Months please upload an “Upload Updated Doctors Letter” from your current doctor/approved Lyme practitioner to our online dashboard, letting us know of your treatment plan and progress.
To upload, simply log into your Ride Out Lyme Application Dashboard: http://rideoutlyme.smapply.io/
Go to your awarded cycle’s application.
Scroll to “Upload Updated Doctors Letter”
Follow the prompts on the screen to upload your files.
Submit to Complete the Task.
Voluntary testimonials
We would love to share a little bit about how Ride Out Lyme has helped our recipients on their healing journeys on our website and our social media accounts. If you feel comfortable doing so, please send testimonials to grants@rideoutlyme.org, please send photos along with testimonials as well. We feel that sharing these stories provides others hope and encourages them to keep seeking out ways to heal.