Gene Upshaw P.A.T. Fund
We’ve got you for life.
Any former NFL player experiencing a financial hardship due to unforeseen events can apply for the Gene Upshaw P.A.T. (GUPAT) grant.
Whether the former player is struggling to uphold household bills, presented with unaffordable medical situations, or a lack of college degree or certification is keeping them from financial stability, take action and review the GUPAT Guidelines today.
WHERE WE CAN HELP:
- Household Bills
- Mental Health Treatment
- Trade School Tuition*
- Undergraduate Degree Completion Tuition*
- Emergency Natural Disaster Assistance
- Uncovered & Unaffordable Medical Bills
- Cognitive Care & More
PAF Staff is available to assist through this process. *Players with 2+ credited season should connect with their Trust (powered by the NFLPA) Program Manager first.
LET’S GET STARTED
- Review the Guidelines & FAQs
- Collect all required documents as outlined in the Guidelines
- Reach out when questions arise
- Apply online
Frequently Asked Questions
You may submit your application online here but please review the guidelines first. Need to submit through a different method?
- Any person who signed a contract with an NFL team for any length of time.
- Must be experiencing a financial hardship.
- If you received assistance from the PAF in the past, must be past the 3-year eligibility window.
After any grant approval, an applicant is not eligible to apply for financial assistance until three (3) years after their initial approval.
If you do not have a copy of your IRS 1040 Form for the most recent tax period, you will need to obtain a Tax Transcript from the IRS. Review Page 2 of the Grant Guidelines for complete instructions.
MMI is a free and trusted service that specializes in building out a personalized budget for their clients. This is a free and trusted service available for any former player and all GUPAT applicants must complete this step.
Your privacy is a very serious matter for us. Select PAF staff will process the application prior to the Grant Review Committee’s deliberations. PAF staff will send the GRC’s decision via e-mail on letterhead and signed by PAF Director.
A decision will be issued within a 30-day window from the PAF receiving a complete application. If you forgot to include a document, you will be notified. The review cannot be conducted until all information is received.
No. While we may ask for detail(s) regarding the timeline of that assistance, it does not make you ineligible for our grant program.
GUPAT by the numbers
2023 End of Year Report
