Answers to your questions about the Superhost Relief Fund

The $17 million USD Superhost Relief Fund is now closed for accomodation hosts. Airbnb has finished awarding grants to Superhosts around the world. We've given $16.8 million USD in grants to 8,700 recipients. More than 67% of grant recipients were outside of the United States. The remaining grants reserved for Airbnb Experiences hosts are in progress and scheduled to be awarded through September 2020. So far, 70% of Experiences grants have already been awarded.

We know this is a difficult time for hosts, and we want to help. As part of our efforts to support hosts impacted by COVID-19, we recently introduced the Superhost Relief Fund for Superhosts and hosts of Airbnb Experiences.

Because communities support each other in times like these, Airbnb's employees have donated $1 million USD from their own pockets to kickstart a fund for hosts struggling to make ends meet. Airbnb's founders also personally contributed $9 million USD—in addition to another $7 million USD from investors—for a total of $17 million USD.

We’ve heard from many of you that you have more questions about the fund, so we’re answering your top questions here.

Who’s eligible for the Superhost Relief Fund?
The Superhost Relief Fund supports Superhosts and hosts of experiences struggling financially due to the decline in travel caused by COVID-19. This specific fund supports select hosts, at our discretion, in every country and region except accommodation hosts in mainland China, where Airbnb has already launched a dedicated assistance program.

To qualify, hosts who offer a place to stay must:

• Have no more than two active listings
• Have a verified identity
• Have been a Superhost for a year or more in total
• Have lost a significant percentage of their earnings due to COVID-19
• Show a reliance on Airbnb as a vital source of income

To qualify, hosts of experiences must:

• Have a verified identity
• Have been a host of experiences for a year or more
• Have lost a significant percentage of their earnings due to COVID-19
• Show a reliance on Airbnb as a vital source of income

Learn more about eligibility for hosts of experiences

What does it mean to have no more than two active listings, and why did Airbnb make that decision for accommodation hosts?
For this fund, we’re focusing on hosts who list only their homes or second homes, or private rooms in those residences. You’re not eligible if you have more than two active listings at different addresses. If you have more than two listings at the same address—for example, if you rent out three rooms in your house—you’re still considered eligible.

The spirit of this program is about supporting longtime hosts who are in danger of losing their primary homes. To do that, we have chosen to invite hosts who have these three things in common:

• They've been Superhosts for more than one year
• They’ve lost a significant amount in earnings
• They’re listing their primary or secondary homes

We know there are a lot of ways hosts approach their businesses, and the number of listings they have isn’t a representation of the care they put into welcoming guests. That said, choosing to invite hosts with no more than two active listings is one way for us to keep the program focused and make sure we’re providing meaningful support.

Do I have to be a current Superhost?
Yes. For Superhosts to qualify for the fund, you have to be a current Superhost and have qualified for Superhost status at least four times in your lifetime, but these can be four separate quarters over the past five years, for example. This doesn’t apply to hosts of experiences.

How does the invitation process work?
Starting on April 10, 2020, a specialized team at Airbnb will be inviting eligible Superhosts and hosts of experiences to apply for a relief grant via email. We'll start with inviting, at our discretion, our most long-standing Superhosts who are in greatest financial need by looking at the earnings decline from this year to last. This same team will evaluate applications and get in touch with hosts to let them know whether their applications are approved. All invitations were sent out by the end of May 2020. The remaining grants reserved for hosts of experiences are in progress and scheduled to be awarded through September 2020. So far, 70% of Experiences grants have already been awarded.

How does the application process work?
Those who receive an invitation will be asked to answer a few questions to help Airbnb understand their financial need and reliance on Airbnb for income. You’ll have seven days to apply once you receive an invitation.

If my application is approved, how long will it take to receive my grant?
If we approve your application, we’ll send your funds within three business days to your usual payout method. All relief grants will be sent out by mid-June. Depending on which payout method you use, it could take up to seven business days for the money to appear in your account. 

How much money will I receive?
We’ll review applications from eligible hosts and approve relief grants of up to $5,000 USD for each account, based on financial need.

If I receive a grant, do I have to pay it back?
Relief grants come with no strings attached. You won’t need to repay it and can use it in any way you need. Please note that it's your responsibility to determine whether your contribution is tax deductible or eligible for tax credits.

How are you deciding which hosts have been hit the hardest?
We know this type of information is complex and sensitive, which is why we put together specific criteria to make our decisions more objective. We start by looking at hosts’ earning trends, so we can invite those whose earnings have decreased the most when compared to last year’s earnings during the same time. Then we use hosts’ responses in their applications to better understand how that decrease has affected their ability to make ends meet.

Can I be eligible for both the $250 million USD support and the Superhost Relief Fund?
Yes. We’ve set aside $250 million USD to support all accommodation hosts impacted by COVID-19-related cancellations. Learn more about eligibility requirements for the $250M commitment

Why aren’t all Superhosts eligible?
We want to support as many hosts as we can, but we also want that support to be meaningful. There are hundreds of thousands of Superhosts around the world. While many in our community are feeling the impact of COVID-19, we’re using this fund to offer aid to some of the Superhosts whose earnings have been hit hardest.

Airbnb will be prioritizing invitations based on how long a host has been a Superhost and how significantly their earnings have been impacted. Decisions will be made at the discretion of Airbnb. We also have other programs to help hosts, like the $250 million USD we’ve set aside to help cover the cost of COVID-19 cancellations.

We’ve also worked together to secure support for Airbnb hosts in the U.S. government’s recent COVID-19 stimulus bill. To help you navigate other economic resources that might be available, we’re working to identify some of the financial relief programs that are being offered in regions around the world, which we’ll add to Airbnb.com/COVID.

What changed about the timeline?
We’ve adjusted our timeline because of changes in our organizational structure. We’re processing invitations and applications, and we’re continuing to invite eligible hosts to apply. Invitations were all sent out by the end of May, a couple weeks later than expected. We appreciate your patience as we support our colleagues and update our plans.

What are some alternative ways to receive financial support? 
As an Airbnb host, you may be eligible to receive financial assistance from your national and/or local government. We’ve identified some of the financial relief programs that are being offered in your region. You can learn more about financial relief resources for hosts in the Resource Center.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.