Any new dads out there? Apply for $5,000 in paternity leave money

When you bring home a baby, regardless of whether it’s your first or your fourth, safe to say, a lot changes.

All of a sudden, you’re up at all hours and your schedule is thrown off. If you’re the mother, your body might be sore from nursing or delivery -- phew. This time is not for the faint of heart.

And then there’s your career. The Family Medical Leave Act allows new moms in the United States to have up to 12 weeks off work. Whether or not that time is paid, partially paid or not at all paid depends on the person’s employer and home state.

Just want the details on how to apply for the grant money? Scroll down.

But as of late, the idea of paid paternity leave has become a national focus. Some progressive companies offer paid leave for fathers, but those businesses are in the minority.

Related: Dove starts Paternity Leave Fund for dads without access

And perhaps that’s why Dove is now offering a grant to dads who don't have access to paid paternity leave.

Over the next two years, Dove’s Paternity Leave Fund is committing $1 million for dads across America, according to Dove’s website.

“Our fund will extend $5,000 grants to dads without access to paid leave so they can spend time with their children and show how paternity leave benefits families, workplaces, and communities,” the site said.

To apply, visit this site. You have to fill out some basic information, answer some questions, for example:

• If you receive the grant, how much paternity leave do you plan to take? What do you hope to accomplish during your paternity leave and why?
• What does being a caring dad mean to you today, and what do you want your legacy as a caring dad to be?

You also have to take this pledge.

“Less than 1 in 5 men in the U.S. are offered any paid paternity leave. Most dads who do have it don’t believe they can take their full time off to care for a newborn. It’s time to change that.”
You can also choose to take the pledge as an ally or business leader.

You’re eligible for the grant if you’re a legal resident of the United States, if you’re age 18 or older and if your employer offers no more than 10 days of paid paternity leave.

You must fall under one of these categories: 

• You're expecting a child as of your contest date of entry.
• You have a child who is no more than 8 months old as of your entry date.
• You're in the process of adopting a child as of your entry date.
• You've adopted a child within eight months of your date of entry.

Grant submissions are being accepted now through Dec. 31, 2020.