@Sarah977 Here's how I'm understanding it to work.
Step 1: Airbnb runs an algorithm based on percentage income drop between two sets of dates - possibly 2020 vs 2019, Jan - April. (I am totally guessing here). Percentage income drop : Earnings of $100,000 go to zero. 100% revenue drop. Earnings of $1000 go to zero. 100% revenue drop. So the amount of revenue makes no difference. Large host/small host, no difference. Only the percentage loss previous period vs current period makes a difference.
Step 2: The list is probably pretty long, so it is reduced by adding a tenure filter, to get to about 20,000 names.
Step 3: An email is sent in the 5,000 batches to the potential recipients.
Step 4: The recipients then either respond, or don't respond. The invitations of non-responders go back into the pool.
Step 5: The responders could fall into two categories. Those needing the grant, and those that don't. This is where "need" kicks in. The invitee has to send back some words on why they need (or possibly don't need) the money. One is, of course, relying on the invitee to be completely honest. Someone not really needing the money could, of course, still represent that they really do need it. And from the couple of folks who posted that they got the grant, it's not an exhaustive representation, with proof.
Step 6: Airbnb reviews the submission from the invitee, then makes a determination how much they are going to receive. It seems unlikely to me that they would review the submission and turn that person away completely, (that would be cruel and unusual punishment), but might reduce the amount granted.
I feel like it's accurate to say the grants are based on need, some amount between $1000 and $5000, but that determination couldn't possibly be done till way later in the process, and not up front. There's no way Airbnb could really assess need up front. Only lost revenue.
It's the size of the grant that is need-based, and not the invitation to apply. It is word-smithing in the blurb about the program, though.