Any feedback on how you started out with low funds is appreciated. 

In order to do that I must organize my finances and wondered if anyone had a great excel spreadsheet they can recommend to begin creating and daily & monthly budget with the goal of maximizing my savings to have the funds for a down payment.

He might have some incite as to whether it would be worth it or not to do this.Conversely a strategy that might yield better results is doing a cash out refinance on the property and using the funds to buy some rental units.

I believe you could use the funds to make a much better investment. 

What documentation is required to release funds to the estateI am asking this because out of respect for my tenant, who I really liked, I tried to be compassionate to his family.

@Ray Johnson great question -- we research and select the best available third-party real estate technology  providers and enter into exclusive relationships to create tech-enabled funds which give us a unique competitive edge designed to enhance returns to investors.

It was on the escrow statement and it was paid from their funds. 

I do not have enough funds (or experience) to take on all of these at once.

Maybe pay equal to one month's rent up front so they have funds for a deposit on a new place and then pay another month of rent after they are out.

I've had lenders the past actually do research on the gift giver, and deny loans based on where the gift giver got the funds..