Grants Works has been sharing details on social media about COVID-19 funding relief being offered by regional funding collaboratives.
Funding collaboratives are not new. However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the impressive speed, efficiency, and effectiveness of these pooled donations from charitable foundations, corporations, and individuals to fund local nonprofits and provide much-needed relief in their communities.
Check out our summary of the four we have shared over the past month. Some are still accepting applications, while one that we know of–Funding Collaborative of Greater Baltimore–is no longer accepting applications, but we included a link to the donors who contributed to the fund.
Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund – The Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund raised $29.5 million dollars with 14,031 online anonymous donations as of June 10, 2020. The fund supports communities across Massachusetts that are most vulnerable to the COVID-19 health crisis such as essential workers, the homeless population, and those facing food insecurity. Launched by First Lady Lauren Baker, the fund works with community foundations and local non-profit organizations that provide essential services throughout local Massachusetts communities.
MKE Responds – Managed by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation with the support of a coalition of funders and collaborators, MKE Responds works to provide local Milwaukee organizations with the resources necessary to support communities most affected by COVID-19. More than $4 million has been donated to the fund. These donations will ensure the continuation of essential services such as food distribution, housing and shelter operations, medical services and clinics, mental health services, and early education.
Atlanta COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund – The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta partnered up to create the Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund. With a combined commitment of $1,500,000 in seed funding, the two organizations launched the fund to support high-risk communities such as the elderly, families with children who received free or reduced meals in school, families in need of childcare, and low-wage workers in the Greater Atlanta Area. The fund has provided $17.3 million in grants to 320 local organizations to date.
Funding Collaborative of Greater Baltimore – While this fund closed its doors to new funding proposals on May 29, the COVID-19 Response Funding Collaborative of Greater Baltimore works with partners to provide funding to organizations in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, and Harford County. The Collaborative prioritizes the following issues: food access, access to home essentials, nonprofit sustainability, support for first responders and healthcare workers, mental health and community coping, the capacity of non-profits to support those most affected by COVID-19, access to temporary housing, and credible information sources.
If you represent a nonprofit based in one of these regions or states and would like to apply for relief funding, visit the relevant website to learn more about the application process, eligibility, and funding schedule.
