The Greater Washington Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund was established in March 2020 to support the critical needs of residents of the Greater Washington region who are being disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on their region. The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund has made rapid and deep investments in organizations supporting a range of emergency support services. The Greater Washington Community Foundation and their partners continue to monitor the situation as it evolves to inform their grantmaking strategy.
Priority Areas
- Food Security
- Domestic Violence
- Legal Services
- Medical Care and Access
- Housing and Homelessness
- Education and Youth
- Workforce and Small Business
Priority Populations
The Fund is interested in supporting work that will benefit communities which are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, specifically:
- Communities of color, including organizations led by and supporting People of Color;
- Low-income workers, including gig, contractors, or those in the informal economy;
- Persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including people living in shelters or on the street, survivors of domestic violence, youth (including LGBTQ youth), older individuals, chronically ill individuals, undocumented individuals, and returning citizens;
- The LGBTQ+ community;
- Justice-involved individuals, including those currently incarcerated (adults and youth);
- Immigrant communities, including the undocumented;
- Opportunity youth (ages 16+) who are not connected to school or work, or who are at risk of dropping out of school, with an intentional focus on youth who have had interactions with Juvenile Justice and/or Child Welfare systems;
- Children with unique needs distinguished by disabilities, IEPs, behavioral challenges, English Language Learners, foster care, and/or Child Protective Services;
- Survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, intimate partner abuse, rape and other crime; and,
- People who have health conditions that put them at higher risk for COVID, including older adults, pregnant women, and those who are immune compromised.
Funding Information
Nonprofits may apply for grants up to $50,000.
Type of Grants
- Direct Service Support for local nonprofit organizations actively providing services to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Grants of up to $50,000 are available to support direct service projects that fit within the funding priorities. Grant funds must be expended before July 31, 2020. Grantee Partners may retroactively apply grant funding toward expenses incurred as early as May 1, 2020.
- Support for Advocacy and Community Organizing projects that fit within one of the funding priorities. Grants of up to $50,000 are available to support projects with a grant period of up to 12 months. Grantee Partners will be required to begin their advocacy and/or organizing activities in earnest and begin to expend grant funds before July 31, 2020. It is not required that advocacy or organizing efforts be completed by this date. Grantee Partners may retroactively apply grant funding toward expenses incurred on May 1, 2020, and beyond.
Eligibility Criteria
- The organization has a 501(c)(3) designation or a fiscal sponsor with a 501(c)(3) designation.
- The organization is located in the Greater Washington region.
- The purpose of the request is to serve residents in one or more of the following jurisdictions: District of Columbia, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County in Maryland. Note: Organizations may apply for regional work that is inclusive of Northern Virginia; however, proposals that solely focus on Northern Virginia communities should be directed to their partner response funds in Northern Virginia;
Note: Foundation reserve the right to make strategic grants outside of the stated geographic priority area on a limited basis.
Post Date - 13-May-2020
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