More Than $500,000 Already Raised to Support Local Rapid Response Grants
NORWALK, CT -- The Fairfield County COVID-19 Resiliency Fund has been established by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation with the support of generous seed funding from a cross-section of individuals, private foundations, corporations and other concerned entities. The Community Foundation is pleased to share that more than $500,000 has already been pledged by these Founding Fund Partners who have each contributed at least $25,000 at launch.
The new Fund is now accepting donations from the public. Donations of any amount are encouraged and welcomed. Learn more and donate http://www.FCCFoundation.org/COVID19ResiliencyFund.
“In response to this unprecedented time in our lives, we have launched The Fairfield County COVID-19 Resiliency Fund with the intent of quickly raising contributions from the entire Fairfield County community to support our most vulnerable residents. Our deepest gratitude goes to our founding Resiliency Fund Partners who immediately answered our requests to initiate the Fund. Fairfield County’s Community Foundation is fortunate to be part of a caring, generous, and resilient community and we are confident with your help we can meet this goal,” states Juanita James, President and CEO, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation.
She continues, “In addition to urging you to support The Fairfield County COVID-19 Resiliency Fund, we encourage you to continue to support local nonprofit organizations that work with the people and families who are most vulnerable in our community. Community health centers, homeless shelters, pre-school and afterschool programs, food pantries and others, which are already dealing with reductions in state and federal funding, will be further stressed. In times like this, philanthropy can shine.”
The new Fund will rapidly deploy resources to trusted, frontline community organizations that meet the basic needs of local residents in Fairfield County. The Fund’s purpose is to help alleviate the social and economic consequences of this global pandemic and to prevent the widening of disparities in education, employment, housing, and health. The fund’s resources will be directed to organizations serving high need, vulnerable populations, including low-income individuals and residents without health insurance and/or access to sick days; immigrants; persons with disabilities; and communities of color, among others.
Founding Fairfield County COVID-19 Resiliency Fund Partners have contributed a minimum of $25,000 to the Fund. Those Founding Fund Partners include, to date: Anne S. Leonhardt Fund, Anonymous Fundholders, Buckeye Fund, Dan Levinson, Don Kendall, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation Board of Directors, Herbert and Nell Singer Foundation, and Social Venture Partners Connecticut.
In addition, an anonymous donor has offered to contribute an additional $100,000 challenge grant, which will be activated upon the Fund raising $100,000 in gifts from other contributors.
The Fairfield County COVID-19 Resiliency Fund is designed to be flexible in its focus, nimble in its action, and to complement other resources and responses at the national, state and local levels.
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation will administer responsive grants from the Fund through its Community Impact Team, which will identify potential grant recipients and accept open inquiries for funding. Given the dynamic nature of this moment, grant funding will be considered and released on a rolling basis. The Community Foundation will begin distributing grants as soon as possible.
Consideration for grants from The Fairfield County COVID-19 Resiliency Fund is limited to 501c3 nonprofit organizations, groups fiscally sponsored by a 501c3 nonprofit organization, or other charitable organizations able to receive tax-deductible contributions, such as schools, faith-based organizations serving community needs, and other public entities based in or primarily serving Fairfield County communities and residents. Consideration will also be given to 501c4 social welfare organizations.
Individuals and organizations can donate and find additional information about The Fairfield County COVID-19 Resiliency Fund at http://www.FCCFoundation.org/COVID19ResiliencyFund. To inquire about grant opportunities, please contact your program officer or send inquiries to COVID19@FCCFoundation.org.
About Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation promotes philanthropy as a means to create change in Fairfield County, focusing on innovative and collaborative solutions to critical issues impacting the community. Individuals, families, corporations and organizations can establish charitable funds or contribute to existing funds. The Community Foundation is in compliance with the Council on Foundations’ national standards and has awarded over $316 million in grants to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond. As a trusted nonprofit partner and thought leader, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation brings together community organizers, business experts and philanthropists to close the opportunity gap. Our goal is to create a vital and inclusive community, where every individual has the opportunity to thrive.
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