CT Philanthropy Digest - Spring 2020

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  COVID-19 FUNDER RESPONSE  

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GRANTS AND RFPS FOR ORGANIZATIONS

Find information for grants and RFPs for COVID-19-related needs. Links are provided to funder sites for updated information, current deadlines, and how to apply. Check eligibility and deadlines carefully.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation

• AWARDED ON ROLLING BASIS: Northwest Corner Gives: COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund>>
  Rapid modest grants are available to those organizations working on the frontlines of the pandemic. Grants will be awarded for basic needs such as rent, food, infant supplies (diapers and formula), utilities (heat, gas), medication, and child care.

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and United Way of Greater New Haven

• ONGOING INQUIRY: Greater New Haven COVID-19 Community Fund >>
  The Community Foundation will work in partnership with United Way of Greater New Haven to proactively identify potential grant recipients, solicit guidance on potential recipients from community advisors and recommend final awards. To share information about your organization’s needs, please see the United Way’s website and enter your organization’s needs.

The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut

• MAY 8: Application deadline: Neighbors for Neighbors Fund >>
  The Fund’s resources initially will be directed to organizations providing direct assistance to high need, vulnerable populations -- including low-income individuals, residents without health insurance and/or access to sick days, communities of color, and individuals with disabilities, among others -- to address immediate basic needs such as healthcare, food, shelter, childcare and other supports to ensure stability and well-being. A second round of grantmaking from this Fund will open in Summer 2020. 

Community Foundation of Greater New Britain

• CONSIDERED ON ROLLING BASIS: Emergency Community Initiative Fund >>
  The Foundation has two funding options for local organizations serving the residents of Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington. Nonprofits can request emergency community initiative funding of up to $5,000 for initiatives proposed to respond to community needs in order to help the most vulnerable during this crisis.

Community Foundation of Middlesex County

• ROLLING PROCESS: Live Local Give Local Emergency Fund Grants Program >>
  This fund will support nonprofit organizations, schools, or local town services in Middlesex County. Given the unique nature of current events, grant applications that focus on established programs and services addressing immediate and basic needs will be the priority at this time. In the future, if funding allows, requests for support for mid‐to‐long term recovery and rebuilding efforts after COVID‐19 will be considered.

Connecticut Community Foundation; United Way of Greater Waterbury

• CONSIDERED ON ROLLING BASIS: COVID-19 Response Fund >>
  The new fund is designed to be flexible and nimble in action to support trusted, frontline community organizations that meet the basic needs of local residents in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.

Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority

• FY 2021 CHEFA COVID-19 Grant Program will focus on funding statewide efforts that are currently, or plan to be, launched by 501 (c) (3) CT nonprofit entities within the next few months to respond to the crisis. The efforts can be focused on statewide programs to support Connecticut communities and residents or can be sector specific statewide funds focused on one or more of CHEFA’s four core priority areas of healthcare, education, childcare, and cultural. Organizations may contact Betty Sugerman Weintraub, CHEFA Grant Program Manager, for more information at 860-761-8428 or bweintraub@chefa.com.

Fairfield County's Community Foundation

• CONSIDERED ON ROLLING BASIS: Fairfield County COVID-19 Resiliency Fund >>
  The new Resiliency Fund supports local nonprofits and helps to alleviate the social and economic consequences of the global pandemic, and to prevent the widening of disparities in education, employment, housing, and health.

Foundation for Community Health

• CONSIDERED ON ROLLING BASIS THROUGH JUNE 8: COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant Program >>
  The initial phase of funding will focus on strengthening community safety nets, helping our most vulnerable community members with preparedness, and supporting organizations’ capacity for risk communications and/or telework solutions.

Funders’ Collaborative for Youth Organizing

• REVIEWED ON A ROLLING BASIS: COVID-19 Youth Organizing Rapid Response Fund >>
  For organizations that will be working to support youth organizing groups that engage young people of color, low-income young people, and gender-oppressed young people, in collective action for social change. Grants will be up to $2,000 and determined by organizational budget and need. 

William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund

• ROLLING BASIS: Responsive Grants and Discretionary Grants Available to Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic >>
  These grants are available to communities throughout the state responding to current events related to COVID-19 including responses that seek to address physical, social, emotional well-being and safety of those most affected by racism and poverty.

Greenwich United Way
ROLLING BASIS: Greenwich COVID-19 Community Relief >>
This fund provides disaster relief and recovery efforts for Greenwich residents experiencing economic hardship due to the COVID-19 health crisis. Grant applications are still being accepted for nonprofit local agencies supporting relevant relief efforts. Grant applications are still being accepted for non-profit local agencies supporting relevant relief efforts and can be submitted to Robert Moore at rmoore@greenwichunitedway.org. 

Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

• CONSIDERED ON ROLLING BASIS: COVID-19 Response Fund >>
  The Fund will provide flexible resources to organizations throughout the region that serve residents who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the economic consequences of the outbreak.

Haymarket People’s Fund

• CONSIDERED ON ROLLING BASIS: Urgent Response Funding >>
  In response to the current moment, Haymarket has increased its funding for urgent response grants to help grassroots, social change organizations respond quickly to unforeseen crises or opportunities that critically affect its organization and constituency.

Main Street Community Foundation

• ROLLING BASIS: COVID-19 Response Fund >>
  Phase 1 – The Foundation is currently providing rapid response grants in support of nonprofit organizations on the front lines providing basic needs to local residents. When they move into Phase 2, grant efforts will focus on the operating needs of local nonprofits in collaboration with other funders. 

Meriden-Wallingford Community Foundation and United Way of Meriden and Wallingford (non-members)

• ROLLING BASIS: Meriden-Wallingford Community Foundation Coronavirus Response Fund >>
  This fund will allow these Meriden and Wallingford agencies and nonprofits to mobilize and respond quickly to the growing needs of the community to ensure people have access to basic resources such as housing, food, energy assistance and health services.

Nellie Mae Education Foundation

• ROLLING IINQUIRY: Rapid Response Fund: Racism is a Virus Too >>
  This fund was created to respond to the hate crimes and bias against Asian American communities resulting from COVID-19. The Foundation has allocated resources to support community-based organizations (CBOs) that provide services for AAPI communities. This grant opportunity is no longer open.

New England Grassroots Environment Fund

• ROLLING BASIS: Rapid Response Seed Grant Program >>
  This program is available to grassroots groups responding to local needs and building resilience in their community in response to the COVID19 pandemic and associated events.

City of New Haven’s Department of Cultural Affairs and the Arts Council of Greater New Haven

• ROLLING BASIS: New Haven CREATES Relief Fund >>
  The New Haven Creative Sector Relief Fund will distribute immediate financial assistance to individual creatives and arts institutions most impacted by the Coronavirus 2019. Applicants can apply on a rolling basis to receive up to $1,000 based on their financial situation, with a priority for low-income individuals and small-budget arts organizations.

United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut

• ROLLING BASIS: United Way Neighbors in Need Fund >>
  Funds for eligible organizations to apply for one-time funding to support residents who have been adversely impacted by the pandemic. Priorities include organizations providing services that address basic human needs such as: food, shelter, safety from domestic violence/sexual assault, mental/physical health, rent/mortgage or utility assistance, or other identified needs; and organizations providing childcare to essential workers.

Valley Community Foundation, Valley United Way, Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Valley Health & Human Service Council

• NEXT GRANT CYCLE TBA: Valley Community COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund >>
  The Fund will provide flexible resources to organizations throughout the Valley that serve the Valley region, especially to those who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the economic consequences of the outbreak.

Yale Community for New Haven Fund

• ON GOING: Yale Community for New Haven Fund >>
  Through the new fund, Yale will support the delivery of healthcare, assistance to local businesses, community educational needs, and area not-for-profits focused on such pressing issues as the well-being of children and families, homelessness, and food insecurity.  The fund will focus initially on agencies providing healthcare and basic-needs services to those most affected by COVID-19.  

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OTHER FUNDER RESPONSES

Many other foundations are responding to this crisis. The following organizations have shared how they are responding.

Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford
(3/26/20) The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford and the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and have established the Jewish Hartford Rapid Relief and Recovery Fund to address urgent community needs in the wake of COVID-19. Initially, the Fund will provide financial and human resources to help community partners.

Middlesex United Way
In response to COVID-19, Middlesex United Way has launched the 2020 ALICE Fund, a direct assistance fund, to ensure individuals and families in Middlesex County who are affected by the pandemic receive the much-needed support they need.

NewAlliance Foundation
(4/10/20) The NewAlliance Foundation is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with an accelerated grant cycle and expedited process, allowing flexibility in expenditure of grants awarded in March, and other supports. Learn more >>  

New Canaan Community Foundation
(3/18/20) The New Canaan Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund will mobilize private resources to support the emergency financial needs of New Canaan families, primarily through referrals of partner nonprofit organizations, schools, and town government.

United Way of Coastal Fairfield County
(3/20/20) Neighbors in Need Emewrgency Fund >>
Through the local fund and its statewide efforts, United Way is donating nearly $200,000 across Fairfield County to aid those hardest hit, with support ranging from virtual tutoring to basic needs like food, rent, and utilities.

United Way of West Central Connecticut
United Way of West Central Connecticut has established the COVID-19 Community Response Fund to address the short- and long-term consequences of the pandemic.  

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FUNDS FOR INDIVIDUALS

City of New Haven’s Department of Cultural Affairs and the Arts Council of Greater New Haven

• ROLLING BASIS: New Haven CREATES Relief Fund >>
  The New Haven Creative Sector Relief Fund will distribute immediate financial assistance to individual creatives and arts institutions most impacted by the Coronavirus 2019. Applicants can apply on a rolling basis to receive up to $1,000 based on their financial situation, with a priority for low-income individuals and small-budget arts organizations.

Perrin Family Foundation

• MAY 8: Submission deadline: Youth Voice & COVID-19 >>
  PFF is looking for submissions from young people from across Connecticut that will be shared on an ongoing basis on our social media platforms. Young people have been just as hard-hit by the economic impact of COVID-19, so all young people who submit an aligned submission will receive a stipend of $250. Due to the overwhelming response, new submissions are no longer being accepted.

Samuel Adams and Greg Hill Foundation

• ROLLING BASIS: Restaurant Strong Fund >>
  Grants to Connecticut restaurant workers who are impacted by closures due to COVID-19.

Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation

• ROLLING BASIS: Artist Relief.org >>
  A coalition of more than twenty national arts funders, including Connecticut's Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, has launched an emergency relief fund that will provide millions of dollars to artists struggling financially in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States.

Connecticut United Ways (15 independent United Ways in CT)

• COVID-19 Response Fund >>
  Connecticut United Ways COVID-19 Response Fund will get cash into the hands of people who are financially struggling as a result of the pandemic. Individuals must contact their town's Social Services office to access information on eligibility for available funds. Learn more >>

United Way of Milford

• ONGOING: COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund >>
  United Way of Milford has launched the COVID-19 Response Fund to protect our most vulnerable populations, such as seniors, children and low-income families.

United Way of Western Connecticut

• ONGOING: ALICE Emergency Fund >>
  United Way of Western CT has launched the Fund to immediately address the urgent need of access to food for individuals and families living in the 15 cities and towns that they serve affected by COVID-19's catastrophic effect on its region. Read the FAQs for who is eligible >>  

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  FUNDER COVID-19 NEWS LINKS >>

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Find news about CCP Members and other Funders responding to the Coronavirus pandemic on CCP's Coronavirus Resources for Funders and Nonprofits >>