Over $140,000 in Grants Awarded to Montgomery County COVID-19 Relief Efforts
With its partners, HeathSpark awarded the first round of grants through the MontCoPA COVID-19 Response Fund two weeks after opening the Fund for grant applications. A total of $141,500 has been awarded to 41 nonprofit organizations as part of a community-driven effort to support the immediate needs of residents hardest hit by the pandemic.
The MontcoPA COVID-19 Response Fund allows residents, businesses, and philanthropies to donate money towards COVID-19 relief efforts. The Fund was established on March 26, 2020 by six local philanthropies, including HealthSpark, and the County of Montgomery and is managed by the Montgomery County Foundation, Inc. This pooled funding model allows nonprofits in need to apply once for grants rather than apply separately to each foundation or corporate giving program- easing up the paperwork during a time when many nonprofits and front-line responders are working overtime to respond to the crisis.
As of April 7, over $290,000 has been raised for the Fund, including almost $59,000 in donations from private individuals. Still, more funds are urgently needed to support the efforts of first responders and social safety net providers. The need is unparalleled and will continue to grow over the next several months.
Within a week of the Fund opening, 60 nonprofits applied for funds totaling over $245,000 in requests. In this first round, grants will go to support a variety of basic needs programs: food pantries, senior care programs, rent and utility payment programs for low-income residents, behavioral healthcare and telehealth services, ambulance services, childcare for healthcare workers, domestic violence services, protective personal equipment purchase for nonprofits continuing essential in-person services, public benefits navigator support, and emergency shelters.
Projects were prioritized for funding based on the geography served, the capacity to meet the higher demand for services, and whether the project targeted particularly vulnerable populations. Additional consideration was given to ensure that needs of historically underserved communities- such as recent immigrants or people of color- were also met.
The Fund continues to accept grant applications and will award additional grants on a rolling basis. To apply, visit www.mcfoundationinc.org.
