A Letter to Our Grantees and Vendors on COVID-19

Dear Friends:

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are committed to extending care to our grantee partners, the communities we serve, and ourselves. We wanted to send a short note to you in this time of uncertainty:

· We understand that the spread of COVID-19 is likely causing disruption in your work environment, and may also affect your ability to hold in person meetings, gatherings or attend convenings you have planned as a part of your funding from us. We want to extend flexibility during this uncertain time. If grant activity or reports will be significantly delayed during this time, we welcome a conversation with you about making alternative arrangements. Please contact your program officer to discuss how to proceed. If you are unsure of who to contact, please email Jessica Spohn, Director of Grantmaking, jspohn@nmefoundation.org.

· Effective today, through March 31st at least, Nellie Mae staff will be working remotely. During this time, we will be holding all our meetings virtually.

· We have plans in place to ensure grant payments are made with minimal disruption.

· Today, we released one of our first steps in supporting Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We invite you to learn more about that here, and remain committed to figuring out how to best serve our grantee partners and communities during this time.

· We will also continue to strategize internally and in partnership with grantees, community partners, and other funders as we gain a clearer assessment of the situation across the region. We hope to remain part of the solution alongside many as we all work together to address the immediate and long-lasting impact of COVID-19 in communities and schools.

If you have any immediate concerns about your grant with us, please don’t hesitate to contact your program officer. We are keeping you in our hearts in this uncertain time and will keep you updated on any changes on our end. Thank you for the work you do every day.

Nick Donohue
President & CEO
Nellie Mae Education Foundation