PACE Members Continue to Respond to COVID-19
Since COVID-19 hit communities across the United States, we have been keeping you updated on the innovative ways PACE members and funders are infusing resources with creativity, leading philanthropy’s response, and advancing the conversation of its impact on our democracy.
In our ongoing efforts to share how our members are responding, here are some recent new announcements of our members’ commitments to COVID-19 response efforts:
With the intention of sustaining and growing the humanities during coronavirus, California Humanities opened applications to distribute funds from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Individuals and organizations are eligible to apply for relief and recovery grants, especially those who have experienced financial hardship or the cancellation of their public humanities activities. Funds will also be used to provide capacity-building recovery grants to help organizations consider new approaches to public humanities programming given the world’s new circumstances.
A similar effort by Oregon Humanities will distribute $450,000 of emergency relief funds through the CARES Act to Oregon non-profit organizations focused on the humanities. Funds will provide general operating or project/program support to organizations financially impacted by COVID-19, and specifically, Oregon’s “Stay Home, Save Lives” executive order. Because Oregon Humanities is committed to funding organizations and communities that have historically been most severely affected by recessions, the funds will be prioritized for organizations that are based in and led by rural communities and/or communities of color.
Kresge Foundation announced another $4.2 million in new grants to support nonprofits confronting the challenges posed by COVID-19, including protecting voting rights and supporting civic capacity building. In addition, they announced 124 grant amendments that offer greater flexibility and resources to help grantees weather the crisis. This new wave of funding builds on Kresge’s initial investment of $2.6 million in April to place-based organizations in Detroit, New Orleans, and Memphis, and brings their response funding to nearly $7 million to-date.
In their efforts to continue monitoring COVID-19’s impact on Minnesota residents, the McKnight Foundation announced another collection of grants, which recognizes that COVID-19 has a disparate impact on specific communities. These funds were awarded to provide resources to people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity; early childhood educators; organizations working to combat increased xenophobia toward Asian Americans; and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) who are absorbing heightened social, political, and economic disparities due to the pandemic. The Foundation also released a video showcasing some of the responses from community partners and how they are finding #BrightSpots in a difficult time.
Another geographic effort has Flinn Foundation focused on supporting Arizona residents with a series of emergency grants. More than $450,000 in grants have been issued to a fashion incubator manufacturing PPE for health-care workers, to Arizona’s public universities for research and testing initiatives, and to an emergency support fund for nonprofits across the state. Additionally, the foundation anticipates frontloading roughly two years’ worth of support to arts and culture organizations as they retool their business models to survive.
Finally, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, with support, collaboration, and leadership from several PACE members, has announced a new civic education grant program called Civic Spring. The program will award grants of up to $100,000 each to organizations that provide effective summer civic learning experiences that meet local needs, which could include organizing COVID-19 response efforts or preparing for the election in November. The deadline is June 1.
Are we missing critical response efforts in this roundup? Reach out to info@pacefunders.org and let us know, or post in the comments below.
