COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund
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How can my organization apply or be considered for funding opportunities?
The Community Foundation continues to monitor the situation and work with our generous donors and partners to direct resources and support to where they are needed most.
While the application process for the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund has closed, we continue to accept donations to the Fund and will make additional grants if funding allows.
We do not currently have plans for another large, multi-issue grant round from the Fund, however some open opportunities linked to specific issue areas and geographies are anticipated. All available grant opportunities are posted to our website here and sent via email newsletter. We recently had two open grant rounds via the Children’s Opportunity Fund in Montgomery County for literacy and early education programs, and the Equity Fund in Prince George’s County for workforce programs.
We do continue to support nonprofit partners across the region based on funding availability and donor interest in targeting specific areas, populations, or needs.
Does The Community Foundation award grants to individuals and/or Businesses?
The Community Foundation can only make grants to nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.
What Will the Fund Support?
As community needs have evolved, so have our grantmaking priorities in response to the pandemic. As the cold winter months draw closer, we continue to monitor the situation, keep in contact with our peers and nonprofit partners, and consider ways to respond.
Is there a geographic area of focus for the Fund?
This fund will support emergency response efforts targeted toward residents of the Greater Washington region – including DC, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County in Maryland. We encourage eligible nonprofit groups in Northern Virginia to reach out to our partner community foundations – Arlington Community Foundation, ACT for Alexandria, and the Northern Virginia Community Foundation – for funding opportunities.
How will grant payments be made?
We are making a concerted effort to move all grantees and vendor payments to ACH, which is a faster and more secure form of payment. This step is even more critical right now to ensure continuity of services in case there are any disruptions to mail services.
If you are a Community Foundation grantee and would like to receive ACH payments for grant funds, please complete this form and send it via email to [email protected].
Are you offering any Flexibility for Current Grantees of The Community Foundation?
The Community Foundation recognizes that the COVID-19 crisis has made everyday life and work more challenging for all of us. In light of this, we will provide additional flexibility to current grantees on any outstanding reporting that is owed to The Community Foundation. We have turned off automatic report email reminders and are open to current grantees making requests for reporting extensions.
Where possible, The Community Foundation is open to reallocating grant funds to cover emergency needs brought on by the COVID-19 crisis. If you would like to make a budget modification request or reporting extension request on your current grant, please contact your program officer.
How can I share my nonprofit’s information, resources, and volunteer opportunities?
We are using our social media channels to help share resources from our nonprofit partners providing immediate help, information about public services, and to connect community members with volunteer opportunities. If you are offering resources, volunteer opportunities or other services for residents of the Greater Washington region in response to COVID-19, please share it with our community in our Twitter Moment, where we're coordinating an evolving list of resources! To share, send us a direct message on Twitter with a link to your tweeted resource or request.
Additional Questions?
General Inquiries, please contact Melen Hagos at [email protected].