First State nonprofits affected by the Coronavirus pandemic can tap into a local fund offering assistance.
Any local nonprofit can apply now for grants from the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund.
The fund was put together quickly by the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF), along with the United Way of Delaware, the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) and Philanthropy Delaware.
“It’s both to help now, but it’s also to help ensure that these organizations and that the infrastructure stands up as we go through this over the coming months,” said Delaware Community Foundation president and CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay.
He says the deadline for the first round of grants passed earlier this week. But since these are rolling grants, nonprofits are encouraged to reapply weekly.
“Right now we’ve got a little over $2 million in the fund. We have quite a bit more that looks like it’s going to be coming in. We expect this fund to grow over time," said Comstock-Gay. "The goal is that we will have this grant deadline every week for as long as we need too.”
Comstock-Gay notes front-line grants help nonprofits encountering increased demand for services due to COVID-19. Service-challenged grants fund nonprofits modifying their service delivery models due to the pandemic. And collateral damage grants fund nonprofits facing extreme difficulty because of lost revenue due to closures, cancellations and other challenges.
Applications are being accepted the apply Delaware Community Foundation website.