A group of organizations continue to raise and distribute assistance to smaller nonprofits in Delaware hit by the coronavirus.
The Delaware Community Foundation quickly came together with United Way of Delaware, the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) and Philanthropy Delaware to form the COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund just after the coronavirus pandemic came to Delaware in March.
So far the fund has distributed $3 million to more than 130 nonprofits. It just handed out its 13th round of grants— more than $200,000 to 11 organizations.
Stuart Comstock-Gay is the president and CEO of DCF.
He says it’s unprecedented in the sense that everybody who can is looking for a way to participate, “It’s rare to have an event that aligns everybody around the same need. And that’s what we have here. Now of course the needs here are diverse and widespread and deep. And so it requires more support from more people - a combination of individuals and corporations and foundations and governments and just people doing good stuff.”
Comstock-Gay notes while the Fund is doing what it can, more money is always requested, “It’s true almost every week - we had 49 applicants asking for $1.7 million. What it shows is that the needs remain great and as we continue to struggle with the pandemic, the needs are going to continue to be great. And philanthropy is not going to be able to do the bulk of the work; that’s why the CARES Act money that the State’s got is going to be so important, as well as just everyday acts throughout the State.”
Grantees this time around include:
- Delaware Children's Museum — $20,000 for safety materials for visitors, social distancing signage, sneeze guards and other equipment to ensure a safe reopening.
- Kent-Sussex Industries — $25,000 for equipment and renovation of program space.
- Sussex County Habitat for Humanity — $27,440 for technology for various purposes, including a website redesign to integrate online ReStore sales.
- West End Neighborhood House — $20,086 for an outdoor classroom, disposable masks and a temperature screening system.
- YMCA Delaware — $50,000 to improve indoor safety and air quality through ventilation and filtration.
- Code Purple of Kent County — $25,000 for a food truck to deliver food to the homeless in Kent and Sussex County.
- Delaware Zoological Society — $6,600 for online ticketing software.
- Developing Artists Collaboration (Dewey Artists) — $3,400 for electronics for the Creative Career Service Program.
- Kalmar Nyckel — $5,400 for a virtual field trip program.
- Serviam Girls Academy — $20,000 to prepare for a safe reopening, including health and safety training for teachers and administration.
- Historic Lewes Farmers Market — $7,500 for signage and equipment to reopen safely.
The Fund plans to award monthly grants from now through December.
The next application deadline is August 10, 2020. For more information and to apply - click here.
