In final round of grants, COVID-19 Response Fund awards more than $1.6 million to dozens of local nonprofits aiding neighbors impacted by the pandemic
More than $23.5 million awarded over the last 15 months to 240 nonprofits meeting local needs
More than $1.6 million was awarded to dozens of local nonprofits in the seventh and final round of grants from the COVID-19 Response Fund. In total, more than $23.5 million was granted to 240 nonprofits helping those affected by the pandemic with basic needs such as childcare, education, housing, food, emergency financial assistance, legal advocacy, health and mental health, and workforce development.
These final grants were aimed at organizations that provide safety net services such as housing/shelter, food, and emergency financial assistance, including rent and utility assistance. This round also sought to support grassroots and neighborhood-based organizations with budgets less than $1 million.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg COVID-19 Response Fund was launched in March 2020 to support local nonprofits experiencing increased need and demand for services due to the pandemic. More than $23.5 million was raised from corporations, foundations, individuals and local government. The COVID-19 Response Fund is administered through a partnership between Foundation For The Carolinas and United Way of Central Carolinas, in close coordination with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
“Over the last 15 months, United Way and Foundation For The Carolinas have raised and awarded over $23.5 million to help Mecklenburg County nonprofits provide critical services to those most in need,” said United Way President and CEO Laura Yates Clark. “The incredible generosity of our community allowed us to provide hundreds of grants that reached thousands of our neighbors. As we announce this last round of funding, I continue to be inspired by more than 1,200 donors who came together to help. It really represents the best of who we are as a community.”
“With these final grant awards, we extend our deepest thanks to the funders and volunteers whose support has made the COVID-19 Fund possible,” said FFTC Executive Vice President Brain Collier. “We also recognize the extraordinary and ongoing work by the grantees and wide range of nonprofits who continue to address the pandemic-related needs of our community.”
The seventh and final round of grants from the COVID-19 Response Fund include (visit fftc.org/COVID19grants for a full list with project descriptions):
Education
- $25,000 to Eliminate the Digital Divide
- $20,000 to North Mecklenburg Child Development Association
- $30,000 to ourBRIDGE, Inc.
- $25,000 to Promise Youth Development
- $7,500 to Promising Pages
Emergency Financial Assistance
- $20,000 to Academy of Goal Achievers
- $10,000 to Carolina Youth Coalition
- $25,000 to Caterpillar Ministries
- $35,000 to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte
- $15,000 to Charlotte Pride, Inc.
- $50,000 to Crisis Assistance Ministry
- $13,000 to CrossRoads Corporation for Affordable Housing and Community Development
- $40,000 to Lakewood Neighborhood Alliance
- $10,000 to Little Rock CDC/U2U
- $15,000 to Learning Help Centers of Charlotte
- $25,000 to RAIN, Inc.
- $30,000 to Rockwell AME Zion Church
- $27,500 to Southside Rides Foundation
- $20,000 to The Save Our Children Movement Inc
- $17,500 to Thrive Global Project
Food Assistance
- $15,000 to Angels and Sparrows Soup Kitchen
- $17,500 to Bags of Hope
- $75,000 to For The Struggle, Inc.
- $21,250 to Galilee Ministries of East Charlotte – Episcopal Diocese of NC
- $25,000 to Historic West End Partners, Inc.
- $13,000 to Hope Street Food Pantry, Inc.
- $15,000 to Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays, Inc.
- $45,000 to The Bulb Gallery
Health
- $55,000 to Care Ring
- $25,000 to HeartBright Foundation
- $27,500 to Lake Norman Community Health Clinic
- $30,000 to Mental Health America of Central Carolinas, Inc.
- $10,000 to Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center
- $45,000 to Project 658, Inc.
- $12,500 to The Relatives Inc.
- $15,000 to Wilson Oasis
Housing/Homelessness
- $20,000 to Block Love Charlotte
- $10,000 to Charlotte Rescue Mission
- $20,000 to Freedom Fighting Missionaries
- $10,000 to Furnish for Good
- $25,000 to Hearts Beat As One Foundation
- $50,000 to Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
- $25,000 to Safe Alliance, Inc.
- $10,410 to Shelter Health Services
- $15,000 to Supportive Housing Communities, Inc.
Workforce Development
- $25,000 to Prospera North Carolina LLC
In addition to these competitive grants, directed grants totaling $575,000 were awarded to a number of nonprofits providing pandemic relief.
A COVID-19 Response Fund Grants Committee reviewed applications and distributed grants from the fund. The committee was made up of 17 local leaders representing a diver- sity of business sectors, backgrounds and Mecklenburg County geographic locations.
The grants committee is co-chaired by Tanya Blackmon of Novant Health and Edwin Peacock of Pomfret Financial. Other members include: Charles Bowman, Bank of America; Jordan Boyd, Rockwell AME Zion Church; Heath Campbell, Truist Financial; Alexis Coleman, Davidson United Methodist Church; Betsy Conway, Lowe’s; Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County; Malcolm Graham, City of Charlotte; Mark Jerrell, Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners; Cliff Matthews, St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church; Brian Middleton, Atrium; Michaela Miller, Humana; Dee O’Dell, U.S. Bank; Jill Olmstead, LendingTree; Susan Patterson, community volunteer; Federico Rios, City of Charlotte; Mike Rizer, Ally Financial; and Lisa Saunders, Christ Church Charlotte.
Donations to the COVID-19 Response Fund ranged from a two-dollar commitment from an anonymous online donor to $1.3 million from Mecklenburg County. Other major gifts included $100,000 each from the Charlotte Hornets Foundation, the Springsteen Foundation, the Philip L. Van Every Foundation, Kim and Johnny Belk, and Alfred and Amy Levine Dawson; $150,000 each from Wells Fargo, Wells Fargo Championship and Sean & Andrea Smith; $200,000 each from Allstate Insurance and Vanguard; $250,000 each from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation, the Weisiger Fleming Family Fund, EY, PwC/The PwC Charitable Foundation, and The Hearst Foundations; $270,000 from BlackArch Partners/The Regions Foundation; $500,000 each from Ally Financial, the Duke Energy Foundation, The Humana Foundation and the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation; and $1 million each from LendingTree, the City of Charlotte, the Howard R. Levine Foundation, Truist Financial Corporation, Bank of America, the David A. Tepper Charitable Foundation, Lowe’s, the C.D. Spangler Foundation/National Gypsum, Coca-Cola Consolidated, the John M. Belk Endowment and Pamlico Capital.
For more information on the fund, visit: fftc.org/COVID19
Source: UWCC News
Date: July 1, 2021