OVERVIEW:
The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley created the COVID-19 Response Fund to assist our community during the coronavirus pandemic. As this health emergency is constantly evolving, your United Way remains steady as the backbone agency connecting funds and resources to our partners that serve children, families, and individuals in need during this uncertain time.
The response fund will be used to support and stabilize our funded partner agencies, local non-profit agencies, and school districts we serve through our Success By 6 and Success After 6 initiatives. The number of people in need is shifting and increasing under the current circumstances, so we must be ready to act responsibly and efficiently.
The COVID-19 Community Response Fund is designed to assist the agencies and organizations supporting the most vulnerable in our Valley. Our fund complements the work by public health officials and expands local capacity to address the many needs created by the coronavirus.
COVERAGE FOOTPRINT:
Mahoning County as well as Girard, Liberty, and Hubbard in Trumbull County
PARTNER ELIGIBILITY FOR RESPONSE FUNDS:
Organizations in the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley’s geographic coverage footprint that fall under these categories:
- 501c3 nonprofit organizations
- Other charitable organizations able to receive a tax-deductible contribution; such as schools, faith-based organizations and other public entities
Not eligible:
- Individuals
- Businesses
- Labor Unions
- 501c4, 501c5 or 501c6 organizations
TIERED RESPONSE:
Your United Way continues to work closely with our 35 funded partner agencies, other non-profits, government agencies, school districts, and the business community to come up with solutions to the problems our students, families, and individuals will face during the outbreak and recovery from this crisis.
- Tier One – Immediate needs
- We will respond to immediate needs of the community that include:
- FOOD
- SHELTER
- CHILDCARE
- Tier Two – Short Term (4 weeks- 8 weeks out)
- We will continue to maintain open lines of communication with the funded partner agencies, government agencies, school districts, and other non-profits to understand where the needs are and what additional support is required.
- Tier Three – Long Term
- We will look at operational funding issues on a tiered basis:
- Emergency – Now through July 1, 2020
- Sustaining Support – July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021
- Regular Grant Cycle – TBD
- We will look at operational funding issues on a tiered basis:
NON-PROFIT APPLICATION PROCESS:
Funding will be available on a rolling basis. for emergency funds related to the current crisis (now to July 1), you can email requests with organization name/ Contact Info, brief description of need, and amount requested. Please email Lita Wills, Director of Community Impact, at [email protected]. You can also cc Bob Hannon, President, at [email protected]. Any questions, please call 330-746-8494.
Information on the July 2020-June 2021 funding process will be announced at a later date.
FUND MANAGEMENT:
- 100% of the donations made to our COVID-19 Response Fund will go toward our funded agencies, other local non-profits, and school districts in need. In regards to the school districts, United Way will step in to fund where there is a need such as food, technology, or school supply needs.
- Your United Way will update you weekly as to how the fund is being invested into the community through an email blast, through social media channels, and our website.
- Response Funds are separate from any funding United Way awards to partners through its regular grant cycle.
- Prioritization of needs and distribution will be based on on-going conversations with funded partners, other non-profit agencies, government agencies, and school districts.
- United Way’s Community Impact Committee will work with United Way’s key Impact Staff to award the grants. The United Way Executive Committee will be kept informed of all decisions, and will step in to help decided any grant over $25,000. United Way’s full board will also be kept informed on an ongoing basis.