Community rallies to raise more than $5.37 million to date for Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund

New contributions total more than $1.42 million since fund launch just five days prior

Release Date: 3.23.2020

CLEVELAND – Contributions to the Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund now total more than $5.37 million from 27 different corporate and philanthropic partners alongside individual donations from across the region. New funding partners include Bank of America, Chip and Karen Chaikin, Community West Foundation, Deaconess Foundation, Haslam 3 Foundation, Lincoln Electric, RPM International Inc., Union Home Mortgage Foundation and the Woodruff Foundation.

Since its launch on March 18, the Rapid Response Fund has secured more than $1.42 million in additional contributions. Funding partners urge other foundations, corporate entities, individuals and organizations to contribute to the fund via ClevelandFoundation.org/Response, where you can also view a list of partners to date. Donations of any amount are welcomed, and all contributions are tax deductible.

The Rapid Response Fund is designed to complement the work of public health officials and expand capacity in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties by strategically and efficiently addressing impact from the outbreak. Initially, grant funding will support nonprofit organizations that provide community safety nets (e.g. food pantries, homelessness and housing assistance, credit counseling, etc.) and have strong experience working with the immediate needs of populations made vulnerable by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the Rapid Response Fund will support nonprofit organizations that serve:

  • People over 60 years of age, people with compromised immune systems, those who are pregnant, and others with increased health risks associated with the novel coronavirus
  • Low-income residents
  • Homeless people
  • Residents without health insurance and/or access to paid time off work
  • People with limited English language proficiency
  • Healthcare, service workers, and part-time workers
  • People of color
  • People with disabilities
  • Incarcerated and returning individuals
  • Other populations emerging with needs as the crisis unfolds

In order to move resources quickly and not further burden organizations on the frontlines of the pandemic, funding partners are not hosting a formal application process at this time. Instead, frontline nonprofits that have pressing needs related to the COVID-19 crisis response should email covid19response@clevefdn.org to receive more information about the funding process. The funding collaborative will identify potential grantee-partners, solicit guidance on proposed projects from community advisors, and recommend final awards.

Based upon the charitable structure of the Rapid Response Fund, grants are limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, groups fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, or other charitable organizations able to receive a tax-deductible contribution, such as schools, faith-based organizations and other public entities. The partners are not able to fund individuals or businesses directly, labor unions, or other 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5) and 501(c)(6) organizations.

For more information or to donate, visit ClevelandFoundation.org/Response.

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