Grant applications for the second round of funding from the COVID-19 Response Fund for Cattaraugus County will be available beginning June 1.
The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation, Dr. Lyle F. Renodin Foundation and the United Way of Cattaraugus County together worked to establish the COVID-19 Response Fund for Cattaraugus County, which provided $27,000 in its initial round of grants to support nonprofits working to help those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to CRCF Executive Director Karen Niemic Buchheit, about $28,000 will be available for grants in the second phase of funding. Due to the anticipated number of applicants the maximum grant request will be $2,500.
The online grant application can be found and completed at cattfoundation.org/covid-19-response-fund.
Priorities for this phase will include funding for nonprofits that provide services to individuals impacted by the COVID-19 crisis in areas of:
- Food security
- Housing/rent assistance
- Utilities assistance
- Services for older adults
- Childcare services
- Mental health and wellbeing
- PPE and/or hygiene products
- Technology services to assist vulnerable residents
- Pet care, food and supplies
- Other basic human or emergency needs
In addition applications will be considered for nonprofits needing funding to adapt programs and service during the pandemic for such things as technology needs, PPE and/or lost revenues due to closures or cancellation of fundraising events.
Individuals will not be eligible to receive grants due to the charitable restrictions of the fund. Grants will be limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and charitable organizations that receive tax-deductible contributions, including schools, government organizations, faith-based organizations and other public entities.
Grant applications will be due June 15.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer this second round of grants from the COVID-19 Response Fund,” said Buchheit. “We were able to provide much-needed funding in the first phase of grants, but we were not able to fully fund any requests as the requests far exceeded the amount of funds available.
“As always, the community has been generous and stepped up to make sure that another round of funding could be offered,” Buchheit added.
“Unfortunately, since the first round of grants, we have seen the need deepen in our community, and we have seen the impact of this change the way all of our nonprofits are able to operate,” she said. “That makes this second round of funding so crucial. We are so grateful to all of the donors who have made this possible.”
Donations can be made to the fund online at cattfoundation.org or mailed to the CRCF office at 301 North Union St., Suite 203, Olean, NY, 14760. Checks should be made payable to CRCF/COVID-19 Fund. More information can be found at cattfoundation.org/covid-19-response-fund.
The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is the area’s supportive, responsive and trusted community foundation. Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).
