Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund partners announce latest round of grantmaking

More than 100 organizations across Northeast Ohio have now received support since fund’s inception

Release Date: 5.29.2020

CLEVELAND – The Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund coalition announced today the most recent round of grants to support the nonprofit community, which continues to face unprecedented challenges during the ongoing pandemic. In total, $977,000 was awarded to 19 organizations and groups serving Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties. Since the Fund’s creation in mid-March, partners have granted nearly $5.7 million to 103 nonprofit groups and organizations. The latest round of grant recipients includes:

Food & Shelter

  • CHN Housing Partners ($50,000): To provide proactive emergency rental assistance to families in Cuyahoga County with limited resources.
  • Emerald Development and Economic Network, Inc. (EDEN) ($70,000): To continue to provide housing and related supports to at-risk individuals and families with disabilities, returning citizens, and those experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
  • West Park United Church of Christ ($25,000): To support its newly established food delivery program for vulnerable populations in Cleveland’s West Park, Kamm’s Corners and Puritas neighborhoods.
  • Rid-All Green Partnership ($50,000): For its efforts to deliver nutritious food boxes on a weekly basis to veterans throughout the City of Cleveland and residents in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood who are in need.
  • Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope ($40,000): To prepare and deliver food boxes on a monthly basis to nearly 1,000 families facing food insecurity in East Cleveland.

Connectivity

  • Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland ($14,000): To purchase technology resources that will allow the agency’s staff to deliver remote services to economically disadvantaged individuals and families in Cuyahoga County, including early childhood education programming, behavioral health support and rent assistance.
  • Lexington-Bell Community Center ($20,000): To establish a virtual platform to continue providing early learning services and youth programs for families in Cleveland’s Hough, St. Clair and Superior neighborhoods.
  • Merrick House ($24,000): To purchase technology resources to allow staff to continue the organization’s MomsFirst, Early Childhood Education and Adult Learning and Workforce Development programming virtually.
  • Seeds of Literacy ($20,000): To purchase IT equipment and additional supplies to provide adult literacy services via tele-tutoring and live video sessions to the agency’s more than 1,100 students.

Clinical & Behavioral Health

  • Lake County Free Clinic ($34,000): To hire temporary staff and purchase enhanced personal protective and technology equipment to continue to provide essential medical care to uninsured and under-insured individuals in Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula and eastern Cuyahoga counties.
  • Northern Ohio Recovery Association ($42,000): To purchase IT equipment so inpatient clients can access mental health and recovery support services virtually, and to expand its food pantry, which it operates in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

Other Vulnerable Populations

  • Epilepsy Association ($12,000): To help individuals in Cuyahoga County with epilepsy who need assistance with basic needs such as utilities, medication, housing, cleaning supplies, PPE, food and transportation.
  • Our Lady of the Wayside, Inc. ($100,000): To continue to assist developmentally disabled clients in Cuyahoga and Lake counties with nursing support and essential supplies, as well as job training and placement services.
  • Franciscan Communities, Inc./Mount Alverna Village ($80,000): To provide funding for PPE, sanitation supplies, hand sanitizer and diagnostic testing devices, in addition to the purchase of three open-front shelters that will allow for in-person visits with family members at the Parma location.
  • Blossom Hill Inc. ($36,000): To provide support for increased PPE, disinfecting products and procedures and transportation costs for developmentally disabled individuals in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties.
  • March of Dimes ($40,000): To provide parents with babies in the NICU at Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital with diapers, wipes, hand sanitizer, face masks and resources on safety for newborns.
  • First Year Cleveland ($100,000): To provide blood pressure cuffs, doppler fetal monitors and body weight scales to COVID-19-positive pregnant women and those considered to be high risk due to other medical concerns. Funding will also provide iPads in labor and delivery rooms for connecting with significant others as well as post-delivery care packages.
  • Progressive Baptist Association ($20,000): To purchase diapers, wipes, Pack & Plays and essential household cleaning products to help ensure a safe environment for African American mothers and families who reside in impoverished communities and have been terminated or furloughed from their jobs.

Small Community Grants

  • Neighborhood Connections ($200,000): To provide grants ($500-$5,000) to small nonprofit organizations, faith-based congregations, and grassroots and neighborhood civic groups throughout Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties for a broad range of essential human needs such as healthy food and safe shelter. Since receiving its first round of funding on April 10, Neighborhood Connections has awarded 62 grants totaling $209,000.

Overall contributions to the Rapid Response Fund now total more than $8.6 million from 76 different corporate, civic and philanthropic partners, including individuals and families across the region. New funding partners (since May 15) include The Frank Hadley and Cornelia Root Ginn Foundation; The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation; and Medical Mutual. 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 partners still plan to continue to make grants through June, with the potential to extend grant opportunities as needed and as additional funding resources become available through new partners joining the effort. Frontline nonprofits that have pressing needs related to the COVID-19 crisis response should email covid19response@clevefdn.org to receive more information about the streamlined funding process. The funding collaborative will continue to identify potential grantee partners, solicit guidance on proposed projects from community advisors and recommend final awards. Organizations that have already submitted funding requests will remain in consideration for future grant distributions until further notice.

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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