Green River Area Covid-19 Response Fund
About the Response Fund
The Green River Area Covid-19 Response Fund is a coalition of philanthropy, government and business partners who united to create a Response Fund that has rapidly deployed resources to community-based organizations at the front-lines of Western Kentucky’s current Covid-19 pandemic. Led by a partnership between United Way of the Ohio Valley (UWOV) and the Green River Area Community Foundation (GRACF), the fund is providing valuable assistance to organizations providing life-saving services to people in the GRADD region who are disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 and the economic consequences of the outbreak.
Green River Area Covid-19 Response Fund Grants are funding organizations and programs that have deep roots in Western Kentucky. Agencies are assisting some of the most vulnerable residents with access to food, housing, utility assistance, medical and other basic needs. The fund is complementing the work of local public health providers, nonprofits, and government entities to expand local capacity to support individuals and families experiencing hardship as a result of the outbreak and related closures and disruptions. In the current phase resources will concentrate on targeting the basic needs of hunger and housing. The Response Fund continues to accept applications.
GRACF is administering grants from the Green River Area Covid-19 Response Fund in partnership with UWOV and in close collaboration with community advisers and local governments. Together we are proactively identifying potential grant recipients, soliciting guidance on potential partnerships and recommending final awards as quickly as possible. Funds will continue to be released on a rolling basis. Fundraising continues throughout the pandemic and recovery phases of the crisis, making it possible to move resources quickly and adapt to evolving needs.
How to Donate
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To donate online, click HERE.
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If your business or company would like to join the coalition and provide a corporate gift, please email sgatton@uwov.org
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To donate by check, please indicate that your gift should be directed to the Covid-19 Response Fund. Checks should be made to Green River Area Covid-19 Response Fund and mailed to:
Green River Area Covid-19 Response Fund
PO Box 705
Owensboro, KY 42302-0705
Lead Coalition Partners
Founders:
– Green River Community Foundation
– United Way of the Ohio Valley
Sustaining Partners:
– City of Owensboro
– Daviess County Government
– Public Life Foundation
– Marilyn and William Young Foundation
– Lawrence and Augusta Hager Educational Foundation
Supporting Partners:
– Owensboro Regional Health
– Independence Bank
– Daviess County Chamber of Commerce
Media Inquiries
FAQ
I’m an individual who’s been affected by Covid-19. Can this Fund help me?
We understand many individuals and families have already been affected by the outbreak and more will continue to be affected. On behalf of the Fund’s partners, United Way of the Ohio Valley (UWOV) and Green River Area Community Foundation (GRACF) are working to move resources to community-based organizations that are directly supporting residents and families who are most affected by emerging health, economic, and social impacts.
While the Fund is not currently able to provide grants to individuals, it is funding community-based organizations that have the experience and history of providing people and families with services and support. We will work to update you on the organizations that have received grant funding.
My organization is interested in resources from this Fund. Can we be considered?
We understand the Covid-19 outbreak is impacting nonprofits in many ways, including increased demand for services, lost revenue due to closures and cancellations, as well as other challenges. We are working closely with GRACF, local governments and community partners to ensure that the grants awarded meet the greatest needs in communities disproportionately impacted by Covid-19. To move resources quickly, we are asking that a single page application be completed. You may contact Amy Silvert, GRACF Executive Director (amy@greenrivercf.org) or Doug Eberhart, UWOV Executive Vice President (deberhart@uwov.org) to make sure we are aware of your needs and can keep them in mind as the granting process progresses and needs become more clear.
I want to donate. Can I restrict my funding to a prioritized grantee?
To ensure we move resources as efficiently as possible and respond to needs of communities most impacted, we are not able to restrict donations at this time. The Green River Area Covid-19 Response Fund was created in hopes of providing a way to coordinate as many resources as possible across our service area.
Should I give to this Fund instead of making other donations?
This Fund was not created to be the only vehicle for getting needed resources into the community, but to help facilitate getting more targeted resources into the community. This is a critical time for so many, including the nonprofit organizations who’ve benefited from your giving in the past, as well as those who’ve had to cancel their annual fundraising events or depend heavily on public gatherings. Please continue to give to organizations you regularly support, and those that need your help at this crucial time. Now is the time to double down for our community.
What will NOT be included in the first phase of funding?
We anticipate funding to address both the acute needs now and the longer-term impacts of the outbreak and recovery. Initially, we are prioritizing community-based organizations that are serving communities and individuals who are immediately and disproportionately suffering from this crisis. Our immediate focus areas include access to food and helping vulnerable populations to access medical needs and shelter.
Based upon the charitable structure of the Green River Area Covid-19 Response Fund, our grants are limited to 501c3 nonprofit organizations, groups fiscally sponsored by a 501c3 nonprofit organization, or other charitable organizations able to receive a tax-deductible contribution, such as schools, faith-based organizations, and other public entities.
Is there a geographic area of focus for the Fund?
The Green River Area Covid-19 Response Fund will prioritize community-based organizations within the defined service areas of United Way of the Ohio Valley and Green River Area Community Foundation. Which consists the counties of: Daviess, Hancock, McLean, Ohio, Union and Webster. We are doing this with a recognition that many nonprofits serve workers and residents in our neighboring counties.
When will you share who you fund?
We anticipate making a first round of grant funding in the coming weeks and will publish the list of selected grantees on the UWOV and GRACF websites. We hope that this will help the community navigate available resources.