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About the COVID-19 Relief Fund
UPDATE (3/20/2020) - United Way NSV announces a $50,000 match to the COVID-19 Relief Fund! See the full announcement here: https://conta.cc/2WwXZjG
Hosted by United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley, in partnership with Valley Assistance Network, the COVID-19 Relief Fund will provide flexible resources to organizations in our region working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the economic consequences of this outbreak.
The Fund is designed to expand local capacity to address all aspects of the outbreak as efficiently as possible. Grants will be dispersed to agencies within the United Way NSV catchment area of the City of Winchester, Frederick, Clarke, Shenandoah and Page counties that are directly supporting local residents and families who are most affected by emerging health, economic and social impacts.
In particular, funded agencies will be those serving the needs of the ALICE® population. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE households earn more than the official US poverty level but less than the basic cost of living – in other words households who are working in needed jobs that don’t pay enough to afford the basics necessities, including housing, food, childcare, health care, and transportation. Examples are child care providers, home health aides, mechanics, retail workers, service providers, store clerks or office assistants. ALICE can be a new graduate just starting out, a young family, or a retiree.
These grants will increase resiliency in disproportionately affected communities by addressing the immediate, unmet needs of working families due to sudden loss of income caused by COVID-19 related closures. Immediate, unmet needs may include:
- Food and food supplies
- Prescription and medical supplies
- Mortgage payments for homes or businesses/Rental assistance
- Car repairs or payments
- Utility payments
- Child care
- Other
Funding Criteria
Funds will not be limited to United Way NSV partner agencies. We understand the COVID-19 outbreak is impacting nonprofits in many ways, including increased demand for their services, lost revenue due to closures and cancelations, as well as other challenges. Our goal is to make sure that the grants awarded meet the greatest needs in communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
At this time we will not be funding organizations who have lost revenue or are likely to lose future revenue due to canceled events or programs, or larger public institutions that are strained by increased demand for services.
In order to move resources quickly and not further burden organizations on the frontlines of the pandemic, the application will be more streamlined than our standard fund distribution process. There will be a short application for agencies to complete. Applying agencies must also submit the following accountability documentation:
- IRS 501(c)3 Letter
- 2018 or 2019 IRS Form 990
- Verification of being legally incorporated and registered in Virginia
If you are an agency interested in receiving resources from this fund, please contact Hilary Legge at hlegge@unitedwaynsv.org to make sure we are aware of your needs and can keep them in mind as the granting process progresses and needs become clearer.
If you are an individual who’s been affected by COVID-19, please reach out to United Way NSV’s Valley Assistance Network at van@unitedwaynsv.org or (540) 773-3178. The volunteers at VAN can help you find resources to assist you. As we begin to award grants, we will post them on this page: https://www.unitedwaynsv.org/covid19reliefinvestments. At that time, you can also check there for a list of organizations that may be able to provide assistance.
While the Fund will not go through the standard United Way fund distribution vetting process, United Way NSV is fully committed to protecting donor dollars and will do all that we can to be transparent in our funding decisions. To view the agencies that have been funded by the COVID-19 Relief Fund, CLICK HERE.
Funds will be released on a rolling basis as fundraising continues throughout the outbreak and recovery phases of the crisis, making it possible to move resources quickly and adapt to evolving needs in subsequent funding phases. Due to the ever-changing nature of this crisis, agencies will be able to apply more than once. However, the re-applying agency must have completed the required grant report for their previous funding before becoming eligible to apply again.
Donations 
There is no administrative fee for participating in the Fund. 100% of donations to United Way NSV’s COVID-19 Relief Fund will go directly to relief efforts. To ensure we move resources as efficiently as possible and respond to needs of communities most impacted, we are not allowing for restricted donations to the Fund at this time. The COVID-19 Relief Fund was created in hopes of providing a way to coordinate as many resources as possible.
If there is an agency in particular you would like to support, we encourage you to donate to them directly. 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.
To see how your dollars are being put to use, CLICK HERE.
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Questions
- For questions regarding the COVID-19 Relief Fund or if you are an agency interested in receving funds, contact Hilary Legge at hlegge@unitedwaynsv.org.
- For individuals in need of assistance, contact Valley Assistance Network at van@unitedwaynsv.org.