Standing Together: Philanthropy’s COVID-19 Relief Funds and Immigrant Communities

Cosponsored with Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees

The COVID-19 global pandemic has been one of the most consequential events in the last decade, wreaking havoc on families, communities, and the economy. As businesses were forced to close or scale back, wage and job loss hit brown and Black communities particularly hard, including immigrants who are overrepresented in hospitality, agriculture, domestic work, and other industries. In response to this economic crisis and the fact that the federal government does not provide pandemic benefits to undocumented families—despite their participation in the labor market—philanthropy and state and local governments stepped in to fill the gap. Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) recently commissioned a study to analyze the efforts of philanthropy to support immigrant communities via relief funds. This webinar featured a dive into the findings and a discussion on how foundations can prepare for future relief efforts. Speakers included Sharon Bush of the Grand Victoria Foundation, Alice Cottingham of Alice Cottingham & Associates, Eric Edi of AFRICOM, project consultant Althea Gonzalez, and Laine Romero-Alston of Open Society Foundations.

Please visit GCIR’s resource page to access the report and webinar recording.