BHHS Legacy Foundation (Phoenix, AZ)

BHHS Legacy Foundation awarded more than $3 million to support organizations working to improve community health between January and July 2020. To respond to challenges presented by COVID-19, the foundation directed resources to support organizations providing care for communities during the pandemic.

  • Arizona Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund—to support Arizona nonprofits providing essential services as they respond to COVID-19. ($125,000 in matching funds)
  • River Fund, Inc.—to assist in supporting individuals and nonprofits in the Tri-State Region adversely impacted by COVID-19. ($75,000)
  • Arizona Apparel Foundation—to support FABRIC sewing reusable medical gowns for Arizona’s health care workers treating COVID-19 patients in the Navajo Nation and local hospital systems. ($30,000)
  • Arizona Food Bank Network—to provide emergency support to small local food banks facing increased demand from the pandemic. ($25,000)
  • Brighter Way Institute—to support its emergency operations as it provides pediatric and adult dental care to individuals regardless of their ability to pay. ($75,000)
  • Joy Bus—to support its More Than a Meal Delivery Program, which delivers fresh, medically tailored meals to homebound cancer patients. ($40,000)
  • UMOM New Day Centers—to support its increased costs of deep cleaning, food, and extra staffing in response to COVID-19 as it continues to provide vitally important housing and services for families experiencing homelessness. ($100,000)
  • Valley of the Sun YMCA—to help cover the increased costs and demand for the essential services it provides, including child care, low-income transitional housing, case management for young people in foster care, and outreach to senior citizens. ($75,000)

To see a full list of grants, click here.

Contact: 602.778.1200 or info@bhhslegacy.org. 

New York Community Trust (New York, NY)

The NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund announced that more than $110 million in emergency support has been distributed to 768 New York City-based social services and arts and cultural nonprofits affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than $73 million in grant funding was managed by the New York Community Trust and over $37 million was managed by Nonprofit Finance Fund for no-interest loans. Small to mid-sized nonprofits across New York’s five boroughs applied for grants or interest-free loans to ensure the continuity of their daily operations and to help counteract lost revenue that challenged their ability to pay rent, make payroll, or fulfill their public service missions.

In total, the NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund provided relief including grants to 374 social service and health nonprofits and 380 arts and culture nonprofits (grants range from $5,000 to $250,000) and loans to 33 social service and health nonprofits and 10 arts and culture nonprofits (loans range from $100,000 to $3,000,000).

While the NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund is concluding its work, both The Trust and NFF continue to address the needs of New York City nonprofits moving forward, by providing additional funding and free planning and budgeting resources.

For more information, click here.

Contact: Marty Lipp at 917.774.8159 or mbl@nyct-cfi.org.

New York State Health Foundation (New York, NY)

New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) committed $5 million to support COVID-19 response efforts throughout New York State. Grants include contributions to numerous regional response funds, as well as support for statewide and local efforts to address emerging health care and public health needs in the wake of the pandemic.

As part of its commitment, the foundation contributed to pooled response funds in regions throughout New York that provide coordinated and timely support to meet the emerging needs of local communities and organizations. In addition, NYSHealth is supporting targeted grants that will meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers hit hardest by the pandemic.

Grants to Regional Response Funds:

  • Adirondack Foundation Special & Urgent Needs Fund
  • Capital Region Community COVID 19 Response Fund
  • Central New York COVID-19 Community Support Fund
  • Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley
  • Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan
  • COVID-19 Long Island Philanthropic Response Fund
  • Neighborhoods First Fund (NYC)
  • NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund
  • United Way and Rochester Area Community Foundation Community Crisis Fund
  • Westchester COVID-19 Response Fund
  • WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund

Targeted Response Grants:

  • Active Citizens Project/Project Eats—to source produce from their farms across New York, New York to distribute produce boxes and prepared foods to the Brownsville community.
  • AdkAction—to serve more families in the North Country, New York by transitioning its meal distribution to a mobile market that accepts SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks, and other incentives.
  • The Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services—to expand primary care and behavioral health telehealth services for criminal justice-involved youth and adults with mental illness at its East Harlem, New York clinic including individuals released because of the pandemic.
  • The Center for Court Innovation—to continue to work with tenant associations and other community organizations to do “last-mile” deliveries of food, cleaning supplies, and protective gear as well as COVID-19 communications to support public housing residents.
  • Community Food Advocates—to help New York, New York make full use of new flexibilities for enrollment and administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) included in the Family First Coronavirus Response Act.
  • Community Service Society—to support management of the largest navigator network across New York State, which will work to enroll New Yorkers in health insurance, including Medicaid.
  • Foodlink—to work with the Partnership for a Healthier America to get high-quality, fresh produce to Rochester, New York residents in need.
  • The Fortune Society—to provide wellness check-ins and outreach to current and former clients; to support virtual discharge planning and reentry services for individuals released from Rikers Island jail, including providing housing at its facility in West Harlem, New York; and enrolling clients in health and food access benefits.
  • Headstrong Project—to operate online verteran peer support groups to address isolation and anxiety, run online AA veteran support groups, and provide online meditation and mindfulness resources.
  • Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America—to provide direct peer support, comprehensive care management, and resource connections (for food and other basic needs, assistance with medical bills, and mental health, employment, and housing services) to veterans across New York State.
  • JASA (Jewish Association Serving the Aging)—to provide home care, adult protective services, and community guardianship through in-person and remote services.
  • Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital—to expand an existing peer support network in Central New York that combats distress and burnout among clinicians.
  • The Mission Continues—to combat social isolation and mental health issues among veterans and expand efforts across metro New York, New York.
  • The New York Academy of Medicine—to convene leaders of “Age-friendly Neighborhoods”—grassroots efforts driven by older people to improve neighborhoods—to provide solutions for communities: food access and distribution; access to information, communication and technology; access to health care and behavioral health services; and the prevention of social isolation during physical distancing.
  • New York Immigration Coalition—to provide support to small immigrant-serving organizations that are providing front-line assistance to marginalized communities during the pandemic.
  • The New York State Association of County Health Officers—to provide support to rural health departments in areas of technical assistance; public health communications; and resources for surveillance, testing, contact tracing, and vaccination programs.
  • NYC Veterans Alliance—to provide intake and assessment and connect veterans to health care, mental health, housing, legal, and other services.
  • Osborne Association—to provide remote programming and services, including a reentry hotline in New York City and Buffalo, New York and adapting its technical assistance and training activities to provide virtual programs for staff of child welfare agencies that work with the children of incarcerated people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Pace-NRDC Food Law Initiative—to support its COVID-19 legal support project that helps farmers and nonprofits navigate federal, state, and private relief programs; face legal challenges; and facilitate connections and agreements between farmers and hunger relief organizations so food is not thrown away but is distributed to those in need.
  • The Physician Affiliate Group of New York—to provide emotional support, peer support, and mental health first aid programs to reach thousands of public hospital workers who are suffering from trauma in the wake of the pandemic.
  • Primary Care Development Corporation—to support smaller practices across New York State to implement telehealth capabilities.
  • Public Health Solutions—to help transition to a virtual model to ensure the uninterrupted provision of WIC benefits, including nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and WIC checks to purchase nutritious foods.
  • The RAND Corporation—to use microsimulation and epidemiological models to predict the impact of COVID-19 on health insurance coverage, premiums, and costs to New York State.
  • TakeRoot Justice—to help ensure residents of East Harlem, Brownville, and the Lower East Side, New York have access to safe, healthy housing and public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Team Rubicon—to help mobilize veterans to respond to disasters and humanitarian crises in their communities. As it helps with emergency food distribution, medical shelter support, and sanitizing clinics and shelters, it is also combating social isolation and promoting cohesion and connection among veterans.
  • University Settlement, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, Henry Street Settlement, and Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility —to move to virtual and telephone operations to continue case management, wellness checks, nursing triage, and the remote preparation of medical advance directives, as well as providing in-person deliveries of meals, medications, and other supplies.
  • Vibrant Emotional Health—to provide virtual interactive training on coping with high stress, psychological first aid, and vicarious trauma in partnership with trade associations in human services and behavioral health.
  • The Westside Campaign Against Hunger—to continue food pantry operations and meet growing demand for older adults in a safe environment for clients and staff.

Obici Healthcare Foundation (Suffolk, VA)

Obici Healthcare Foundation announced over $1.2 million in funding to support local nonprofits, public-school districts, cities, and counties in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The foundation also awarded $400,000 to support their current strategic programs.

Obici Healthcare Foundation’s new COVID-19 Response Fund was created in response to the difficulties many Western Tidewater schools, businesses, and charitable organizations were facing due to the pandemic. The grants address areas of living most affected such as access to health care, economic impact, education, essential supplies and services, lack of broadband, social isolation, and economic distress on small businesses.

Eligible organizations applied for resources to assist them in navigating and surviving the many consequences they faced created by the pandemic.

The following organizations have been awarded grant funding:

  • Bon Secours Mercy Health Foundation—to install a permanent pressure control system for eight ICU rooms. ($98,400)
  • The Children’s Center—for cleaning and sanitation, PPE, data, and equipment for virtual work environments. ($49,851)
  • City of Suffolk Department of Social Services—to assist citizens with the payment of household utilities whose household income has been adversely impacted. ($100,000)
  • City of Suffolk Economic Development Authority—to help businesses that have experienced losses in operating hours, revenue, and/or reductions in staffing. ($200,000)
  • ForKids, Inc.—for emergency shelter hotel vouchers and a Case Manager in Western Suffolk, Virginia. ($62,020)
  • Franklin Southampton Economic Development Inc.—for businesses to recover from losses experienced and help them to move forward and recover. ($135,000)
  • Gates County, North Carolina—to assist with rent or mortgage and utility payments. ($20,000)
  • Gates County Public Schools—for healthy hygiene products and proper cleaning/disinfectant supplies and to teach handwashing, the proper way to sneeze and cough. ($53,530)
  • The Genieve Shelter—for PPE, professional cleaning services, food, and motel vouchers. ($53,660)
  • Isle of Wight Christian Outreach Program—to meet increased demand for food, diapers, supplies, and pantry staples. ($37,832)
  • Isle of Wight County Schools—for curriculum, ZOOM subscription, and Special Education PPE. ($39,000)
  • Nursing CAP, Inc.—to support its tutoring program and to hire a temporary Administrative Assistant. ($17,200)
  • Paul D. Camp Community College Foundation—for resources, online tutoring, workforce development, and facility sanitation protocols. ($40,070)
  • Smart Beginnings Western Tidewater—to support child care programs with face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and thermometers. ($7,000)
  • Southampton County Public Schools—to support and establish equipment, sanitation, safety equipment for sanitation protocols. ($50,000)
  • Suffolk Christian Fellowship Center—to bridge the food gap for under-resourced and food insecure communities in Suffolk and Western Tidewater, Virginia. ($13,486)
  • Suffolk Public Schools—for virtual social-emotional learning curriculum. ($50,000)
  • Surry County—for local small business grants and to reimburse local businesses for expenditures to operating expenses, purchase of supplies, and safety equipment. ($45,000)
  • Surry County Public Schools—to establish a virtual-to-online platform and assist with in-school sanitation needs. ($83,353)
  • Western Tidewater Health District—for updated equipment to provide “pop up” testing events. ($91,274)

After conversations with community leaders, the foundation is encouraged that the response fund will address and lessen the impact of COVID-19 on the community. Due to the continuing crisis, the board of directors will consider another round of proposals for COVID-19 support to be awarded in October 2020.

While the foundation seeks to support organizations during this crisis, it also continued its strategic direction. Two strategic partners were awarded grants, the Genieve Shelter, $50,000, for Direct Services for Victims of Violence and the University of Virginia, $350,000, for “Assignment:  Impact!”  Creating a Foundation for Success in Western Tidewater.

To learn more, click here.

Contact: Annette Beuchler at 757.539.8810 or abeuchler@obicihcf.org.

Tufts Health Plan Foundation (Watertown, MA)

Tufts Health Plan and the Tufts Health Plan Foundation have committed more than $2 million to support nonprofit organizations responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds and in-kind donations support organizations working on food insecurity, tackle inequities in housing and other services, help women- and minority-owned small businesses reopen, and promote racial justice. The foundation also continues a two-for-one match for donations by Tufts Health Plan employees and board members to nonprofits affected by COVID-19 and organizations advancing social justice. Since March, more than $280,000 has gone to community organizations through this program alone.

As the global COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating, Tufts Health Plan continues to support its members, providers, customers, employees, and others in the community through:

  • Enhancing benefits for members
  • Compensating providers at 100 percent of an in-office rate for telehealth
  • Working with providers on a case-by-case basis to address their concerns regarding payment stability
  • Extending premium payment periods for employers who need a bit more time to make payment on a case-by-case basis
  • Establishing an Employee Relief Fund to support Tufts Health Plan employees who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and are experiencing financial hardship, such as the loss of a job by someone in their household

For more information, click here.

Contact: Alrie McNiff Daniels at 617.301.2715 or alrie_daniels@tufts-health.com.

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