CFSI COVID-19 Relief Fund Grants $735,000

The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana announced that it has granted more than $735,000 from its COVID-19 Relief Fund. The fund was established in March to address the needs of Clark and Floyd residents and businesses that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 Relief Fund was seeded with $100,000 from the Community Foundation’s unrestricted fund and awards grants to non-profits whose work in support of seniors, children, immigrants, workers and other vulnerable populations that have been stressed by the pandemic. Other funders include the Duke Energy Foundation, BlueSky Network, Caesars Foundation of Floyd County, OSI Foundation, Town of Sellersburg, Floyd County Government, City of New Albany, Vectren Foundation, Humana Foundation, Town of Clarksville, Clark County Government, Bales Foundation, Kaiser Home Services, and numerous individuals and organizations.

To date, the Foundation has made grants to 24 nonprofits for more than $175,000 to help with needs including food, personal protective equipment, housing and utility assistance, transportation, operational support and more. In addition, the fund has passed through nearly $560,000 for loans to small businesses thanks to a partnership with One Southern Indiana and the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County’s Small Business Emergency Loan Fund.

In addition to administering the COVID-19 Relief Fund, the Community Foundation has also been hosting weekly calls with local leaders – providing a forum for local elected officials, and area funders who are involved in the response to share ideas and work together to have the greatest impact on the region.

Linda Speed, president and CEO of the Community Foundation said, “During times like this we all come together and do what we can to make a difference. As our community’s partner in philanthropy, the Community Foundation has been honored to administer the donations we’ve been entrusted with and use those to help get the people and businesses of our community back on their feet.” She continued, “We know that there is a long road ahead of us and we will transition the COVID-19  Relief Fund to address the long-term needs of our community when the time is right. The more we all come together – individuals, organizations, local government and private funders – the more we can do to help those most adversely affected and the better off our community will be, now and in the future.”

The Community Foundation is asking non-profit organizations that are serving those who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic to apply for a grant from the relief fund on the Foundation’s website at www.cfsouthernindiana.com and follow the menu to the COVID-19 section.

If you are a person who is in need, you are encouraged to reach out to the appropriate governmental and nonprofit agencies who are working to address these needs. The Community Foundation is unable to provide direct assistance to any individual but a list of resources including a nonprofit listing and the locations of area food kitchens is available on the website under the Community Resources tab. Those interested in making a tax-deductible gift to the Disaster Relief Fund can do so on the Foundation’s website by clicking on the Give Today link in the upper right-hand corner.