Community Foundation Expands Urgent Needs Fund Eligibility

The Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation has recently expanded its Urgent Needs Fund eligibility, allowing more organizations across Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau Counties to apply for COVID-19-related funding.

The Urgent Needs Fund was launched in March 2020 with the aim of helping nonprofit, governmental, and tribal entities across the five-county region that are working with individuals and families who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The original scope of the Fund focused on organizations serving basic needs, from food pantries to crisis counseling.

With the new eligibility guidelines, Urgent Needs Fund grant applications are welcome from not only health and human service organizations, but also arts, cultural, and environmental groups. Grant funding must be tied to programs or expenses impacted by COVID-19, and can also be requested to help organizations adapt to the pandemic and address needs that may arise as a result of this challenging environment, such as new COVID-related expenses.

“Our Urgent Needs Fund has allowed us to be flexible and adaptable to our community’s needs as they change and evolve,” said Steve Wade, Vice President of Community Impact at the Community Foundation. “We are grateful for a recent infusion of funds from Grand Traverse County, our Rotary Endowment, and other generous donor partners, allowing us to expand our eligibility guidelines to support even more nonprofit partners across our region with their COVID-related needs.”

Since its inception, the Urgent Needs Fund has awarded $817,373 to local organizations and has secured $955,810 in committed gifts. To learn more about the Community Foundation’s Urgent Needs Fund, visit www.gtrcf.org/give/urgentneeds.

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