Applications for the next round of grants through Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s COVID-19 Response Fund are due by noon, Sept. 11. Funding is available to Mecklenburg County 501(c)3 nonprofits offering programming and services for residents, with preference given to organizations providing rent and mortgage assistance, education, child care and mental health.
For nonprofits that are new to grant writing and are interested in learning helpful tips that could strengthen your application, a free and optional “Introduction to Grant Writing” webinar training will be held on Aug. 31 at 9 a.m. Advance registration is required. Visit uwcentralcarolinas.org/grants/COVID for webinar registration details, complete criteria or to apply for a grant.
Foundation For The Carolinas and United Way of Central Carolinas helped launch the fund on March 16 to support a range of nonprofit organizations assisting members of the community affected by the pandemic, particularly those most vulnerable. Since its launch, nearly $20 million has been raised, with more than $14 million granted to nonprofits.
Visit fftc.org/COVID19grants for a full list of grants distributed so far.
A COVID-19 Response Fund Grants Committee reviews applications and distributes grants from the fund. The committee is made up of 19 local leaders representing a diversity of business sectors, backgrounds and Mecklenburg County geographic locations.
The grants committee is co-chaired by Tanya Blackmon of Novant Health and Edwin Peacock of Pomfret Financial. Other members include: Charles Bowman, Bank of America; Jordan Boyd, Rockwell AME Zion Church; Heath Campbell, Truist Financial; Alexis Coleman, Davidson United Methodist Church; Betsy Conway, Lowe’s; Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County; Malcolm Graham, City of Charlotte; Mark Jerrell, Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners; Cliff Matthews, St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church; Brian Middleton, Atrium; Michaela Miller, Humana; Dee O’Dell, U.S. Bank; Jill Olmstead, LendingTree; Susan Patterson, community volunteer; Federico Rios, City of Charlotte; Mike Rizer, Ally Financial; and Lisa Saunders, Christ Church Charlotte.
The COVID-19 Response Fund is administered through a partnership between Foundation For The Carolinas and United Way of Central Carolinas, in close coordination with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
Donations to the COVID-19 Response Fund have ranged from a two-dollar commitment from an anonymous online donor to $1.3 million from Mecklenburg County. Other major gifts include $100,000 each from the Charlotte Hornets Foundation, the Springsteen Foundation, the Philip L. Van Every Foundation, Kim and Johnny Belk, and Alfred and Amy Levine Dawson; $150,000 each from Wells Fargo, Wells Fargo Championship and Sean & Andrea Smith; $200,000 each from Allstate Insurance and Vanguard; $250,000 each from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation, the Weisiger Fleming Family Fund, EY, PwC/The PwC Charitable Foundation, and The Hearst Foundations; $270,000 from BlackArch Partners/The Regions Foundation; $500,000 each from Ally Financial, the Duke Energy Foundation, The Humana Foundation and the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation; and $1 million each from LendingTree, the City of Charlotte, the Howard R. Levine Foundation, Truist Financial Corporation, Bank of America, the David A. Tepper Charitable Foundation, Lowe’s, the C.D. Spangler Foundation/National Gypsum, Coca-Cola Consolidated, the John M. Belk Endowment and Pamlico Capital.
For complete criteria or to submit your grant application, visit uwcentralcarolinas.org/grants/COVID.
To contribute to the COVID-19 Response Fund, visit HelpCharMeck.org. Corporations and foundations that wish to make a donation may contact either Catherine Warfield, Senior Vice President of Philanthropic Advancement at FFTC, at 704.973.4515 or cwarfield@fftc.org; or Clint Hill, Chief Development Officer at United Way of Central Carolinas, at 704.371.6359 or chill@uwcentralcarolinas.org.
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