Rapid-response grants were announced April 2 by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) to four nonprofit organizations providing services to vulnerable populations in Flint and Genesee County. Grants were awarded from the newly-established Greater Flint Urgent Relief Fund in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
“We are working diligently in response to nonprofit organizations who we know have tremendous urgent needs right now,” said Isaiah M. Oliver, President and CEO of CFGF. “Our advisory committee understands the scope of need and is committed to awarding grants as quickly as possible for immediate impact.”
Funding is available to nonprofit organizations who work with vulnerable communities in Flint and Genesee County. Grant criteria and information about the submission process is available online at www.loveflint.org. Decisions will be announced as soon as they are made and posted on the Community Foundation’s website along with a list of donors supporting the fund.
Greater Flint Urgent Relief Fund Grants to Genesee County Nonprofits
$50,000 to Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties for general operating support to help needy and struggling families secure their homes, lives and bring about needed assistance, dignity, health, help, hope, resources and supportive services.
$50,000 to COVID-19 Community Help Distributions Centers to provide operating support for nine Centers that will provide food for referrals from the sheriff’s emergency line and 211.
$15,000 to Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for COVID-19 relief and to allow the center to continue to provide interpreting services to bridge the communication barrier for the deaf and hard of hearing.
$5,000 to Clio Area Human Services Fund to support the Clio Disaster Fund with its priorities of food, evictions and power shutoffs. Assistance will be provided to individuals and organizations in need of emergency assistance in the Clio area.
CFGF’s Advisory Committee helped to leverage an additional $275,000 in support to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan (FBEM) through its fund partners. The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation announced a $200,000 grant and the United Way of Genesee County, through a gift from Meijer, a grant of $72,000 to FBEM to support immediate food security issues.
The Greater Flint Urgent Relief Fund was established by CFGF in partnership with United Way of Genesee County on March 18, 2020, by a coalition of philanthropic, government, and business partners. Fund partners encourage institutions, companies, and other donors to contribute and support local nonprofits now, when they need it most. To date $669,000 has been raised towards the $1 million goal, including a $500,000 grant awarded from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Anyone interested in becoming a fund partner should contact Karima Amlani, transitional vice president of development, at kamlani@cfgf.org.
