By Maria Saporta
In its latest round of grants, the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund awarded a total of $1.125 million to 10 local organizations in response to the region’s needs as a result of COVID-19.
The Fund is a joint effort of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and and the United Way of Greater Atlanta. To date, the Fund has awarded more than $18.4 million to 321 local nonprofits.
The two organizations have jointly identified the areas of greatest need and the most vulnerable populations – metrics they use to determine which organizations will receive the grants.
So far, the Fund has raised more than $25 million from corporate, philanthropic and individual donors. It will be accepting next round of grant applications on Sept. 1.
The seventh round of grants will allow the grantee organizations to provide funding for emergency financial (rent and utilities) assistance in response to the COVID-19 crisis for a period of up to 4.5 months.
Research has indicated that each of the organizations has the ability to meet high demand for emergency financial assistance and strong track record of effectively serving the most vulnerable people in our region across a wide geographic scope.
Nine of the grants will provide emergency financial assistance and legal support to combat evictions for some of our most vulnerable, low-income populations. These populations include undocumented and immigrant families with children, families who face threats from domestic violence, families who live in extended stay motels and families without formal leases.
The 10th grant will expand COVID-19 testing in low-income and high-risk communities.
The latest 10 recipients in the seventh round of funding are listed below:
- Georgia ACT(Advancing Communities Together) – $75,000 to provide emergency financial assistance and eviction relief in its multi-county service area.
- Georgia Legal Services Program – $100,000 to support and meet the increased demand for emergency financial assistance, eviction filings and legal representation in the region.
- Inspiritus (formerly Lutheran Services of Georgia)– $100,000 to meet the increased demand for emergency financial assistance in its multi-county service area.
- Latin American Association– $150,000 to meet the increased demand for emergency financial assistance in its service area.
- Latino Community Fund– $200,000 to provide emergency financial assistance for Latinx communities throughout Greater Atlanta in partnership with grassroots Latinx organizations.
- Vincent DePaul Georgia– $100,000 to meet the increased demand for emergency financial assistance in the region.
- Ser Familia– $150,000 to meet the increased demand for emergency financial assistance.
- Single Parent Alliance and Resource Center (SPARC)– $100,000 to meet the increased demand for emergency financial assistance and rehousing services.
- Star C– $100,000 to support emergency financial assistance, housing and eviction relief.
- United 2 Live – $50,000 to provide increased testing and testing support services to meet the needs of hard to reach populations in low-income communities.
The Fund was announced March 17 with Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta committing $1 million and United Way of Greater Atlanta contributing $500,000 to seed the Fund.
Significant contributions to the fund have come from organizations including the Coca-Cola Co., the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation – each donating $5 million to the Fund in support.
Other current funders include the City of Atlanta, the Goizueta Foundation, the Klump Family Foundation and the Truist Foundation – each contributing $1 million.
A full listing of all the grants the Fund has made to date are listed on both the Community Foundation’s website and United Way’s website.
