News

New Grant Offerings May Push COVID-19 Relief Impact Past $1M

V1 Staff, photos by Tina Ecker |

Eau Claire at sunrise.
Eau Claire at sunrise.

 Three Chippewa Valley charitable groups have announced they are working together to address community nonprofits’ COVID-19 needs in the hopes of making a $1 million economic impact.

The United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley, the Eau Claire Community Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Chippewa County say their partnership will help local nonprofits that serve community members most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. All three are offering their own grants, but they plan to collaborate to ensure that the funds they divvy out are best serving the Chippewa Valley’s needs.

The United Way aims to distributed $500,000 to nonprofits in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties; the Eau Claire Community Foundation’s “Response and Recovery Community Fund” has nearly $200,000 available for Eau Claire County nonprofits; and the Community Foundation of Chippewa County’s “Response Recovery Rebuild Fund” is accepting applications and will award grants on a rolling basis.

Already in recent months, the three organizations have made more than $300,000 in coronavirus-related grants; combined with anticipated new grants, the total could exceed $1 million.

For full details on the grants and how organizations can apply for them, here’s the full press release:


 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley, Eau Claire Community Foundation, and Community Foundation of Chippewa County Announce New Grant Opportunities to Support Chippewa Valley Nonprofits

“Response and Recovery” Funds help nonprofits address challenges caused by COVID-19.

The United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley, the Eau Claire Community Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Chippewa County have created a partnership to help local nonprofits address the COVID-19 pandemic. Each organization will offer its own grant opportunities; they will then collaborate to ensure that funds they distribute will best serve the needs of the Chippewa Valley as a whole during the pandemic.

The United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley will grant $500,000 to nonprofit organizations in both Eau Claire and Chippewa Counties. The grants will support projects that address early childhood development as well as the physical and mental well-being of these children’s family systems; UWGCV identified this area as critical to the children’s current and future well-being during their recent assessment of pandemic-related community needs. Grant proposals must be submitted by July 28; visit UWGCV’s website (www.uwgcv.org) for more information.

The Eau Claire Community Foundation’s ”Response and Recovery Community Fund” grant cycle is now open for Eau Claire County nonprofits. It has almost $200,000 in available funding to support projects that meet residents’ basic needs, including food, shelter, and physical and mental health, as they cope with economic damage caused by the pandemic. It also offers operational support to help nonprofits adapt to the pandemic’s ongoing effects. The deadline for submitting grant applications is July 28, 2020. For more information, visit ECCF’s website (www.eccfwi.org).

The Community Foundation of Chippewa County’s “Response Recovery Rebuild Fund” is accepting applications continuously as long as the Fund is open, and grants will be awarded on a rolling basis to allow for the most flexible response to evolving needs. Visit CFCC’s website (www.yourlegacyforever.org) for more information.

Eligible Chippewa Valley nonprofits can apply for grants from one or more of these separate but complementary grant cycles.

Since April, the three organizations have granted over $300,000 to help nonprofits serve community members disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and its economic consequences. With the additional funding from these new granting opportunities, the nonprofit impact in the Chippewa Valley could reach over $1 Million!

The Community Foundation of Chippewa County creates, builds and manages endowment funds that benefit the people of Chippewa County. www.yourlegacyforever.org

Eau Claire Community Foundation strengthens our community by offering donors opportunities to establish charitable legacies, by making grants, and by serving as a catalyst to address community needs. www.eccfwi.org

United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley fights for the health, education, financial stability and basic needs of every person in every community we serve. www.uwgcv.org