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Press Release: St. David’s Foundation Announces $10 Million Fund in Support of Central Texas Nonprofits and Public Entities Impacted by COVID-19
Multi-phase funding
will support short- and long-term area needs,
contributing toward relief, recovery and ultimately a healthier community
Published April 9, 2020
AUSTIN, Texas – In response to the current crisis and unprecedented circumstances caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, St. David’s Foundation has launched a $10 million St. David’s Foundation COVID-19 Recovery Fund: Lifting Up Central Texas Today and Tomorrow to support nonprofits and public entities impacted during this extraordinary time. The fund will provide grants supporting both the immediate and intermediate needs of nonprofits working on the front lines to provide emergency assistance to those in Central Texas’ most vulnerable communities impacted by COVID-19.
“Across the world and in Central Texas, the effect of COVID-19 on the nonprofit community is truly existential. We are not just experiencing a short-term crisis, but, more profoundly, a long-term health issue with implications far beyond what any of us can imagine today,” said Edward Burger, Ph.D., President and CEO, St. David’s Foundation. “Through our St. David’s Foundation COVID-19 Recovery Fund, St. David’s Foundation hopes to alleviate some of the needs of our community – both the urgent and eventual – as we look to stabilize and then rebuild. More than ever, we are strategically committed to the health and well-being of our community.”
The St. David’s Foundation COVID-19 Recovery Fund complements the efforts of local health departments, public health officials, and federal subsidies by providing financial support to impacted nonprofits and public entities located in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties. Eligibility is open to 501(c)3 organizations or public entities within these five counties to support the immediate and intermediate needs of those working to improve health and support members of the community.
Priority populations for this fund include older adults at risk of social isolation, women, children, and vulnerable populations, with special attention given to rural communities. Direct service providers, such as those supporting essential healthcare, human services, and food insecurity directly connected to COVID-19, are vital in this recovery effort and will be prioritized for funding through this significant initiative. Furthermore, the fund will also prioritize work related to other factors that impact health and well-being including telehealth, mental health, and youth serving organizations.
The recovery fund is one of many relief efforts coordinated by St. David’s Foundation in response to the COVID-19 crisis. As of March 2020, the Foundation has converted nearly $16 million in existing grants allowing for flexibility to fund general operating expenses for our grantees as they navigate the impact through this evolving and uncertain time. In addition, the Foundation continues to evaluate community-wide, collaborative funds supporting COVID-19 relief initiatives to determine how to make meaningful and strategic impact within the Central Texas region.
“In an effort to support both the short- and long-term impacts of COVID-19, funding will be phased in the coming months as we assess how the Foundation can best mitigate the impact of this crisis as well as the level of need and urgency,” said Burger. “As such, this fund aims to ensure that nonprofits on the front lines of this unprecedented fight for community wellness can continue operating today, so that their vital contributions will be felt tomorrow. We are committed to working alongside our community and remaining flexible as needs change with a focus on long-term impact through innovation and collaboration – two core values of St. David’s Foundation.”
Funding submissions will be accepted beginning April 13, 2020. In an effort to strategically coordinate resources, we will have three application submission deadlines throughout 2020: May 7; August 13; and October 15.
Please direct media inquiries to:
(512) 879-6586 / [email protected]