COVID-19 Response and Recovery Funds award $746,012 to 165 organizations in Eastern Washington and North Idaho
/FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COVID-19 Response and Recovery Funds award $746,012 to 165 organizations in Eastern Washington and North Idaho
SPOKANE, WA, June 16, 2020; Innovia Foundation today announced 165 grants totaling $746,012 from the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Funds for Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
This is the second round of grants from the Response and Recovery Funds and is directed to nonprofit and grassroots organizations, as well as tribal entities, schools and other government agencies, that are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Grants focused on childcare and youth, food assistance needs, support for immigrant and refugee communities, mental health resources and small business support.
A 5,000 grant to Refugee Connections will support outreach to the Marshallese community, which is experiencing a hotspot COVID-19 outbreak. Washington State University is receiving a $10,000 grant for the Crosetto Mobile Health Care Unit efforts to provide diagnostic and antibody testing for underserved people throughout Eastern Washington. The Carl Maxey Center will hire a part-time, temporary community support position to assist African American business owners to identify and access resources with a $20,000 grant. See attached for the full list of organizations receiving COVID-19 Response and Recovery funding throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
The COVID-19 Response and Recovery Funds are hosted at Innovia Foundation in partnership with Empire Health Foundation and Spokane County United Way in Eastern Washington, and Equinox Foundation and Avista Foundation in North Idaho.
“The amount of money raised because of the generosity of our community is inspiring. The ability to distribute dollars quickly to nonprofits in our community that are working daily to support families during these difficult times is a priority for Innovia Foundation, Empire Health Foundation and United Way,” said Spokane County United Way President and CEO Tim Henkel. “We all know there is more work to do to support the most marginalized and low-income members of our community who are adversely affected by this outbreak and we will continue to partner to strengthen people’s ability to respond and recover.”
“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we remain very concerned about ongoing health and financial impacts, particularly among communities of color. Our second-round funding priorities are largely focused on organizations serving adults and children in these communities, where deep disparities remain,” said Empire Health Foundation Interim President Jeff Bell. “I want to thank the Spokane County COVID-19 Advisory Committee and funders’ staff for the tremendous work in making difficult and thoughtful decisions.”
“These funds are helping to address the urgent, basic needs that have surfaced during the COVID-19 global pandemic and Better Health Together is glad to contribute. We see this as a starting point for community collaboration,” said Better Health Together Executive Director Alison Poulsen. “We challenge funders and leaders to address systemic racism that exacerbates health inequities in our communities of color.”
“The second round of COVID-19 grants continues to address the most urgent needs in our region and supports organizations doing the work on the ground,” said Innovia Foundation CEO Shelly O’Quinn. “As our region enters into the recovery phase, we are reminded of the strength of community and collaboration as we collectively make these grants thoughtfully and strategically with over 100 regional volunteers and trusted voices.”
Grants from the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Funds are administered in partnership with regional community advisory groups consisting of residents and leaders from health, business, education and human services sectors. Thanks to the generosity of local, regional and national funding partners, the funds for Eastern Washington and North Idaho have surpassed $2.7 million.
Businesses, individuals and organizations can donate and find additional information about the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Funds for Eastern Washington and North Idaho at innovia.org/COVID19.
COVID-19 Response and Recovery Funding partners: Innovia Foundation, Empire Health Foundation, Spokane County United Way, Avista Foundation, Ballmer Group, Bank of America, BECU, Better Health Together, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Burlington Northern, Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation, Columbia Bank, Community Building Foundation, Cowles Company, Delta Dental of Washington, Equinox Foundation, Health Sciences & Services Authority of Spokane County, Itron, Lewis-Clark Valley Healthcare Foundation, MultiCare Health System, M.J. Murdock Charitable Foundation, Mountain West Bank, Numerica Credit Union, Perigee Fund, PotlatchDeltic Corporation, Premera Blue Cross, Providence Health Care, STCU, Umpqua Bank, Washington Trust Bank, Wells Fargo and Women Helping Women Fund, and dozens of generous individual donors from our communities.
Innovia Foundation ignites generosity that transforms lives and communities so that every person has the opportunity to thrive. As the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho, we partner with people who want to make our world better. We work together to address and solve our region’s problems, help those in need, identify and respond to our greatest opportunities and leave a lasting impact. Each year, Innovia Foundation invests nearly $7 million into our communities through grants and scholarships to nonprofit organizations and local students.
LAUREN NISSEN
Philanthropic Engagement Manager
Innovia Foundation
File: All Round Two Grants