The Vermont Community Foundation Announces $555,000 in Fifth Round of VT COVID-19 Response Fund Grants Focused on Basic Needs

Today, the Vermont Community Foundation announced $555,000in grants in the fifth round of grantmaking from the VT COVID-19 Response Fund since it was created in March. Foundation staff focused this round on supporting past COVID-19 grantees still experiencing high demand for services, including food and housing assistance, mental health support, domestic violence prevention, and youth engagement. Even as Vermont sees positive momentum in controlling the pandemic and restarting the economy, unemployment remains on average 7% higher—with localized rates as high as 25%—than this time last year and vulnerable Vermonters continue to experience challenges securing basic needs. In addition, grants went towards nonprofits providing support to people impacted by the coronavirus outbreak in Winooski in June.

To date, the Community Foundation, its fundholders, and charitable partners have distributed over $6.16 million in grants that have been used to address sudden and urgent needs stemming from the pandemic.

“Over the past few months, the Community Foundation has been honored to both provide direct support to our nonprofit partners and work alongside state agencies to guide how pandemic relief funds will be allocated,” says Vice President of Grants and Community Investments Sarah Waring. “This process has enabled us to identify how to use our flexible, broadly purposed philanthropic dollars to complement government assistance and keep Vermont families safe, healthy, and secure.”

The VT COVID-19 Response Fund is comprised of gifts from individuals, families, foundations, businesses, and the Community Foundation’s discretionary resources, as well as gifts from its donor advised fundholders. 

The full list of grant recipients from the fifth round is available at vtcovid19response.org/stories-and-announcements/fifth-round/.