Responding Together & Building Resilience
COVID-19 Response Funds
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit our region in 2020, we collaborated with our local United Ways to rapidly mobilize and deploy resources to community members most vulnerable to the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 in Thurston, Mason, and Lewis counties.
Together, we quickly raised and distributed response funds in support of several community-based organizations at the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak and working with people who were disproportionately impacted by the outbreak in their respective counties. Grants supported immediate basic needs, health, and economic challenges related to the pandemic.
CARES Act Funding
In addition to the COVID-19 Response Funds, we were also chosen in October of 2020 to administer $1 million in CARES Act funding to Thurston County nonprofits impacted by COVID-19. This crucial funding was made available through Thurston County and our collaboration with Thurston Strong, and economic recovery initiative we participated in alongside community partners from all sectors for much of 2020.
Building the Community Resilience Fund
In late 2020, looking ahead to our community's long-term needs, we worked to build a Resilience Fund. Seeded by a gift from the Bruno & Evelyne Betti Foundation, this fund was established to further address the impacts of COVID-19, strengthen our region's long-term efforts to rebuild, respond to emerging opportunities, help nonprofits adapt, and support creative new approaches and partnerships.
Resilience Fund Grants & the Road Ahead
On May 5, 2021, the Resilience Fund Grant program opened and began accepting applications on an ongoing rolling basis. Over the course of 2021, we funded 31 grants to Thurston, Mason, and Lewis County organizations for a total of $512,076. In 2022, we will continue to accept applications for Resilience Fund Grants on a rolling basis. We will also continue to accept donations from members of our community who wish to contribute to the ongoing work of making our communities stronger and more resilient.
2021 Resilience Fund Grants are open!
Learn more about the Resilience Fund grant and how too apply in our Grants section. Want to support this important cause? Help the Community Foundation build a robust Resilience Fund to support our region's recovery.