United Way of Porter County is pleased to announce that it has been approved to receive a $1 million COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative Grant, made possible through a partnership between Lilly Endowment, Inc. and Indiana United Ways, the state professional association of which United Way of Porter County is a member. These special funds will be used to boost the efforts of selected area human and social service nonprofits on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“United Way of Porter County has been a key convener and coordinator of our community’s response to meet human needs for decades. Even before this crisis, we knew that 25% of families in Porter County were not able to make ends meet - despite working. Without a robust local nonprofit safety net, those needs are bound to become even direr. Thanks to generous support from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., we are now more strongly positioned to help our community’s nonprofits deal with the immediate impacts of COVID-19,” said Ron Donahue, board chair for United Way of Porter County.
The COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative Grant calls for United Ways that receive funding to leverage partnerships and relationships to better meet COVID-related essential and basic needs, which could include safe, emergency childcare, and to address other COVID-19 critical issues as they emerge. Specifically, United Way of Porter County plans to utilize the grant to support nonprofits serving Porter County residents in the areas of basic needs and mental health.
The Porter County COVID-19 economic relief initiative grant program is open to any 501(c)3 or equivalent organization who is currently servicing Porter County residents with an existing program that fulfills all or a portion of the grant requirements. There are two phases to the grant process. The first phase is open to organizations assisting with basic needs. Phase two will be for mental health services and open in the fall.
United Way of Porter County will begin accepting applications from area human and social service nonprofits in good standing beginning Thursday, June 25. Interested organizations should consult United Way of Porter County’s website – unitedwaypc.org/erigrant -- for guidance on funding intent and application instructions.