I Run a Non-Profit
Grant Opportunities
- The ASPCA is inviting grant proposals from animal welfare organizations negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis for general operating or program expenses to help meet budget shortfalls and support essential life-saving services for animals such as safety net, adoptions and foster programs, and veterinary services, which are proving to be crucial animal welfare services in this crisis. Grants will range generally from $25,000 – $50,000 and should be no more than 5% of an organization’s annual budget.
- COVID-19 Respond and Rebuild Grant Program – provide financial support to nonprofit animal organizations, local/state government agencies, and veterinary schools impacted by COVID-19. Grant opportunities will be offered in two phases: (1) immediate support through COVID-19 Respond Grants for organizations working to provide veterinary care to owned pets, and (2) COVID-19 Rebuild Grants, available beginning June 1, 2020 to assist organizations as they rebuild their capacity to care for pets and resume medical operations.
PLEASE NOTE: Banfield Foundation is suspending the usual gap year rule. Even if we have funded your organization for the past two consecutive years, you are eligible to apply for our COVID-19 Respond and Rebuild Grant.
- The COVID-19 Response Fund will award one-time operating grants on a rolling basis to nonprofits, within the Foundation’s geographic catchment area, whose operations address the basic needs of vulnerable populations that are under additional strain due to the pandemic. Please find the Fund’s current criteria, FAQs and the support request form on the COVID-19 Response Fund page. Grants will be made on a weekly basis.
- Maddie’s Fund’s “Pet Foster Care Stimulus Grant” is designed to assist animal shelter and rescue organizations in providing the best possible care during COVID 19 to the animals in foster care by providing grant funding for food, medical care, supplies, staff time and more. It will also help reinforce foster care as a standard practice for animal sheltering as we move forward.
Grants of up to $20,000 will be available and will depend on you annual intake. Grant Applications accepted April 13 – April 17.
- COVID-19 Operation Grant – available to adoption organizations that have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Grant funds can be used to purchase cleaning supplies, food, vaccines, or anything else you may need in order to continue caring for your adoptable pets. Grant Amount: Grants range from $500 to $1,000
- PetSmart Charities has developed a COVID-19 grant program and is evaluating conditions resulting from COVID-19, and the best ways they can support our partners, pet parents and pets.
Fundraising
- Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resource Guide – AFP’s guide compiles resources to help guide you in your fundraising, donor communications and more, and what it means to engage with donors during a time in which in-person interaction is likely non-existent.
- Get Fully Funded – blog “Salvaging Your Fundraising Event During the COVID-19 Crisis”
- Numerous resources included on the Mass. Nonprofit Network COVID-19 page
- Nonprofit Finance Fund Resources is compiling tips, blogs, tools, and webinars, including Small Business Administration information, in both English and Spanish.
- 4/21 at 2pm – Crisis Engagement: 12 Tasks to Sustain Donors in Turbulent Times – Matt Lehrman, founder of Social Prosperity Partners, offers substantive and actionable recommendations to help you protect the external and internal relationships upon which your organization depends. Register >>
- 4/24 at 2pm – Get Ready for #GivingTuesday—Now on May 5 – This GrantSpace webinar will share ideas and approaches to inspire an outpouring of financial, volunteer, and advocacy support during the May 5 event. Register >>
Employer Resources
- The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce is maintaining a page on COVID-19 resources for businesses, which is updated daily.
- Cleveland Animal Protective League CEO Sharon Harvey shares practical tips for learning the skills needed to lead a shelter from home. Read more >>
The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network has a helpful page dedicated to COVID-19 and nonprofits.
- The page provides resources regarding philanthropic and government relief; state and federal policy updates; and resources for virtual events and fundraisers.
- The Nonprofit Finance Fund’s created a COVID-19 tools and resources page to help nonprofits, including: a Cash Flow Tool, a Scenario Template, and a Guide to Narrating Your Financial Story.
- Verrill Law is compiling resources for employers, including re: health insurance, leave programs, state updates, and information from the U.S. Dept. of Labor.
State
- On March 23, Governor Baker issued a “stay-at-home advisory” and included veterinary care and animal care services as essential services. The state’s COVID-19 FAQ page, including a section on food and agriculture, will continue to be updated.
- The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network’s COVID-19 page features a section dedicated to state unemployment insurance flexibility.
- The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance has created a page with information re: unemployment assistance and COVID-19, including a COVID-19 handbook.
- The Governor signed a bill to eliminate the one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance.
- To help with increased demand, the Department of Labor will hold virtual town hall meetings to take people through the process of filing successful unemployment claims and to answer questions.
In a March 21 email, State Senator Pat Jehlen reported that the state’s newly-established $10 million small business recovery loan fund was exhausted within a few days. She also shared that by next week Massachusetts will approve a new $10 million fund, which will provide emergency capital up to $75,000 to Massachusetts businesses impacted by COVID-19 with under 50 full and part-time employees, including nonprofits, and that no payments will be due for the first 6 months.
Federal
- U.S. Small Business Administration’s disaster assistance loans for businesses and nonprofits one-pager
- The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network’s COVID-19 resources page (federal policy updates section) provides more details re: loan rates and terms.
- Studentaid.gov – Federal government student aid page, “Coronavirus and Forbearance Info for Students, Borrowers, and Parents.”
- Forbes provided an analysis of what borrowers should know re: student loan relief and provides contact information for federal student loan servicers.
- Navient (servicer) overview of relief available
- Fed Loan Servicing overview of relief available
- New York Times updated coverage of the federal stimulus bill – F.A.Q. on Stimulus Checks, Unemployment and the Coronavirus Bill (NYT will update this resource as the bill moves through the legislative process)
- TheSmall Business Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) authorizes up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. All loan terms are the same for everyone. The loan amounts will be forgiven as long as: (1) the loan proceeds are used to cover payroll costs, and most mortgage interest, rent, and utility costs over the 8 week period after the loan is made; and (2) employee and compensation levels are maintained.
- OSHA has released new guidance for workplaces on record keeping requirements related to COVID. Under OSHA’s record keeping requirements, COVID-19 is a recordable illness, and employers are responsible for recording cases of COVID-19, if: (1) the case is a confirmed case of COVID-19, as defined by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Poster for workplaces to help employees prevent the spread of COVID in the workplace
Workplace
- Families First Coronavirus Response Act explained – Veterinary Information Network (VIN)’s general counsel summarizes emergency sick-leave legislation
- Mass. Nonprofit Network blog, “What the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Means for Nonprofits.”
- Maine law firm Rudman Winchell blog on the new FMLA Entitlement and Paid Leave for Employees (a bill that expands social support programs, mandates that employers provide paid leave for many affected workers, and protects nonprofits) and presentation on What does the threat of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) mean for your workplace?
- Denterlein published a two part blog (part 1, part 2) re: communicating in the time of COVID-19
- Crisis management – True Leadership in the Time of Corona
- Cleveland Animal Protective League CEO Sharon Harvey shares her experience as she leads from home (~13 minute video).
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Housing Assistance
- Forbes has compiled a list of banks offering mortgage relief to customers. Be sure to reach out directly to your mortgage provider prior to taking any action.
- Limited relief for single family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages – the federal government has provided immediate foreclosure and eviction moratorium for this category of homeowners only.
- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which oversees Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan banks, is providing payment forbearance to borrowers impacted by the coronavirus for up to 12 months due to hardship.
- Forbes article with an overview of housing relief which the outlet has committed to updating.
- Consumer financial protection bureau – “Protect yourself financially from the impact of the coronavirus” includes resources to assist if you have trouble paying bills, suffer a loss of income, or are targeted by a scammer.