COVID-19 Statement to our Grantee Partners
*Woods Fund Chicago would like to thank the Healthy Communities Foundation for leading the way and providing their statement as a template for others.
Woods Fund Chicago has prided itself in its support of communities and organizations, like yours, that have demanded for the full humanity and dignity of the communities that you serve. As such, we share a mutual concern of what an advanced COVID-19 outbreak can look like in marginalized communities.
As the situation evolves, we want to assure you that we will remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting you, our grantee partners. We understand the ways COVID-19 can exacerbate the existing disparities that impact our divested communities, people of color, people with disabilities, the chronically ill, the elderly and immigrants living in our communities; and we have a shared commitment to continually support our grantee partners who already work to address these inequities on a daily basis. Please take five minutes to complete our two-question survey to share the needs and challenges your organization is facing.
Even in uncertain times, one thing remains constant: we are facing this together and together we will do what we can to keep our city, especially the most vulnerable among us, healthy. Woods Fund Chicago will continue to monitor the latest on COVID-19 from public health officials and, as funders, we fully commit to joining forces to learn from our grantee partners about community needs and address this situation as best as we can. Check out the Forefront website for a list of resources and a contingency plan template. Please also complete this Forefront survey; they will use the aggregated responses to inform recommendations to Illinois elected officials and other grantmaking organizations. We encourage you, our grantee partners to also reach out to us with your own needs as we navigate the road ahead. Please stay in touch with us and with your program officer.
Please know that we understand that the virus has impacted your daily work and the services/programs that you provide to your communities. Because of this, Woods Fund Chicago has made a commitment to be flexible regarding the outcomes related to your funding. We highly encourage and support your decisions to limit your actions that will impact policy - such as rallies, attending public meetings, participating in canvassing, and lobbying. We know this is not a time to enforce outcomes. This is a time for unwavering support.
Please see below for important information:
Resources
We understand the importance of timely, accurate and helpful communication surrounding COVID-19. We encourage our grantee partners to visit trusted sources of public health information, including:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Chicago Department of Health
World Health Organization
The American Public Health Association has also released COVID-19 fact sheets in English, Spanish and Chinese. We invite you to share these with your clients and community partners.
COVID-19 Outbreak & the Nonprofit Sector
The COVID-19 outbreak creates unique challenges for the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits often serve
individuals who are most vulnerable to public health threats. They may also operate with limited financial reserves or rely on public events for fundraising. Learn what your nonprofit can do now to prepare for COVID-19 or other potential business interruption.
Here is a great blogpost from adrienne maree brown, the author of Emergent Strategy:
http://adriennemareebrown.net/2020/03/10/additional-resources-for-facing-coronavirus-covid19/
Finally, we wish to thank you for your continued strength and resilience. You play a vital role in ensuring the dignity of the communities you serve. We are proud to stand with you.