The Omaha Community Foundation (OCF) announced the launch of its CARES Act Grant application for eligible nonprofits in Douglas County today.
The Douglas County CARES Act Grant Programs are available to support nonprofits organizations operating in Douglas County with increased need as a result of the coronavirus pandemic as well as to help arts organizations re-open safely to the public.
The Douglas County Board of Commissioners has allocated $20 million to OCF; $10 million of that is allocated for Arts, Culture, and Entertainment organizations, and $10 million will support Community Services. Applications are due to the Foundation by Wednesday, September 23; technical assistance is available through the Foundation for any nonprofits applying for funding.
“We are ready to get this funding into the hands of the nonprofits who have been hurting as a result of the pandemic,” said Donna Kush, President and CEO of the Foundation. “We are grateful for the partnership of the County and look forward to working with nonprofits throughout the next three weeks to ensure this application process is as clear and straightforward as possible. Our work with our own COVID-19 Response Fund over the last six months has shown us just how deep and widespread the needs in the community are, and we encourage all eligible nonprofits to apply.”
The funding for this program comes from $166 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Funds awarded to Douglas County as part of the federal CARES Act. Douglas County has contracted with the Omaha Community Foundation to assist in developing and administering this grant program on behalf of the county, consistent with federal and state requirements.
“The Douglas County Board is pleased to have the help of the Omaha Community Foundation to disburse CARES Act funding to nonprofits struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Douglas County Commissioner Clare Duda. “The Omaha Community Foundation has a long track record of supporting nonprofits in Douglas County, and this partnership allows us to access the Foundation’s well-established network and ensure we are reaching all eligible nonprofits. It is vital to get these CARES Act funds to the nonprofits in our community who play such a big role in the quality of life we enjoy.”
Applicants must be 501(c)(3) charitable organizations located in Douglas County; and, consistent with the CARES Act, must demonstrate that they incurred or will incur necessary expenditures due to the COVID-19 public health emergency between March 1 and December 30, 2020.
Additional eligibility and application details for nonprofits can be found at the following web pages: https://omahafoundation.org/CARESACE and https://omahafoundation.org/CARESNP. OCF will also be hosting two webinars for eligible nonprofits to provide an overview of the process, and answer questions. Webinar details can be found via the links above.
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