COVID Relief Fund

We are committed to a collaborative, strategic and nimble process based on the most current information available. We will apply the same level of diligence through this process as we do to all of our investments. While the fund is not available to individuals, it will support local nonprofit organizations that are well experienced in providing local service and support. If you need assistance finding food, paying housing bills, accessing childcare, or other essential services, please call 2-1-1.

Download the complete COVID Relief Fund overview, application questions and reporting requirements. 

Fund overview

The United Way of Racine County (UWRC) COVID Relief Fund was established to meet the unexpected and immediate needs of our community related to the pandemic. The UWRC COVID Relief Fund is organized to be flexible in addressing the community’s changing needs as they evolve throughout this crisis. In particular, the UWRC COVID Relief Fund will focus on the community’s areas of greatest need and inequities, such as minority communities that are adversely impacted by COVID-19, areas lacking adequate health care resources, and programs that can effectively address immediate areas of community concern – changing quickly as community needs change. This is a competitive fund and requests that meet requirements are not guaranteed funding. Together, we can respond, recover, reimagine and rebuild.

The fund is available to Racine County nonprofits with an established 501(c)(3) status. The review process is conducted by United Way staff, board members and investment committee volunteers. Funding will be awarded at a minimum of $2,500 and a maximum of up to $12,000, until the available funds are exhausted. Funds may be released in a lump sum, or on a reimbursement basis. 

Beginning in December 2020, requests submitted by the last day of the month will be reviewed by United Way community investment community (CIC) volunteers. CIC typically meets the third Tuesday of each month. Notification of funding will be issued by the end of the month of review. Grantees are required to submit a report within 30 days of funds being expended. 
 

Funding priorities

The COVID Relief Fund was designed to provide nonprofit organizations in Racine County with:

  • Assistance related to delivering existing programs that are impacted by COVID (examples: money for food banks experiencing surges in demand, computers for an agency’s new virtual communication needs, hotel vouchers for homeless shelters at capacity)
  • Materials related to protection from COVID while delivering services (examples: PPE, disinfectant, cleaning supplies, etc. for the agency)
  • New programs specifically designed to mitigate the spread of COVID (examples: COVID protection training program made available to low-income households, PPE materials distributed to people living in hot spot areas, etc.)

Non-allowable expenses

The COVID Relief Fund was not designed to fund existing operating costs not related to COVID, nor was it designed to “make up” for funding or donation shortfalls. For example:

  • A new computer needed by an agency to switch communications with clients to a virtual environment would qualify for consideration; new computers needed to replace aging equipment used in ongoing operations would not.
  • PPE equipment, disinfectants, hand sanitizer, masks, etc. for agency personnel or their clients would qualify for consideration; office supplies and equipment would not.
  • A new program to effectively address an immediate need in the community (masks for children going to school) would qualify for consideration; an existing program that provides back to school backpacks for kids would not.

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