Michael Wood, Manager, Education & Workforce
Foundations in the Dallas Region are breaking from traditional practices to support vulnerable residents and nonprofit organizations impacted by the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.
A Social Venture Partners webinar, featuring panelists from Communities Foundation of Texas, the Dallas Foundation, Texas Women’s Foundation, and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, highlighted the rapid and innovative philanthropic response to COVID-19.
As we move deeper into uncharted territory, funders are electing to trust the expertise of their nonprofit partners and provide unrestricted grants to enable flexible response to urgent needs in the community. The pandemic’s severe impact on the economy has also surfaced the importance of providing reserve funding for nonprofit partners to sustain critical operations. Both of these strategies – previously rare among the philanthropic community – have enabled community organizations to respond quickly to emerging demands in the region.
The panelists also highlighted their expanded role in advocacy, stressing to political leaders the critical role of nonprofits in providing emergency relief to their communities, and lobbying for the inclusion of nonprofit organizations in the federal relief packages.
To learn about the specific priorities of each organization, please see below. To watch a recording of the conversation, please visit Social Venture Partners’ website.
Communities Foundation of Texas
Communities Foundation of Texas is focused on ensuring employee comfort and mental health, so that team members can dedicate energy to developing funding priorities, and realigning and resetting goals to support nonprofit partners in the community.
Dallas Foundation
The Dallas Foundation has made all 2019 giving unrestricted so that previous gifts may be retooled to address urgent needs. The Dallas Foundation has also mobilized $1.75 million to sustain nonprofit operations, build capacity, and encourage self-care of nonprofit partners.
Texas Women’s Foundation
Texas Women’s Foundation is working on a series of funds for mid- and long-term solutions specifically targeted toward low-income women and families. All programmatic funding has been converted to general operating grants to allow for necessary flexibility.
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas launched the Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund, raising $2.2 million in just two weeks. The fund will support food security, health care, childcare, distance learning, homeless shelters, and nonprofit operations, among other needs.