COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund

The COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund was established to provide resources to nonprofit organizations on Whidbey Island working with our friends and neighbors who have been impacted by the Coronavirus and the economic consequences of the outbreak. Hosted by the Whidbey Community Foundation, this fund was designed to complement the work of public agencies by expanding local capacity to address aspects of the outbreak as efficiently as possible.

About

Whidbey Community Foundation launched the COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund on March 19, 2020 with $25,000 seed funding designated by its Board of Directors. Through the generosity and support of the Island community and beyond, WCF raised over $480,000 for this Fund.

Thanks to our community, WCF awarded 100% of the COVID-19 Fund with 69 grants to Whidbey Island organizations. Awards have been used toward a variety of needs, including: purchasing Air Purifying Respirators for Whidbey Island’s only public-serving hospital; supporting increased demand at food banks; coordinating meal services to children, families, seniors, and those experiencing homelessness; tele-health therapy for survivors of abuse; tele-health services for early childhood intervention; free childcare for healthcare workers and first responders; and technology to support remote learning for homeless youth. The COVID-19 Fund has since pivoted to the Essential Needs Program.

How were grants made from the Fund?

Given the dynamic nature of the pandemic, WCF provided grants on a rolling basis to ensure dollars were deployed in the community quickly and responsively. We were able to provide multiple phases of support as the community needs and challenges evolved, and as we gained greater clarity about the course of this crisis.

WCF prioritized community-based organizations that are serving communities and individuals who are immediately and disproportionately suffering from this crisis.  Our focus areas included, but were not limited to:

  • Food insecurity
  • Economic insecurity
  • Housing insecurity
  • Access to health care and prescription medications
  • Costs related to mitigating virus transmissions
  • Access to transportation
  • Access to childcare

Based upon the charitable structure of the Fund, our grants were limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, groups fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization, or other charitable organizations able to receive a tax-deductible contribution, such as schools, faith-based organizations and other public entities.  We do our best to use philanthropic resources to address needs that are outside of governmental responsibility, but we also appreciate that philanthropy can often act nimbly in a way that government cannot.

Grantees of the COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund

All In Washington Partnership

WCF partnered with All In WA, a coordinated, statewide relief effort powered by a coalition of companies, philanthropic leaders, community foundations, United Way organizations, community leaders, frontline nonprofits, individuals, and public officials.

These groups came together to provide immediate critical and emergency support for workers and families most affected by COVID-19 across Washington State, and to mobilize committed community and philanthropic groups to go All In for WA.

For every dollar that was donated to Whidbey’s COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund, All In WA provided a match dollar for dollar. These dollars helped to offset the affects of the Covid-19 pandemic on our friends and neighbors across the state. The All In Washington campaign launched in May 2020 as an umbrella for WA COVID-19 relief efforts – to help connect community-led response efforts to donors and funders. The campaign was modeled with equity as a central focus to uplift partners who specifically reduce systemic barriers to health, safety, and opportunity.

Learn More About the All In Washington Campaign  

Whidbey Island Essential Needs Program

As part of the effort to address the effects of Covid-19 on our community, a collaborative fundraiser with Goosefoot Community Fund was launched in April of 2021. Goosefoot and WCF partnered together to raise funds for the Whidbey Island Essential Needs Program, with a collective community goal of $100,000 by July 15, 2021. Thanks to the generous donations from our community, we surpassed that goal and raised over $120,000 for our Whidbey neighbors and friends that are still struggling from the impacts of the continued pandemic.

Opportunity Council’s Island County Service Center is currently administering this program. More information can be found on their website here.

Whidbey Community Foundation and Goosefoot are continuing to fundraise for the Essential Needs Program.

Pictured: Harrison Casteel, The Goose; Jessie Gunn, Whidbey Community Foundation; Melissa Frasch-Brown, Opportunity Council; Sandy Whiting, Goosefoot Community Fund

Learn More About the Essential Needs Program

Updated April 2022