The Centre County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved awarding a total of $864,500 in relief grants to 107 local nonprofit organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding comes from the $14.7 million in CARES Act money allocated to the county earlier this year to support businesses, municipalities, nonprofits, educational institutions, and county expenses associated with the pandemic.
Applications were accepted through Sept. 28. To be eligible, nonprofit organizations had to be headquartered and provided services in Centre County and experienced revenue declines or expense losses. Grant amounts were determined based on a formula using losses between March 1 and July 31 compared to the same period a year ago.
A county team worked with Centre Foundation and CPA firm Zelenkofske Axelrod on the grant process. County staff did not see the names of organizations before determining grant awards, only the financial information needed for the formula — the same process that was used when the county awarded $5.4 million in relief grants to small businesses last month.
‘We are so appreciative of all the work the nonprofits in Centre County have done throughout the pandemic and prior to the pandemic,’ Board of Commissioners Chair Michael Pipe said. ‘The hope is that with these financial resources that we can allocate out that it helps them just weather the storm a little bit better. They continue to do amazing work from fire departments to human services we partner with many of these organizations so we do know the need is there. We were eager to help and the team came together to make it happen.
Grants ranged from $1,000 to $20,000 and organizations receiving them are located in 24 of the county’s 35 municipalities. The full list of recipients can be found here.
‘It literally is a who’s who of the folks who make our county click,’ Commissioner Steve Dershem said. ‘To keep those organizations vibrant, I think, is incredibly important for the folks here in Centre County and regionally.’
Mary Kay Williams, county relief block grant coordinator, said applicants fell into six categories:
– health and human services;
– first responders/emergency services;
– arts, culture and community benefit;
– Recreation, environment, and animal welfare;
– K-12 private and charter schools;
– organizations supporting veterans.
‘I think it’s very well represented,’ Centre Foundation Executive Director Molly Kunkel said. ‘We served a whole variety of sectors.’
Centre Foundation separately has awarded more than $250,000 to local nonprofits in two grant rounds from its COVID-19 ACTION Fund. A third phase of grants from the fund is scheduled to begin by the end of the year.
‘That will be a little bit more focused on looking toward the future and helping organizations adjust to whatever the new normal is,’ Kunkel said.
