Agencies ready to share $2M with Niagara charities hurt by virus

Niagara Community Foundation, United Way Niagara have money to disperse before July 31

Two major Niagara charities have close to $2 million they have to give away to local notfor-profit groups by the end of July.

The money could end up helping five groups or 50 — it depends on the demand, said United Way Niagara executive director Frances Hallworth.

“We’re not deterring people from a small ask or a large ask, it’s what they need at this time,” she said. “We think we will see a large variance in what people apply for.”

The funding comes from the federal Emergency Community Support Fund. It was set up to help agencies that have seen increased service demand or had to pay to move their work online during the COVID-19 outbreak.

United Way Niagara has just over $1 million to disperse, while the Niagara Community Foundation has about $900,000.

They have to dole out all the money by July 31, and the agencies that get it must use it before March 31, 2021.

If nothing else, said Hallworth, it can help make up for the cancellation of so many of the fundraising events not-forprofits count on to fund their work.

“If you think of all the golf tournaments that would take place in Niagara through the course of the summer, many of those charities count on those funds in order to operate,” she said.

“If it’s a big event it could be very detrimental to that organization to lose that (revenue). That’s why this funding is so timely.”

Added Niagara Community Foundation executive director Bryan Rose, “here in Niagara, we know all too well the devastating impact the COVID-19 has had.”

Applications for funding are available now and will be accepted on three dates between June 8 and July 20.

“The reason is that we understand that people are learning to adapt to this new environ

ment, and we wanted to give them time to be able to think about what they need and not just have one intake and one chance” at being approved, Hallworth said.

Many weren’t prepared for the need to quickly shut down most in-person services and switch to working online.

“The challenges from COVID are pretty broad, from mental health to social isolation, the whole food security issue,” she said.

“Some of our agencies provide some types of learning … and many have had to switch over to digital for now.”

Meanwhile, the United Way also maintains its own emergency response fund to provide quick help in the community. So far it has brought in about $370,000, Hallworth said.

That was bolstered in April by a $100,000 matching donation from the Humeniuk Foundation.

To apply for funding through United Way Niagara, go to UnitedWayNiagara.org.

To apply through the Niagara Community Foundation, go to NiagaraCommunityFoundation.org.