Nonprofit financial assistance program launches to help local nonprofit organizations that are providing COVID-19 pandemic-based safety services to the community; online application available beginning Jan. 31
Community Foundation Tampa Bay administering funding on behalf of Hillsborough County to nonprofits
Hillsborough County, Fla. (January 31, 2022) – Many of Hillsborough County’s nonprofit organizations have continued to serve the community since the COVID-19 pandemic began, providing residents in need with essential COVID-19 pandemic-based safety net services.
To ensure qualified nonprofit agencies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic receive the support they need to continue serving local residents, Hillsborough County has partnered with Community Foundation Tampa Bay to launch and administer an American Rescue Plan-funded Nonprofit Safety Net Program.
Approved nonprofit agencies may use awarded financial assistance to offset revenue losses or cover incurred, unplanned costs resulting from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no minimum revenue amount required to be considered for financial assistance under this program.
Nonprofits may submit applications beginning Monday, Jan. 31. Financial assistance will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis while funding remains available. The funding is part of a financial assistance program and does not need to be repaid. However, nonprofits will be required to maintain records documenting how they used awarded funds. Complete program guidelines and full eligibility criteria, as well as the direct link to the online application portal, can be found at cftampabay.org/safetynet. Nonprofit organizations should complete their applications as soon as possible and before program funding is exhausted.
To qualify, a nonprofit agency must meet all the criteria below:
- Physically located within Hillsborough County, including cities of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace;
- Provide COVID-19 impacted Hillsborough County residents essential safety net services covering housing stability services, congregate living safety services, medical services, food services, elder care services, training and adult education services, mental health services, and childcare and education services;
- Active, open, and operating (in person or virtually);
- Registered as a 501(c)(3) for one full calendar year prior to applying for the award;
- Fully licensed as a nonprofit, and up to date on tax payments/filings to include a recently filed IRS Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N no later than 2019 or an independently audited financial statement from the most recently completed fiscal year;
- Directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in at least one of the following manners:
- lost revenue due to pandemic-based causes, e.g., due to shutdowns, lost sponsorships, inability to hold fundraising events;
- incurred unplanned costs to comply with safety and health standards and/or reopening requirements, e.g., modifying facilities for social distancing;
- incurred unplanned costs for new programming designed to assist those disparately impacted by the pandemic and its economic effects;
- incurred unplanned costs for technology to enable virtual work
- Must provide a narrative explaining the impact of COVID-19 on the nonprofit’s operations;
- Must attest to not using requested funds for the same costs for which previously received County CARES Act awards were used; and,
- Must not have received or have been approved to receive County ARP funding via a separate initiative, project, or program
Hillsborough County American Rescue Plan Investment Plan
The Hillsborough County American Rescue Plan Investment Plan, approved by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on Sept. 1, 2021, provides a framework for investing the $285 million in federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds in the community. The funding will support vital projects throughout the county related to water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure; public health response; negative economic impacts; and revenue replacement for certain government services. Projects funded by Hillsborough County must meet the guidelines established by the federal government while addressing the County’s unique community needs and reflecting the BOCC’s collective values in addressing residents’ needs. The Nonprofit Safety Net Program administered by Community Foundation Tampa Bay is one of the programs funded under this plan by the BOCC.
Community Foundation Tampa Bay
Founded in 1990, Community Foundation Tampa Bay connects donors, nonprofits, community and business leaders, professional advisors, volunteers and residents to make the maximum positive impact in the Tampa Bay region. For more than 30 years, Community Foundation Tampa Bay has been dedicated to making giving easy and meaningful for donors to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build a better, more vibrant community. Since its inception, its donors have enabled Community Foundation Tampa Bay to award more than $280 million in grants to nonprofit organizations across the country.
