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• Humboldt Area Foundation Grants $195,920 From COVID-19 Fund

  BAYSIDE, CA (APRIL 3, 2020) – The first grants from the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund, totaling $195,920, are going to eighteen organizations in Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte and Curry counties to help our communities deal with the effects of the coronavirus.

  The COVID-19 Fund was launched on March 20, by Humboldt Area Foundation and its affiliate the Wild Rivers Community Foundation in Del Norte County. With additional support from The California Endowment and The California Wellness Foundation, the fund started with $150,000. During the first two weeks, over 55 individual contributions and donor pledges have grown the fund to more than $285,000.

  “Every one of our board members has given to the fund,” said CEO Bryna Lipper. “We live in a generous community and think $1 million is within our reach. It will help thousands of people,” Lipper said.

  To encourage giving to the fund, HAF is taking no administrative fees, with 100% of every gift going to grants.

  HAF’s areas of focus in awarding grants from the fund includes seniors, people with compromised immune systems, homeless, first-responders and Native communities.

  In making the grants, HAF is using a streamlined review process that does not burden area nonprofits during this difficult time with a lengthy application process.

  Sara Dronkers, Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Resources said, “Our team is reaching out daily to area nonprofits, public agencies, businesses, civic leaders and Native communities from Garberville to Weaverville to Hoopa, Crescent City and Brookings, Oregon to help us target our grants to charitable organizations on the front lines of service.”

  Grants from the COVID-19 Fund are just one tool HAF is utilizing to meet the current crisis. Other resources being mobilized include loans to nonprofits, grants from other funds, fundraising from partner foundations and community leadership activities to bring partners together for action.

  The first grants made from the fund (as of April 2) are:

  ·       United Indian Health Services, $18,200, to get food and meals to 1,300 elders in local Native communities during the coronavirus and during a gap in federal funding.

  ·       The Wiyot Tribe, $1,000, for extra hygiene, cleaning and pet supplies for elders.

  ·       The Yurok Tribe, $20,000, to provide additional hygiene packages, food delivery and firewood to tribal members, including 900 elders and 500 at-risk youth.

  ·       211 Humboldt, $2,000, to the Mother Women Rising Support Group for extra help for clients as a result of the coronavirus.

  ·       Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives, $5,000, for additional general operating support for homeless services resulting from the coronavirus with matching support from the Headwaters Fund.

  ·       Arcata House Partnership, $4,000, for facility improvements to maintain health, safety and physical distancing during the coronavirus.

  ·       Cooperation Humboldt, $5,000, for their COVID-19 Response Coalition and $2,000 for the Humboldt Parent Hive Childcare Co-op.

  ·       Del Norte Mission Possible, $10,000, for increased program and management support needed to address the coronavirus.

  ·       Eureka Rescue Mission, $10,000, to help meet an increased demand for services resulting from the coronavirus.

  ·       Family Resource Center of the Redwoods, $10,000, for its food pantry facing increased demands during the coronavirus.

  ·       Food for People, $18,000, to respond to increased COVID-19 related demands on the organization.

  ·       Gold Beach Senior Center, $10,000, to help with increased food distribution needs in Gold Beach and Port Orford, Oregon due to the coronavirus.

  ·       Healy Senior Center, Redway, $15,000, to maintain and expand program operations and staffing for senior services during the coronavirus.

  ·       Humboldt Bay Firefighters Local 652, $15,300, to purchase reusable medical Personal Protection Equipment jackets for first responders needed to protect them and the public during the coronavirus.

  ·       Humboldt Family Services Center, $6,000, for virtual counseling for struggling families sheltering in place during the coronavirus.

  ·       Southern Humboldt Housing Opportunities, $12,420, for two weeks of motel rooms for homeless people made vulnerable during the coronavirus and additional meals for other homeless individuals.

  ·       Transitional Residential Treatment Facilities, $20,000, to support the shelter in place operations for 25 mentally ill individuals.

  ·       Trinity Community Food Outreach, $10,000, for an additional food storage unit for the county’s food bank in Weaverville, along with funds for seven pantries to purchase perishables not available through government programs.

  Contributions, small or large, can be made to the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund online at hafoundation.org/Giving/COVID19 or by mailing checks to HAF at 363 Indianola Rd, Bayside, CA 95524. For more info call (707) 442-2993.

• State of the Sector Report: Nonprofits Adapting to COVID-19, but Challenges Remain in Face of Increased Demand and Dwindling Budgets

  A region-wide survey of nonprofit agencies highlights the nonprofit sector’s strength and resiliency to adapt in a year of uncertain conditions.
  
  Released today, the 2020 Winter State of the Sector Report, now available for downloading here, highlights 101 nonprofit organizations in Curry, Del Norte, Humboldt, and Trinity counties. The survey, conducted by the Del Norte Nonprofit Alliance and the Northern California Association of Nonprofits, reveals major strengths and challenges facing nonprofits as they strive to meet their service commitments to the communities they serve.
  
  Overall, nonprofits are adapting to meet critical “safety-net” needs during the pandemic in new and creative ways, often with greater demands for their services, fewer staff and volunteers, and less flexible funding.
  
  A common theme among survey responses was a noticeable increase in nonprofits’ service demands in all sectors, including food and housing security, youth and family services, organizations serving Black, Indigenous and Communities of Color, and nonprofits supporting survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence. While 45 percent of respondents said their services were more in demand, nonprofit organizations are struggling with an average 20 percent reduction in staff and volunteers.
  
  Almost all organizations polled (90 percent) reported they have adapted their business models, with two-thirds (66 percent) pivoting to some level of remote work and service delivery. For some organizations, the large and unexpected costs of transitioning to a more technology dependent operation have presented significant financial difficulties as most do not have funding for such expenses. 
  
  To meet the challenges of providing critical services during this time, many nonprofits (42 percent) reported they are relying more on their partners to create accessible services and increase organizational capacity. As one anonymous respondent wrote, “this has been a great opportunity to find common ground between like organizations, which will hopefully [reduce] the number of silos in the nonprofit community.”
  
  Budgets and income were a major concern for many respondents, with nearly 40 percent of nonprofits reporting decreased individual giving and 68 percent reporting a decrease in earned income. Certainly, COVID-19 restrictions have hampered nonprofits’ efforts to fundraise, with many organizations reporting that major fundraising drives were canceled due to the pandemic. On a bright note, 60 percent of nonprofits said they were “very confident” or “confident” in their ability to serve their organizational mission through 2021.
  
  One important factor underscored by the report is the critical role nonprofits play in reaching underserved communities. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) serving nonprofits make use of trust,  cultural and linguistic understanding to reach populations that otherwise are not served by government-led pandemic response efforts.
  
  As a response, 76 percent of surveyed nonprofits said they are using a racial equity lens at some level to make key decisions concerning their disaster response, however, the majority of respondents (68 percent) indicated that BIPOC individuals constitute less than 10 percent of their staff and boards of directors. This disparity in staff and populations served highlights the need to grow the practice of racial equity in decision-making while also recruiting BIPOC for staff and leadership positions.
  
  To read the full report, download the PDF here (3.8MB).

  
  

• COVID-19 Loans for Nonprofits

  Humboldt Area Foundation Mobilizes $2 million in Local Loans to Assist Nonprofit Organizations and Businesses

  BAYSIDE, CA (APRIL 28, 2020) – In response to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Humboldt Area Foundation is deploying $2 million in loans to  stabilize local nonprofits, businesses, sole proprietors and other organizations.

  The loan program expands the commitment of HAF and its affiliate, Wild Rivers Community Foundation, to respond to the current crisis through all available resources. Since March 20, nearly a half-million dollars has been granted to the region through the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund for immediate response and long term recovery in Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity and Curry counties.

  Through this additional resource, the loans provide flexibility, low interest, and debt bridges to our local organizations in this volatile time. HAF has already funded over $680,000 in loans. It is partnering with key regional institutions and other community lenders to ensure our community has necessary capital to operate and recover.

  CEO Bryna Lipper said: “In these uncertain times, the Foundation is utilizing all its assets to assist the residents of our communities to weather difficult times, whether it be grants, loans or the expertise of our staff.  While the Foundation continues make grants almost daily, using our endowment to make loans locally increases the impact we can make.”

  HAF is a participant in the COVID-19 Bridge Loan Program administered by Redwood Region Economic Development Commission (“RREDC”).  The Business Resilience Emergency Loan Program fund is providing emergency low interest loans to Humboldt County businesses and nonprofits up to $25,000. 

  HAF has also teamed up with Arcata Economic Development to fund over $180,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans to local nonprofits, and is creating a Nonprofit Loan Fund that AEDC will administer. The loans from the Nonprofit Loan Fund will be for a maximum of $25,000 per organization, bear interest at 0% through the end of 2020, and be payable for five years at 1%. 

  Local businessman John McBeth, who serves on the HAF board and chairs its investment Committee, noted, “Since 2013, Humboldt Area Foundation has made a total of $5.3 million in loans to local nonprofit agencies and governments.  By working with established lenders like RREDC and AEDC, HAF can utilize their expertise while getting money out to organizations who badly need it. It is a prudent use of HAF’s capital.” 

  More information about the COVID-19 Bridge Loans Program is available at http://rredc.com/. For information regarding the Nonprofit Loan Fund, contact Patrick Cleary, Director of Community Prosperity and Investments at HAF at patrickc@hafoundation.org or by calling (707) 267-9902.

  To read the full list of organizations who received grants so far, and ways to donate, click here.

• Trinity Trust Offers Grants for Urgent Community Needs

  Community members are invited to apply for grants through the Trinity Trust’s Community Response Grant Program by Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. Community Response Grants are designed to help projects where a small investment can make a lasting difference. Additional guidelines are available on the grant application, which can be found at www.hafoundation.org/Affiliates-Region/Trinity-Trust/Grants.

   

  In March, the committee approved over $42,000 in grants, including $14,000 to support the Southern Trinity Volunteer Fire Department and $3,500 to support the Friends of Hayfork Park. Other recipients have included the Ascent Wilderness Experience, the Rel Muk Wintu Nation, the North Fork Grange, and many others.

  In March, the committee approved over $42,000 in grants, including $14,000 to support the Southern Trinity Volunteer Fire Department and $3,500 to support the Friends of Hayfork Park. Other recipients have included the Ascent Wilderness Experience, the Rel Muk Wintu Nation, the North Fork Grange, and many others. The grant is offered biannually. 2021’s deadlines are March 15 and October 15. 

   

  About the Trinity Trust

  The Trinity Trust was created by the residents of Trinity County, California, to improve the quality of life in their region and keep the local capital local and working for the benefit of the community. The Trinity Trust strives to be a leader in communicating the value of keeping local resources and capital within the Trinity County region to support our community’s diverse array of organizations and issues.

   

  About Humboldt Area Foundation

  Vera Vietor established the Humboldt Area Foundation in 1972. Since then, more than $80 million in grants and scholarships have been awarded in Humboldt, Del Norte, Curry, and Trinity Counties. Humboldt Area Foundation promotes and encourages generosity, leadership, and inclusion to strengthen our communities. 

   

  For more information on services provided by the Foundation, please visit the Humboldt Area Foundation website at hafoundation.org or call (707) 442-2993.

• Humboldt Health Foundation Seeks Applicants for Community Health Grants

  The program supports a broad spectrum of wellness efforts, from culture and family support to food and housing security, mental health, and more.

   

  “These grants are especially meaningful during a pandemic, where community members more vividly experience challenges and barriers to health,” says Amy Jester, Program Director for Health & Nonprofit Resources for the Humboldt Area Foundation, which oversees the operations of the Humboldt Health Foundation.

   

  The Humboldt Health Foundation seeks to fund projects that help reduce or eliminate structural barriers to wellness. This year, the majority of funding will be designated to programs that support the health and wellbeing of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other People of Color. “We recognize that BIPOC individuals are disproportionately affected by the pandemic and that racism is a critical public health issue impacting our region,” says Jester.

   

  "The grant program is there to support organizations and groups that are creating opportunities for people to live healthier lives. There are so many awesome ways communities are supporting wellbeing. We're interested in partnering with organizations to make that happen" says Amy Jester, Program Director of the Humboldt Health Foundation.

   

  In March, the Humboldt Area Foundation announced its new 10-year strategic vision, which explores how a community foundation can help grow a thriving, just, healthy, and equitable region. The Foundation has also laid out four goals to support that vision, with resources and programs being developed to address these areas over a 10-year period. The goals are racial equity; healthy ecosystems; thriving youth and families; and a just economy and economic development.

   

  Community health grants from the Humboldt Health Foundation represent a 24-year legacy of supporting our community through investment and grantmaking and underscore the Foundation’s commitment to our region’s health and wellbeing.

   

  To learn more about the criteria and download an application, please visit the HHF website at humhealth.org.

   

  About Humboldt Health Foundation:

  Humboldt Health Foundation was founded in 1997 and is an affiliate of the Humboldt Area Foundation. Since its founding, Humboldt Health Foundation has distributed nearly $4.7 million in grants. Over the past year, the Foundation has given grants for program and general operating support for organizations like HC Black Music and Arts Association, English Express, COVID-19 direct relief for Spanish-speaking and undocumented individuals from the McKinleyville Family Resource Center, as well as the Native Women’s Collective.

• New COVID Policies Keep Eye On Community Safety

  

  
  

  The Humboldt Area Foundation and the Wild Rivers Community Foundation have announced new meeting protocols that will ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff and board members while enabling the Foundation to continue serving the public.
  
  At this time, the Foundation continues to require visitors to make an appointment and discourages drop-in visits. You can reach the Bayside office by dialing 707-442-2993 and the Crescent City office at (707) 465-1238.
  
  “We’re concerned for the health and safety of our communities, and we have many young children in our organization who can’t be vaccinated. Thus we’re still taking a high level of precaution,” says Bryna Lipper, CEO of HAF+WRCF. 
  
  In accordance with Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild River’s Community Foundation’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards, the Foundation is adopting new protocols to safeguard the health of employees and their families; Board members, customers, and visitors; and the community at large. These protocols are the first step in a multistep process as the Foundation plans what a “new normal” will look like in a hybrid work environment. 
  
  

  Vaccination Policy for Guests and Visitors

  Notable changes to the Foundation’s policies include requiring all guests and visitors to be fully vaccinated before coming to the HAF campus or entering the WRCF building. In addition, outdoor meeting spaces will be made available at both locations, with a maximum meeting occupancy of 20. In most cases, however, meetings will continue to occur remotely unless circumstances require an in-person meeting.
  
  

  Other notable policy updates include: 

  Only fully vaccinated personnel may come into HAF+WRCF premises. In addition, only fully vaccinated personnel may meet in person with other fully vaccinated parties. 
  
  HAF+WRCF Staff and Board members will not meet in person, in any manner, to conduct business on behalf of HAF+WRCF with non-vaccinated parties due to public health concerns. 
  
  As per HAF+WRCF’s current vaccination policy, all employees/board must be vaccinated unless a reasonable accommodation has been requested and approved. A reasonable accommodation does not exempt a party from these protocols.
  
  Staff/Board is welcome to continue wearing a face covering as desired, but it is not required. Any individual may request masking during meetings and in a shared space. No reason is needed for the request. All other staff and board are to comply with a request to mask.
  
  Still No Public Meetings and Meeting Spaces at this Time
  Out of concern for public safety, HAF+WRCF continues to restrict the use of its meeting facilities. Updates will be made on this news blog and elsewhere when the Foundation resumes scheduling public meetings. We thank you for your patience and understanding.