COVID-19 Regional Response Fund

The number of people affected by the coronavirus in our four county region continues to grow. Many of us are grappling with sudden changes to our everyday lives. For some, the effects are particularly dire. We are especially concerned about the most vulnerable in our communities.

About the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund

The COVID-19 Regional Response Fund will support urgent community needs identified by our regional partners. The fund will make grants on a rolling basis to nonprofits, charitable organizations and public agencies meeting the immediate needs of residents in Trinity, Humboldt, Del Norte and Curry counties. The Fund’s priority is vulnerable communities and the organizations that support them. Currently, this includes organizations and service providers serving first responders and healthcare providers, seniors; low-income families and youth; low-access residents; individuals with underlying conditions; disabled; veterans, homeless, housing or food insecure; Native Americans, at-risk communities of color; and those with limited or no healthcare resources.

With Wild Rivers Community Foundation and the support of foundation partners, The California Endowment and The California Wellness Foundation, we committed $150,000 to seed the fund. We now invite businesses, civic groups, individuals and community partner to join us in this effort. Through this fund, we seek to fill the gaps. We will be flexible and adjust to meet changing needs and circumstances.

By being responsive during times of uncertainty, we embrace our role as a community foundation to respond to the evolving needs of our diverse residents. We will mobilize all the tools available to us. In addition to this fund, we expect to tap into our other grantmaking funds, to use our ability to convene businesses, public sector and philanthropic partners, to utilize our loan program and to model collaborative and proactive community leadership.

The COVID-19 Regional Response Fund is one way you join us and help address our immediate and future regional needs. We can't do it alone. We ask your help.

Giving to the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund

Current fund holders can contribute to the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund from their existing funds.

Contributions can be made by mail, online or in person. All contributions are tax-deductible. All contributions, small or large, are welcome!

The Foundation has waived its administration fee to manage the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund. Credit card contributions remain subject to third party fees.

Your support will make a real difference in the lives of people who profoundly need our help.

Grants from the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund

We are using a streamlined grants process to identify needs and make awards quickly from this fund. There is no application process.

Our staff is reaching out to local nonprofits, business and community leaders in Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte and Curry counties to identify where we can be most useful in filling the gaps. Funding decisions are being made by a staff leadership team led by CEO Bryna Lipper.

See the first batch of grants, totaling $196K. Since March 20, more than $1.7 million in grants have gone to nonprofits serving our four-county region.

Funding priority is vulnerable communities and the organizations that support them. Currently, this includes organizations and service providers serving first responders and healthcare providers, seniors; low-income families and youth; low-access residents; individuals with underlying conditions; disabled; veterans, homeless, housing or food insecure; Native Americans, at-risk communities of color; and those with limited or no healthcare resources.

If your charitable organization wants to alert us of your funding needs in response to the coronavirus, please use the contact information below.

We are not able to make grants from this fund to individuals or small businesses at this time. We are working to ensure that individuals and businesses are cared for and we are exploring ways we can help them through this crisis. For individuals with health needs, see our Angel Fund for possible options.