Home » Louisville mayor announces first wave of One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund grants

Louisville mayor announces first wave of One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund grants

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, COVID-19
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As donations continue to come into the One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund, Mayor Fischer announced today that money is now flowing out to local non-profit groups that provide critical support to the community during the pandemic.

The One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund has identified 17 organizations for the first round of funding, covering missions ranging from food aid to housing assistance to domestic violence protection.

“These organizations are on the frontlines, helping our most vulnerable friends, neighbors, and family members weather the outbreak and the economic disruption it is causing,” Mayor Fischer said. “This is what a compassionate city does in a crisis. This is who we are. This is what we can do.”

Last week, the Mayor announced that 128 households had been approved for individual assistance from One Louisville: COVID Response, with more to come.

Since it was launched on March 16, 2020, the One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund has collected $7.4 million in donations from corporations, foundations, and individuals from across the community.

The organizations receiving aid today are:

  • Americana Community Center
  • APRON
  • Association of Community Ministries
  • Catholic Charities of Louisville
  • Center for Women & Families
  • Dare to Care
  • Family & Children’s Place
  • Goodwill
  • Jewish Family & Career Services
  • Kentucky Refugee Ministries
  • La Casita
  • Lee Initiative
  • Louisville Housing and Opportunities Micro-Enterprise (LHOME)
  • Louisville Urban League
  • Neighborhood House
  • Salvation Army
  • Volunteers of America

“These organizations do outstanding work supporting some of our most vulnerable community members,” the Mayor said. “They have long been great partners to our city.”

Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League, said the money will help the organization continue to help people who were already under great financial strain.

“The League is thankful for this infusion of resources. We serve a population that is at high risk, not just because of the predominance of underlying diseases like diabetes and cancer, but also because of the very tenuous financial situation that many were in pre-COVID-19,” Reynolds said. “This funding will allow us to continue the frontline work, ensuring not only that our financial education and workforce classes proceed, but that we can continue our phone and virtual check-ins with the community to help navigate the stress of this pandemic. We will also be able to continue to provide immediate assistance for gasoline, food, medication, and other emergency items.”

The goal of the One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund is to provide flexible funding resources to help community-based organizations and individuals who are disproportionately impacted by the virus and its economic consequences.

“The initial group of nonprofits getting help from the One Louisville Fund are all experienced, ‘boots on the ground’ direct-service providers,” said Ann Coffey, CEO of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. “Some are wondering how long they can keep their doors open without significant help. The dollars from this fund are being put to immediate use to help our community – Today.”

This initial round of 17 grants was specifically targeted to groups on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19. An application process is being developed for local organizations to apply for funding. Grants are being administered in partnership with the One Louisville Advisory Committee, which consists of funding partners and representatives of local government, corporations, and community organizations.

Meanwhile, Metro United Way said today that it is stepping up its efforts to help groups and individuals impacted by the virus and the economic shutdown. Theresa Reno-Weber, president and CEO of Metro United Way, said the organization is releasing more than $400,000 in emergency funds to invest immediately in non-profits across Kentuckiana.

“Metro United Way has always sought to address our community’s most pressing needs,” Reno-Weber said. “We’ll be using these emergency funds in parallel with and to complement the dollars raised and distributed by the collective funds in our region, including the One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund and the Disaster Relief Fund in Southern Indiana.”

Metro United Way is also providing insights and data on needs across the region that are driving the prioritization and distribution of these collective dollars.

Another round of One Louisville: COVID-19 Response funding will be announced later this week. To contribute to the fund, go to www.louisvilleky.gov/government/city/one-louisville-covid-19-response-fund.