The Southwest Michigan Cares Fund—in partnership with Berrien Community Foundation, the Greater South Haven Area Community Foundation, and United Way of Southwest Michigan—is asking nonprofits that have incurred costs or lost revenue due to COVID-19 to apply for funding.
Applications for funding are available at southwestmichigancares.org under General Operations Grant.
Applications are due by January 14, 2022.
A maximum of $5,000 per nonprofit can be requested.
Throughout the pandemic, charitable nonprofits have continued to serve their communities, often at an increased need. According to the Michigan Nonprofit Association, over a year into the pandemic, small nonprofits reported that financial support generated through annual fundraising events was down 53% and individual donations were down 46%. With donations cut in half, many of Michigan’s small nonprofits find themselves in dire need of financial assistance with only three to six months of operating cash on hand.
As the COVID-19 crisis was first developing, the Southwest Michigan Cares Fund was formed to help area nonprofits support the basic needs of the region’s residents during the pandemic and the ongoing financial impact on those nonprofits.
In 2020, the Southwest Michigan Cares Fund raised $1,104,780 and distributed $677,104 to 72 different organizations across Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties. Nearly a quarter of the funds went to food-related expenses and nearly half to mortgage/rent and utilities assistance. More than 41,000 individuals were served throughout the three counties across age, race, and gender.
The funders meet remotely with nonprofits to assess the changing situation and quickly make funding available to address community needs associated with the crisis. Disbursements are made for both emergency response and long-term recovery.
