File photo of the Community Foundation's Lethbridge office (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

Applications open for two Community Foundation COVID-19 grant programs

May 19, 2020 | 10:40 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta has announced the opening of applications for two COVID-19 grant programs.

The Emergency Community Support Fund and the CF’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Grants Program both support local CRA registered charities working on the frontlines of the pandemic.

The Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) will provide $545,000 to charities working with vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

The ECSF is funded through the federal government’s $350-million Emergency Community Support Fund. It’s a partnership with the Community Foundations of Canada, the United Way Centreaide Canada, and the Canadian Red Cross.

The local Community Foundation is accepting applications for the ECSF from CRA registered charities as of Tuesday, May 19. Funding will be issues on an ongoing basis through July 2020.

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“We are thrilled that we are able to bring the ECSF grants program to Southwestern Alberta,” said the Community Foundation’s executive director Charleen Davidson, in a release.

“We saw a tremendous need for additional financial support from our charities when we had our first round of funding from our COVID-19 Response and Recovery Grants Program last month. The ECSF program will help us extend our reach – and our dollars – to make sure that we are able to support those in our region who need our help the most.”

The Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Grants Program is also accepting applications as of Tuesday, May 19.

It’s funded through the foundation’s unrestricted funds and supported by several donors across the region. The program will focus on the community’s most urgent needs in response to COVID-19 through four priority areas: food, shelter, health care, and families with children.

This is the second call for applications for this program. $202,800 in funding was previously announced by the Community Foundation.

The deadline to apply for this program is 4:00 p.m. MST on June 12, 2020.

More details can be found via the Community Foundation’s website.