By Kim Dishongh 

Main Street Russellville Inc., one organization that received a mini-grant from Arkansas Community Foundation, used it to support essential workers while helping some of the city’s downtown businesses.

Danielle Housenick, executive director of Main Street Russellville, said the $1,000 COVID-19 rapid response mini-grant from the Foundation made it possible to purchase more than 850 meals from Russellville restaurants. These meals were delivered to staff at the COVID Triage Center at Saint Mary’s Regional, the city’s fire and police departments and others.

“We love this sort of endeavor because it’s a win-win,” said Housenick. “We’re able to spend money in some of our small businesses, and we’re able to help our local people who are right on the front lines, stressed out and just in need of a pick-me-up.”

Main Street Russellville was founded in 1992, part of a national program geared toward revitalizing the city’s downtown area. The organization hosts quarterly downtown art walks, summer concerts and festivals, all with the goal of creating a community spirit and encouraging people to shop and dine downtown.

Some of Russellville’s downtown businesses have seen a 50% downturn in sales in the last few months because of the outbreak of Covid-19, Housenick said. Throughout the crisis, Main Street Russellville disseminated information about various sources of assistance to small businesses and recently held a conference call on the topic for more than 250 businesses.

Some of those same businesses, Housenick said, have been the backbone of Main Street Russellville’s efforts over the years, donating money, space and resources for programs and events. Main Street Russellville has done what it can to infuse money back into them during these uncertain times.

Housenick set out to do something to help emergency personnel, who are providing vital services to the community during a time of need, and also support the businesses that were suffering. Buying to-go lunches from downtown restaurants and delivering that food to essential workers who are providing vital services to the community throughout the pandemic allows Main Street Russellville to do both simultaneously.

The people who have received meals are grateful, said Housenick, for the sustenance and for the recognition of their hard word work and sacrifice.

“Some of the business owners have said, ‘I paid my rent this month and that’s at least partially because of your support,’” Housenick said. “Small businesses have held up our community for so long by donating to nonprofits, and it’s just really good to give back to them.”

Little Rock, Ark. (May 20, 2020) – Two months after the creation of its COVID-19 Relief Fund to assist in pandemic relief, Arkansas Community Foundation has awarded $1,000 rapid response mini-grants to 678 organizations in 149 cities and towns located in 67 counties.

“These mini-grants support immediate, essential community needs in human services, food, health, housing and education,” said Heather Larkin, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “Recipients range from youth basketball leagues distributing food to hungry families to summer reading programs opening early, to the purchase of software that allows child abuse hotline staff to accept calls at home.”

A list of the organizations who have received mini-grants is available at www.arcf.org/covid19.  Community Foundation Phase Two Adaptation Grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 are now being processed and will be awarded by the end of May. These grants will continue to help organizations who are adapting their organizations to meet the ongoing needs of Arkansans affected by the pandemic and shore up critical systems like healthcare, education and food distribution.

The total amount raised for the COVID-19 Relief Fund has topped $3.4 million, with donations coming from the Community Foundation, other Arkansas foundations, businesses and individuals. Called the Gratitude Report, a list of donors to the fund is available at  www.arcf.org/covid19.

“The response of the public to requests for donations has been amazing,” said Larkin. “Just as impressive has been the response of the Community Foundation staff, Board and volunteers who have faithfully reviewed grant applications every day since we started accepting applications. Our finance staff members have processed and mailed grant checks at a record pace.”

The COVID-19 Relief Fund was created March 18, 2020. Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced the Community Foundation’s fund as a way for Arkansans to best help those in need during the pandemic. In addition, the Arkansas Republican and Democratic Parties jointly requested donations to the fund.

Donations are still being accepted online at www.arcf.org/covid19 or by mailing a check to Arkansas Community Foundation, 5 Allied Drive, Suite 51110, Little Rock, AR 72202. All donations to this fund will be granted to Arkansas organizations working to serve the state’s most vulnerable populations and those disproportionately affected by the coronavirus and its economic fallout.

Arkansas Community Foundation offers tools to help Arkansans protect, grow and direct their charitable dollars as they learn more about community needs. The Foundation typically issues about 2,500 grants totaling $20 million dollars each year to Arkansas nonprofits. By making grants and sharing knowledge, the Community Foundation supports charitable programs that work for Arkansas and partners to create new initiatives that address the gaps. Since 1976, the Community Foundation has provided more than $310 million in grants and partnered with thousands of Arkansans to help them improve our neighborhoods, our towns and our entire state. Contributions to the Community Foundation, its funds and any of its 28 affiliates are fully tax deductible.

Arkansas Community Foundation continues to see generosity pouring in from across the state. Since activating our fund on March 18, we have seen millions of dollars donated, pledged or reallocated from our fundholders and the general public. Every week businesses, private foundations, individuals and civic groups are giving. In turn, we are granting dollars out the door as quickly as we can receive, review, vet and process grant applications. 

While recognizing that this is a challenging time for the nation and its businesses, we still see Arkansans from every corner of the state stepping up to help. Arkansas is trending with the rest of the nation. Nearly 250 community foundations in all 50 states have collectively mobilized more than $375 million for the pandemic, according to the Community Foundation Public Awareness Initiative. To date, community foundations have publicly announced more than $64 million in grants to local nonprofits.

The COVID-19 Relief Fund serves as a link between those who want to give and those who are in need. Whether to the COVID-19 Relief Fund or your favorite nonprofit, however you have the means to help, do. Arkansas is a generous state, and we always find ways to help each other—and now, more than ever, help is needed.

You can see the list of local nonprofits that have received grants so far.  We will be updating both our donor list and our grantee list each week.

THANK YOU to the following Arkansas entities that have donated generously to the COVID-19 Relief Fund:

• Aerojet Rocketdyne Foundation      
• Ally Financial
• Anonymous  Donor
• Arkansas Community Foundation
• Arvest Foundation
• Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas
• Mary and Dabbs Cavin                    
• Entergy Charitable Foundation
• JenByRo Charitable Fund
• Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation 
• Masco Walmart Support Services
• Riggs CAT
• Cathy and Denton Seilhan
• Tyson Family Foundation
• Walmart Foundation
• Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation
• Wells Fargo
• Windgate Charitable Foundation
• Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation

You’re practicing social distancing, washing your hands and wearing a mask in public. These precautions are (hopefully!) keeping your friends and family safe, but are there more ways to help your community?

We know that generosity has the power to unite and build stronger, more resilient communities during a crisis. Whether you want to support medical needs, protect vulnerable populations or sustain the nonprofits you love, here are ways to help now:

1. Give with your heart and your head. We know giving can be emotional—it’s tied to your values, life experiences and the people you love most—so consider the issues close to your heart, but make your selections using your head. Think about whether the nonprofit has a proven track record with their mission and how they steward resources to make the deepest impact.

2. Give now. Give generously.  Many people choose to make their donations at the end of the year, but nonprofits need your support at this time. If you have the means, consider altering your timeline and amount. Sustaining the nonprofits you care about at your usual level or increasing your gift will help them continue important work.

3. Give flexibly. “Unrestricted” funds—donations given for use as-needed, without earmarks—allow nonprofits to channel those resources for the greatest need. Our nonprofits rely on steady funding, and they are now facing an increase in demand with a decrease in revenue. Support the ways they are innovating and transforming to serve their mission with flexible funds that allow the maximum impact.

4. Give of yourself. Being generous is not limited to financial donations. Adopt a giving mindset to bring comfort, joy and support in the ways you can. Keep safety first but contact local organizations to find out how you can volunteer your time or skills. Use your purchasing power to lift up local businesses. Vote. Complete your census. Share information and be a voice for how people can help each other. Your example will show others that they can take action too!

5. Give to the needs. Consider the array of demands facing your community:

• • Medical supplies, treatment & development—provide protective equipment for frontline health staff, support for free clinics, help further diagnostics and vaccines, and aid those who are sick.
  • Food insecurity—support children who rely on school meals and others facing layoffs, reduced wages, shelter-in-place orders or food staple shortages to get enough nonperishable items and nutritious food.
  • Economic security—assist with the housing expenses, food costs or potential medical bills of those struggling to make ends meet.
  • Elder care—contribute to programs that address food delivery, isolation or complex medical issues for seniors who are affected more dramatically by COVID-19.
  • Educational support and childcare—support school systems adjusting to remote learning, educational programs for youth and organizations providing emergency childcare for working parents.
  • Homelessness—help those without shelter acquire the necessary food, hygiene essentials, health screening and treatment to stay well.
  • Child and domestic abuse—donate to help provide a safe place when this stressful situation can cause a rise in violence at home.
  • Mental health—support the emotional toll that the pandemic may have on those serving the frontlines, recovering from addiction, suffering in isolation or facing job loss.

The Community Foundation is open and our staff is here to help you give smart. Search our nonprofit directory by issue area, size or geography to identify organizations working in your community. Connect with us about tax-wise ways to give. Support the Arkansas COVID-19 Relief Fund or contact our Development staff for additional guidance. We are your smart giving resource.

Nonprofit and community organizations across Arkansas continue to take creative action to assist our neighbors in need in the wake of COVID-19. From our COVID-19 Relief Fund, we were pleased to provide the Arkansas Arts and Fashion Forum with a $1,000 mini-grant to support the work being done with their Mask Maker Challenge project.

Rachel Woody-Pumford, Educational Program Coordinator at Arkansas Arts and Fashion Forum, a Northwest Arkansas based nonprofit, shares how that mini-grant has helped. “As of April 20, we have donated 2,167 masks to healthcare providers and essential employees in Arkansas. Our sewing studio that your mini-grant helped fund is allowing us to employ 14 part-time seamstresses and tailors, a project administrator, and two workshop managers to help ensure quality, sanitation, and safety. Being able to provide our sewing team this opportunity to work has been especially important during this fiscally difficult time for many people.”

Those who are sewing masks come from a variety of backgrounds, including northwest Arkansas natives and some immigrants who have relocated to the area over the past several years from the Marshall Islands, Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan. It was a learning process. Early last week, each was only able to complete one or two masks in an hour, but by Friday, April 17th the sewing team was able to complete three or four masks each hour, testing new ways of working and figuring out how to improve their skills and speed to get the masks made more efficiently. From Woody-Pumford, “We are excited to see their growth and be able to help do our small part for the community.”

And now you can help! By purchasing a face mask through their Buy One Give One program, for each mask a designer sells, they will donate one mask to their health care partners. Each designer will receive 80% of the sale amount, and 20% will be donated to the Arkansas Arts & Fashion Forum to help support their continued efforts. If you would like to take part in the Mask Maker Challenge project, donate to their cause, or just learn more about their great work, click here.

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise throughout the country, so does its devastating impact on small businesses, nonprofits and the employees that work for them.  With forced closures and social distancing causing a reduction in work force and foot traffic, financial hardships are greater than ever.

We have compiled a list of many government agencies, private companies and nonprofit organizations that are extending support at this time.

This list of resources is designed to provide information and relief for small businesses, individuals and nonprofits. We’ll be adding to this list as the situation develops, so check back for updates.

Arkansas Community Foundation does not provide COVID-19 relief funding to individuals. However, for a list of nonprofits in your area, visit our directory here. Or click here to see a list of nonprofits near you that received a grant from our COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Resources for Small Businesses

• Rural Lisc is accepting small business grant applications Jan. 26 – Feb. 1, 2021: https://www.lisc.org/covid-19/small-business-assistance/rural-relief-small-business-grants/  
• Contact your local Chamber of Commerce. Many of these organizations have been studying federal, state and local government relief program guidelines and can help you understand the benefits available to businesses or refer you to other resources.
• Contact a Small Business/Entrepreneurship Support Organization in your area. These organizations provide many different kinds of assistance to small businesses. Though they may not be providing assistance directly with COVID-19 relief, they are likely to have good information for you about options that may be available to support your business during this time. Some are co-working spaces, others provide classes or coaching, some assist with business plan development and market research, and still others connect businesses with different forms of financial support. Since each organization has a slightly different mission, we encourage you to visit their websites to learn more about the services they provide. Some options in Arkansas:
  • Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (multiple locations) http://asbtdc.org/
  • The Venture Center https://www.venturecenter.co/
  • Arkansas Women’s Business Center (El Dorado) https://www.winrock.org/work/enterprise-incubator/arkansas-womens-business-center/arkansas-womens-business-center-services/
  • Startup Junkie (NWA) https://www.startupjunkie.org/
  • The Generator (Pine Bluff) https://goforwardpinebluff.org/the-generator/
• Resources for Minority and Women Owned Businesses are available through the Arkansas Economic Development Corporation. https://www.arkansasedc.com/business-resources/minority-and-women-owned-business-resources
• Community Development Financial Institutions are often a resource for lending and getting technical assistance. They may be able to assist you with information about the CARES Act as well as different ways to apply for business or personal loans. Each organization provides slightly different services, so we encourage you to check out their websites or call for more information.
  • Southern Bancorp, https://banksouthern.com/
  • Communities Unlimited, https://communitiesu.org/
  • FORGE, https://www.forgefund.org/
  • HOPE Credit Union, https://hopecu.org/
• The Paycheck Protection Program established by the CARES Act is providing small businesses with the resources they need to maintain their payroll, hire back employees who may have been laid off, and cover applicable overhead.  https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/cares/assistance-for-small-businesses
• The Shared Work Unemployment Compensation Program provides an alternative for employers faced with a reduction in their work force. https://www.dws.arkansas.gov/employers/shared-work-program/
• Resources for businesses and employees: https://www.arkansasedc.com/covid19
• State of Arkansas listing of resources for employers and employees: https://www.labor.arkansas.gov//Websites/labor/images/COVID-19%20Page3.pdf
• A comprehensive guide to help businesses protect their workplace and keep their employees safe and secure. Also includes a list of Financial Assistance Programs available to them.
  https://www.safehome.org/resources/small-business-protection-guide/
• A grant program for certain Arkansas businesses in the personal care, tourism, travel, recreation and hospitality industries. A link to the application will be posted on www.ArkansasReady.com. 

Resources for Nonprofit Organizations

The Nonprofit Finance Fund has a Covid-19 resource page with tools to help you project cash flow, plan for various scenarios and assess your financial needs. https://nff.org/covid-19-tools-and-resources-nonprofits

IndependentSector.org has up-to-date information on the impact of current COVID-19 news on the nonprofit sector. https://independentsector.org/covid19/ 

The National Council of Nonprofits has resources for nonprofits, including analysis of the 2020 year-end COVID relief bill: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/nonprofits-and-coronavirus-covid-19  

The Chronicle of Philanthropy has coverage of nonprofit fundraising during the pandemic, including examples of successful campaigns and tips for fundraisers: https://www.philanthropy.com/package/covid-19-coverage-fundraising-during-the-pandemic

Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance periodically has grant opportunities available.  Become a member with them or check their website periodically for grant opportunities.  https://www.arhungeralliance.org/about/membership/

Blue & You Foundation has regular grants $5,000 – $150,000 awards with an application deadline on July 15, 2021.  Minigrants of $1,000 each are decided on a rolling basis through February 15, 2021. http://www.blueandyoufoundationarkansas.org/application

Centerpoint Energy is accepting grant applications Jan. 4 – Feb. 15, 2021: https://www.centerpointenergy.com/en-us/residential/in-your-community/giving-back/corporate-giving/application-process?sa=MN

Resources for Individuals

• For information about Education resources, http://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/ is the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education in the Department of Education.  There is a section on Homeschooling and then one on COVID-19 where you can get more information.
• Arkansas has a new telephone system to help individuals find nonprofit organizations and agencies that are providing the kind of assistance they need. You can dial 211 on your telephone to be connected to an operator, or visit their website at https://arkansas211.org/.
• Local Community Action Agencies across the state are set up to help individuals receive assistance through programs like food and utility assistance, Head Start, housing assistance, meals on wheels and other services. They can help connect you with resources in your area or help you apply for any benefits you may be eligible for. Here’s a webpage where you can find contact info for the Action Agency closest to you: http://www.acaaa.org/local-community-action-agencies/
• Resources for business and employees: https://www.arkansasedc.com/covid19
• Legal Aid of Arkansas’ Emergency Guide to Benefits:
  https://www.arlegalservices.org/sites/default/files/Full%20Guide%20to%20Benefits%2016%20April%202020%20(4).pdf
• Arkansas Access for Justice is the only free civil legal aid organization in the state. https://arkansasjustice.org/
• The Our House Career Center is launching a Jobs and Resources Hotline to provide support to the community over the phone! If you are out of work or in need of resources because of COVID-19, call 501-291-0584 (Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm)
• Resources for individuals in the Northwest Arkansas area: https://www.harknwa.com/getconnected
• FEMA’s Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program: For more info click here
• For utility assistance for individuals: https://mcaeoc.com/