The Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund announced on Tuesday, March 9 its ninth cycle of biweekly grants as part of its Phase II efforts to support the Greater Cleveland nonprofit community during the ongoing pandemic.

In total, $80,500 was awarded to six organizations and groups serving Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties. Since establishing the Fund nearly one year ago, the community has now provided more than $11.5 million to more than 200 frontline organizations during this public health crisis.

The latest grant recipients include:

• ACE Mentor Program: $20,000 to provide PPE and basic needs support for program alumni from 10 schools across Greater Cleveland to help keep them on their collegiate pathway.
• Islamic Center of Cleveland: $40,000 to help the mosque continue to serve members of an underfunded community with basic needs assistance resulting from COVID-19.
• Kidney Foundation of Ohio, Inc.: $8,000 to provide PPE kits and vaccine outreach to clients in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties.
• Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless: $2,500 to provide bus passes for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Cleveland in order to increase vaccine access and to assist in following up on clinic visits, housing appointments and other essential needs.
• Partnership Schools: $5,000 to provide PPE for continued in-school learning for nearly 500 elementary school students at Archbishop Lyke and St. Thomas Aquinas in Cleveland.
• Strengthening Our Students (SOS): $5,000 to provide PPE for students on Cleveland’s near east side who are participating in the organization’s educational and life skills programs.

Based upon the charitable structure of the Rapid Response Fund, the second phase is currently accepting grant applications from eligible organizations serving Cuyahoga, Lake and/or Geauga counties. The Fund is designed primarily to support human service nonprofits with operational budgets of less than $20 million.

The Fund partners encourage collaborative proposals that involve multiple organizations within similar sectors or neighborhoods working on shared issues.

Grants during Phase II of the Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund are awarded every two weeks and will continue for one year. Awards range in size from $5,000 to a maximum of $100,000 for any nonprofit organization throughout the current cycle ending Oct. 31, 2021. Organizations that were funded during Phase I (between March-July 2020) are eligible to apply for additional funding. Grants are limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, groups fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, or other charitable organizations able to receive a tax-deductible contribution.

For more information or to donate, visit ClevelandFoundation.org/Response.