Following a vote by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, the Valley Medical Center Foundation announced today that it will be the organization charged with administrating and providing ongoing oversight to a new grant program that could be a lifeline to local nonprofits organization struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 Nonprofit Resiliency and Sustainability Program will grant $10 million to a select number of Santa Clara County-based nonprofit organizations that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and provide funding to build more sustainable organizations focusing on racial equity. The County of Santa Clara funds the grant through the Federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds under the American Rescue Plan Act.
“We take this responsibility very seriously,” said Michael Elliott, President and Executive Director of the Valley Medical Center Foundation. “When organizations that provide emergency food or housing assistance face financial hardship, it has a real impact on the health of the community. We see it as our duty to help.”
Nonprofit organizations eligible for assistance must be 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax-exempt organizations. Priority will be given to organizations operating in and/or serving populations and communities located in Qualified Census Tracts that reflect the geographic and cultural diversity of Santa Clara County. Funding will be available in two categories – “Resilience” and “Sustainability.” Organizations that experienced a negative economic impact because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be eligible under the “Resilience” category. The “Sustainability” category will fund organizational change to strengthen racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in the provision of services in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
“Race-based health disparities exact a terrible cost on our community,” said Elliott. “The pandemic made that very clear. This opportunity aligns with our mission to improve the health of our community.”
The maximum grant award for both categories is $150,000, and eligible organizations can apply and receive both if selected. Applications will be reviewed by an independent, non-conflicted panel convened by the VMC Foundation using criteria established by the County of Santa Clara. Organizations will begin receiving funds in Spring 2023.
A Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) will be made public no later than November 15, 2022, with applications due Dec 13. The VMC Foundation will host several online sessions for organizations to learn more and better understand eligibility criteria. Additional information will be available at www.vmcfoundation.org in the coming weeks.
“Our goal is to make this a process as straightforward as possible,” said Elliott, “We will have a dedicated team in place to provide support during the application process and will continue to partner and support grantees through the end of the program in September 2024.”
About the Valley Medical Center Foundation
The Valley Medical Center Foundation (VMC Foundation) is an independent community-driven 501c3 nonprofit organization founded to support and protect Silicon Valley’s most vital public healthcare institution – Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Hospital & Clinics. In partnership with SCVMC, the VMC Foundation raises philanthropic dollars to improve existing services, pioneer new models of care, and advance the cause of highest quality healthcare for all.
