Foundations Pledge Flexible Funding in Wake of COVID-19 Crisis
Over forty foundations have signed a pledge to provide more flexible funding to help their grantees meet emergency needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Informed by conversations with the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, spearheaded by the Ford Foundation, and conducted in partnership with the Council on Foundations, the pledge calls on foundations and philanthropies to help grantees move quickly to address the social and economic consequences of the pandemic in vulnerable communities. Signatories have committed to taking a range of steps, from loosening or eliminating restrictions on current grants, to postponing reporting requirements and site visits, to listening to and working with grantees to generate thoughtful, immediate responses.
Signatories include the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, California Endowment, Heinz Endowments, Meyer Memorial Trust, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and American Muslim Community, Annenberg, Barr, Brooklyn Community, David and Lucile Packard, Edward W. Hazen, JPB, Joyce, Kalamazoo Community, Lumina, Northwest Area, Oak, Overdeck Family, Robert Sterling Clark, Robert R. McCormick, Seattle, Skillman, Surdna, and William and Flora Hewlett foundations.
"As we experience this new reality, alongside partners and allies around the world, we must remember the remarkable impact we can make by working together," said Hilary Pennington, executive vice president of programs at the Ford Foundation. "Now, more than ever, we must join forces in a commitment to best serve our grantees, who are supporting communities on the frontlines of this global pandemic, with flexibility and resources however we can. The Ford Foundation is proud to take this pledge and we encourage our peer institutions to sign on, so our nonprofit partners can continue to propel their critical work forward."
For a complete list of signatories, see the Council on Foundations website.
(Photo credit: GettyImages)
