United Way of Greater Lafayette received a $1.3 million grant towards the COVID-19 Response Fund, an initiative put together in partnership with The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette and Greater Lafayette Commerce. This additional funding will be distributed in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette, Benton Community Foundation, the Community Foundation of Carroll County and United Fund of Carroll County based on population to support Tippecanoe, Carroll and Benton counties in their efforts to provide critical and necessary services to those who have been negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

United Way of Greater Lafayette is one of 20 different United Ways across Indiana to receive a gift from Indiana United Ways funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc. Indiana United Ways, the state professional association for United Ways in Indiana, made the grants through the United Way COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative, which was created with support from a $30 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

The purpose of the United Way COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative is to disburse funds expeditiously into local communities to help human services agencies on the frontlines provide food, emergency childcare, and other critical services. The amounts of the grants are based on the populations of the counties served. These first grants were made to United Ways collectively serving nearly three million Hoosiers. The grants were awarded in communities that are facing urgent relief needs and have well-developed partnerships to ensure that funds are distributed where they are needed most.

“We are grateful to be recipients of such a generous grant.  This additional boost to the COVID-19 Response Fund will allow us to take the next steps in helping our community recover. While the current focus is on immediate needs within the community, we know that the impact of the pandemic will bring more challenges to light.  This funding will allow us to strategically help our community address these immediate and emerging needs,” said Michael Budd, CEO at United Way of Greater Lafayette.”

United Way of Greater Lafayette has already awarded $131,477 in the first round of grants and a second round is currently being evaluated thanks to the $209,119 contribution from organizations and individuals who answered the initial call to action.  For the full list of contributors, click here.

Including this new grant, to date the COVID-19 Response Fund has raised $1,509,119.  United Way of Greater Lafayette will continue to leverage local relationships to assess needs and make investments in organizations that are working to meet immediate and emerging community needs.  The grant from the Indiana United Way COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative, funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc., has made it possible to prepare for a third round of disbursements and to look at long-term recovery efforts. Proposals will be accepted from any organization serving residents of Tippecanoe, Carroll or Benton counties with a 501(c)3 status or other nonprofit designation, as stated from the IRS in Health and Human Services. Applications and funding priorities can be found at uwlafayette.org/crfund.

Individuals seeking assistance can find resources on United Way of Greater Lafayette’s COVID-19 Resource page at uwlafayette.org/covid19-help.