Pandemic Response Fund

PANDEMIC RESPONSE FUND GRANTEES

The Foundation’s Pandemic Response Fund worked to address the changing needs of Hamiltonians through the unpredictable course of COVID- 19. Its five phases were:

Round 1 – Immediate needs grants

In March 2020, these organizations received emergency grants from the Pandemic Response Fund to immediately address critical needs including food security, shelter and hygiene for high-need, vulnerable people:

Round 2 – Stabilization grants

The fund opened in April 2020 for applications from charities, inviting applications for funding to provide basic needs in Hamilton and to support frontline charities delivering critical services to vulnerable populations in Hamilton affected by quarantine, closures, shortages, access to services, loss of income, or affected by other economic factors.

Round 3 – Recovery grants

Recognizing that the impact of COVID-19 is unpredictable but is likely to be prolonged, the Pandemic Response Fund is also positioned to assist local charities in addressing the longer-term needs of our citizens and our city’s recovery. Starting in November 2020, grants to these organizations assisted in replacing lost revenue and supporting other costs:

Round 4 – Comprehensive support

In this phase of granting, HCF granted support to charitable organizations from all sectors (i.e. arts, environment, recreation, health and human services, education) to continue delivering important services that deal with the unpredictable landscape created by the pandemic.

Round 5 – Comprehensive support

As COVID-19 continued with the Omicron variant, there was an ongoing exceptional level of community need and financial pressure on frontline organizations. In response, the Foundation provided emergency supporting grants to a variety of charitable organizations delivering critical services in Hamilton.

Proactive grants

The Foundation also made these grants from the Pandemic Response Fund to meet identified community needs:

The Foundation continues to provide a range of grants and other supports as our city works through the pandemic’s ongoing and residual effects.