Supporting Our Community During This Time of Need

At Madison Community Foundation, we are working hard to support our community through the COVID-19 pandemic. While the disruption and hardship caused by the disease and the efforts to slow its spread are unprecedented in our times, we know that by pulling together as a community we can support each other and help protect the people and organizations most affected.

The pandemic’s impact on area nonprofit organizations has been profound. Many have been forced to close their doors, losing income from admissions, performances, and classes. Others have experienced a major increase in demand for their services.

MCF has responded to these developments by:

• Working with grant recipients to repurpose $1 million in outstanding grants to help cover the costs of regular operations or converting programs to an online format.
• Distributing more than $10 million to nonprofits (through June 2020), from endowments and passthrough funds.
• Hiring Scholz Nonprofit Law to guide nonprofit organizations through the intricacies of applying for loans through the Paycheck Protection Act, and to provide information about the other aid available under the CARES Act. This $35,000 investment provided training for 298 people from more than 170 organizations. So far, participants have reported receiving $20.4 million in aid as a result.

Grants From the COVID-19 Priority Fund

So far in 2020, gifts to the MCF COVID-19 Priority Fund have been used to:

• Make a grant to the Madison Metropolitan School District to help provide wifi hotspots to the 1,800 families whose lack of reliable internet access prevented them from participating in their schools’ virtual learning.
• Provide valuable information and support to parents and grandparents navigating virtual schooling by funding the Urban League of Greater Madison's Parent Instructional Support Program.

Proactive Grants Help Provide Support

MCF decided to make proactive grants in 2020 to better help nonprofit organizations address the community's needs. Most recently, we made a grant to help area food pantries prepare for winter by providing funds to create heated shelters to allow staff and volunteers to continue outdoor distribution safely throught the colder months.

MCF COVID-19 Priority Fund Help support the needs of organizations dealing with issues of business continuation, providing online programming, and adapting to needs presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. GIVE NOW