The Community Foundation of Howard County (CFHoCo) has announced it will contribute an additional $100,000 of rapid relief funds in a second wave of funding to help mitigate the damage of COVID-19 across Howard County. The CFHoCo board of trustees unanimously passed the resolution to release the funds. This $100,000 comes on top of an original $103,000 raised through its Howard County Community Relief Fund efforts in March and early April, as well as an additional $65,000 in gifts directly to nonprofits from individuals and families with CFHoCo donor advised funds.
The $100,000 will be released into the pool of funds coordinated by HoCoRespond.org, a collaborative leadership funding group consisting of the Community Foundation of Howard County, the Horizon Foundation, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County and the United Way of Central Maryland.
The HoCoRespond group initially set a goal to raise $100,000 in 10 days in late March and early April. More than $200,000 was raised through the generosity private individuals and foundations. HoCoRespond awarded $205,000 in grants to 13 nonprofits on April 20. With such great needs throughout the community, that funding could only go so far. A total of 56 eligible 501c3 nonprofits requested funding.
Now a second campaign has begun with even more ambitious goals. The second fundraising wave calls for a goal of $200,000 in five days – twice the goal in half the time. The CFHoCo board of trustees quickly agreed to step up to meet the challenge. The gift will come from unrestricted operating funds.
Individuals are still encouraged to make personal contributions through the Howard County Community Relief Fund. All gifts to the Community Relief Fund will be added to the board-approved $100,000 and pooled with the other funding from HoCoRespond.