The Tri-Valley Nonprofit Fund was established in March 2020 to bring unrestricted operating funds to support nonprofits struggling to meet growing human service needs throughout the Tri-Valley during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Just a few short months before, the economic impacts of COVID-19 were already stretching resources of many nonprofit organizations in the Tri-Valley beyond their usual capacity – even before medical impacts were evident. As early as February, 2020, CityServe of the Tri-Valley reported that their usual requests for rental assistance had grown from several thousand per week to $50,000 in one week. By mid-March, Open Heart Kitchen found their meal program suddenly expand from 1,000 meals per day to 3,500 per day.
These organizations are known as “safety net” service providers. They regularly address the basic needs of vulnerable populations such as senior citizens, children, the disabled, veterans, the unemployed, those living paycheck-to-paycheck, and the homeless. They provide food, clothing, safe housing, behavioral health assistance, transportation and medical care. They also work as informal extensions of local governments to help manage human service needs in our communities.
In consultation with city staff from the cities of Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton, six primary and complementary safety net service providers were identified as the best positioned to meet the increased demand for basic needs and services during this time. With their highly-developed infrastructure, extensive programming, broad reach throughout the valley, and vast resource network, these organizations continued to meet the needs of Tri-Valley residents located in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
During this inaugural effort, the Tri-Valley Nonprofit Fund raised $183,000, which was distributed directly to the six nonprofits in three rounds of approximately $10,000 per organization per round. Businesses, corporations, organizations and individuals coordinated or contributed directly to the fund, making it a true community effort to ‘wrap a blanket of services’ around the shoulders of neighbors facing difficult and at times, insurmountable personal challenges.
From the success of the initial program, TVNPA saw the value for both donors and nonprofits in offering unrestricted funding that provides immediate impact and measurable results. TVNPA is therefore excited to extend the Tri-Valley Nonprofit Fund by launching a quarterly grant program in January 2022 open to 501(c)3 organizations serving the Tri-Valley. Click below to learn more!
Original Beneficiaries:
Actions speak louder than words and in 2020, our community and business leaders showed this to be the absolute truth. Targeted giving based on a matching funds model through the TVNF, allowed six, established safety-net service providers who were identified by local City leaders, to grow and stabilize operations and continue bringing complementary basic needs support to expanding groups of vulnerable populations
In all, the TVNF raised $183,000, distributed in three rounds of $10,000 per organization in each round. As a result, senior citizens, youth, families, the disabled, veterans, homeless and neighbors – some struggling for the first time – received food, shelter, healthcare, and housing support to help them get through.