The Community Foundations COVID-19 Grant Program was established in the 2020 legislative session under the Community Foundations Act. The program is administered by the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), which has issued rules governing the program’s operations.

Program funding, a total of $4 million for nonprofit entities and an additional $4 million for food pantries, is to be provided through the state’s community foundations.  

The Community Foundation of East Mississippi will oversee $430,000 in CARES Act funding ($215,000 for nonprofits and $215,000 for food pantries) to award grants of up to $4,000 to eligible grantees.

An applicant must apply either as a “nonprofit entity” or a “food pantry,” both of which are defined in the act. An organization that meets both definitions, such as a nonprofit that operates a food pantry but also has other programs, may qualify as an Eligible Grantee for both funds.

An organization that operates multiple food pantries may qualify each food pantry as a separate eligible grantee, provided that each pantry serves a distinct and separate geographic area and population.

Eligible grantees may be reimbursed for eligible expenditures incurred between March 1,  and Dec. 30, 2020.

Eligible expenditures are outlined in the Community Foundations Act across 18 categories as follows:

•Costs to create social distancing measures

•Costs to clean or disinfect areas due to COVID-19

•Personal Protective Equipment “PPE”

•COVID-19 testing

•COVID-19 screenings

•Expenses for technical assistance concerning mitigation of COVID-19 related threats

•Contactless equipment

•Equipment or items designed to track positive COVID-19 cases

•Expenses for quarantining individuals

•Necessary re-opening expenses to address COVID-19 issues

•Expenses to facilitate teleworking

•Expenses to facilitate distance learning

•Expense for additional food delivery costs and expenses, including the purchase of food, for vulnerable populations to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions

•Expenses for care for homeless populations

•Grants to prevent evictions or foreclosure to prevent homelessness

•Grants to individuals and households who have been directly impacted by loss of income

•Expenses for employment and training programs for individuals who have lost employment

•Expenses incurred due to the interruption of the Nonprofit Entity’s business including mortgage interest, rent, payroll, or utilities

The Community Foundation of East Mississippi supports five counties in East Mississippi, and will be responsible for reviewing applications from organizations based in the following counties: Clarke, Kemper, Lauderdale, Neshoba, and Newton counties.

 Applications for a grant must be completed online through the grant’s portal accessible at www.mscaresgrant.com or https://www.cfem.org.

Applications must be filed no later than 5 p.m. on Jan. 15, 2021, but funding is on a first-come, first-served basis so earlier applications are encouraged.