Chester County is stepping up to help local nonprofits recover from the impact of COVID-19. Through the Restore Chester County Nonprofit Innovation & Resiliency Fund, the Chester County Commissioners obtained $3.5 million in federal CARES Act funding. 

The Nonprofit Innovation & Resiliency Fund was administered by the Chester County Community Foundation with input from regional funders, United Ways, and Chester County government departments. In November and December, the Community Foundation awarded 134 grants ranging from $2,500 to $100,000 to Chester County-based nonprofits. 

To breakdown the grant allocations by field of interest:

• $2.5 million was awarded for human services
• $376,000 was awarded to art, culture, and history organizations
• $361,000 was awarded to education
• $176,000 was awarded for health services and
• $113,000 was awarded to environmental causes.

Geographically, $1.5 million was awarded to nonprofits in central Chester County; and approximately a half-million each to nonprofits located in northern, southern, eastern, and western Chester County.

The COVID-19 outbreak is far from over. Nonprofits will continue to face immediate and long-term challenges while serving the public good. The public is urged to support the nonprofits through financial contributions, donations of supplies, and volunteering online and in-person. Details of nonprofit needs, as summarized in their COVID proposals, is online here.

For more information about Chester County funders and their interests, please visit their respective websites. Click here for more information about the Community Foundation’s response to COVID-19. Click here to apply for a grant through the Community Foundation.