Helping Families Succeed in Challenging Times: Philanthropy’s Response to COVID-19

In this April 7, 2020 GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar, philanthropic leaders from across the country came together to share what they are observing, learning and doing in support of children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Lauren Smith of FSG stressed the need to pay careful and close attention to those communities and populations that were most vulnerable before the crisis due to historical and structural issues. She encouraged funders to take steps to address families’ immediate and basic needs — food insecurity, housing instability and exposure to violence — while also preparing to respond to the long-term effects of this crisis, including the increased risk of summer learning loss due to extended school closures and the stress placed on families. Smith called on philanthropies to use their “superpowers” to convene stakeholders, highlight critical issues, ask provocative questions and leverage their social capital in responding to this health crisis.

Tony Fundaro of Philanthropy Southwest offered examples of how funders in that network were responding to the crisis in both rural and urban communities. He called nonprofits to stay in close contact with their funders, sharing their plans for the immediate future as well as their long-range plans in the wake of this crisis. Acknowledging the uneven power dynamic between funders and grantees, Fundaro encouraged his colleagues in philanthropy to work with nonprofits and grantees rather than just communicating to those grantees.

Alicia Lara of United Way Worldwide described the significant increase in calls to the 211 hotline, explaining how requests have evolved over time from seeking information about the virus to seeking support related to the economic dislocation and remote learning demands being placed on parents. She explained how United Ways were helping families access free tax assistance, including the economic impact payments authorized through the COVID-19 stimulus package. In addition, she pointed out how the current crisis is exacerbating longstanding inequities.

Henry Berman of Exponent Philanthropy shared how the “lean funders” in that network are responding to the crisis. Many are giving out more grants than expected, surveying nonprofits to understand and respond to their needs, streamlining applications, taking steps to become more flexible in their giving and reporting demands, and looking for ways to target funding directly to those who need it. As the trustee of a foundation focused on young children and literacy development, Berman explained how that foundation is providing funding to ensure children’s access to food and technology devices to enable remote learning.

After the presentations, Kyle Caldwell of the Council of Michigan Foundations and David Kass of Council on Foundations shared their reflections on the role of philanthropy in supporting parents during the COVID-19 crisis. Caldwell shared how philanthropy can work to address conditions on the ground, change practices to be more responsive and leverage networks established to increase census response to reach vulnerable populations. Kass explained how the Council on Foundations is calling on funders to increase grantmaking and be responsive to the needs of nonprofits and vulnerable communities. Along with other philanthropy networks, it is encouraging companies to provide support to nonprofits and calling on all funders to keep equity at the forefront during the COVID-19 crisis.