During COVID-19, BCHD To Provide Emergency Grants for Health Initiatives
The Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) Board of Directors approved a new emergency grant allocation fund of $100,000 to assist disaster relief health initiatives in the Beach Cities during COVID-19 and in the future. The move, which passed by a 5-0 vote, was taken during a special board meeting held Wednesday, May 6.
These grants may be awarded to non-profit agencies and local jurisdictions (e.g., cities, police and fire departments) serving Beach Cities residents based on specific objectives and priorities relative to the emergency.
“This move will allow us to respond quickly and efficiently not just now, but also the next time an emergency strikes our area,” says Tom Bakaly, CEO for BCHD. “Like BCHD, there are many organizations working to help the community during this pandemic and we will be better positioned to provide monetary support moving forward.”
The action states, “in times of emergency and disaster, the Beach Cities Health District may allocate funding to address disaster relief efforts to support the communities of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. Grant allocation for emergency and disaster response will be granted in an expedited fashion to be responsive to the community need.”
Emergency and disaster relief grants fall outside the District’s traditional grant allocation processes and may only be awarded in response to a crisis that warrants the activation of the District Operations Center (DOC) as outlined in BCHD’s Emergency Operation Plan. The DOC has been activated since March 15 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
BCHD will receive emailed applications and proposals for its COVID-19 Emergency and Disaster Relief Grants beginning Monday, May 11, until noon on Monday, June 1, 2020. More information, including an application form, is available at https://www.bchd.org/grants
Emergency and disaster relief grants will be awarded to programs that address one of the following recovery priority areas: Testing Initiatives for first responders and essential workers, food security, support for older adults and the vulnerable, mental health and service delivery enhancements to accommodate COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions. These grants may be awarded to non-profit agencies and local jurisdictions (e.g., cities, police and fire departments) serving Beach Cities residents based on specific objectives and priorities as determined by the DOC. This grant funding is intended for one-time projects and is not intended to be an ongoing source of funding.
Grant applications will open for a competitive process and will be selected based on their ability to fill community health-related service gaps to address the community’s needs in the emergency or disaster. Request must meet the criteria established within the scope of the DOC’s operational and recovery objectives and priorities. Selected grantees will be allocated designated funding in a lump sum.
An ad-hoc grants committee will review applications through a competitive selection process and awardees will be selected based on their ability fill community health related service gaps to address the community’s needs during the COVID-19 emergency.
Grant award announcements will be made in June 2020.