Press Release:
GPLH Provides Critical Support for
Hudson Valley Nonprofits During Pandemic
Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson (GPLH) members have been providing critical support for nonprofits in their struggles to acquire essential funding throughout the COVID 19 crisis. Through GPLH, an education and advocacy organization representing Hudson Valley grant writers, members have also donated their services to help the nonprofit community identify and respond to an array of new COVID related opportunities.
“Members of GPLH quickly rose to the occasion to navigate new applications for the PPP, determine which CARES Act Programs were right for specific agencies, and took up the task to try to close the shortfalls that occurred when special event fundraisers, which many agencies rely upon for a significant amount of their overall fundraising revenue, had to be put on hold,”
said Lisa Keogh, Co-President, GPLH. “We have heard from many GPLH members that the revenue secured through grant channels helped to keep the doors open at many local non-profit agencies.”
GPLH Co-president Nancy Keane pointed out that many charitable foundations in the region also provided extra support for financially challenged nonprofits. "The financial sustainability of the Hudson Valley Nonprofit sector is more critical than ever and we are fortunate to have a supportive network of foundation and corporate funders,” she said. “Amid a flurry of COVID related relief funding with short turnaround times, GPLH members were quick to lend a hand to secure funding for numerous trusted frontline community organizations hardest hit by the pandemic.”
GPLH members have been integrally involved with seeking COVID funds for nonprofits throughout the lower Hudson Valley by:
* Identifying and sharing COVID funding opportunities with members and clients;
* Writing and submitting grants to mitigate the effects of COVID on nonprofit organizations;
* Drafting reports for secured COVID funds;
* Helping with preparing PPP loan applications; and more.
Collectively, GPLH members have raised millions for our agencies. Some successes include:
* Community Center of Northern Westchester receiving $125,000 from the Mother Cabrini Health Fund for food.
* Cerebral Palsy of Westchester and YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester both received $24,500 from Impact 100 Westchester for PPEs.
* Lifting Up Westchester receiving $30,000 from Wells Fargo for PPEs and food.
* Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill receiving $87,500 from Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for food and food distribution coordination in Peekskill.
* Greystone Programs received several awards totaling $11,626 from various foundations including: Stewarts Foundation, Ulster Savings Foundation, Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, and Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan.
* Poughkeepsie Farm Project received a $9,900 award from Dutchess County’s Dutchess Responds grant program.
* West Fair Rides won two awards totaling $1,425 from the Field Hall Foundation and the Gilbert Fund.
GPLH’s members also provided essential support for nonprofits in other regions, including Connecticut. GPLH member Terri Eberle Katz reports that her Connecticut based agency "successfully secured COVID-19 response grants from six community foundations in Western and Central Connecticut and several corporate funders. These grants are helping to ensure that a children's behavioral health nonprofit can provide secure, confidential telehealth therapy and other supports to kids and teens in this area who are struggling without the structure of school, sports and other extracurricular activities."
Additionally, GPLH provided support and guidance to nonprofits seeking assistance with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications as well as donated 30 minutes of free consulting to nonprofits seeking COVID related assistance. The organization held monthly Zoom sessions designed to share grant opportunities and strategies and to support peers and colleagues struggling to obtain funding. And, GPLH member Choice Words LLC partnered with the Ulster County Economic Development Office to host a free webinar on grant writing and research for nearly 60 nonprofit organizations.
For additional information about GPLH and its members please visit GPLH.org.