Resiliency Fund

Resiliency Fund

Applications are now closed.

In late 2020, the Ramsey County Resiliency Fund invested in community organizations that provide workforce, employment, food and basic needs, and health and well-being services to county residents. The fund was an initiative of the Ramsey County Investment and Support Efforts program.

The Resiliency Fund was administered on behalf of the county by SPEDCO.

Fund descriptions and eligibility

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Workforce

The workforce fund was open to organizations that provide programming such as:

  • Job search and employment readiness.
  • Career exploration.
  • Career pathways.
  • Educational attainment.
  • Financial and digital literacy.
  • Other ancillary workforce needs. 

Eligibility

To be eligible, your organization must meet the following criteria as of April 1, 2020:

  • Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State.
  • Provide evidence of revenue loss and/or increased costs due to COVID-19 for second and third quarters (April 1 through September 30) of 2020 in comparison to the second and third quarters (April 1 through September 30) of 2019.

Your organization must also meet one of the following requirements:

  • Have a physical location or at least 40% of 2019 clients residing in Ramsey County.
  • Provide workforce development services through CARES Act Funding from Ramsey County in 2020.

Food and basic needs

The food and basic needs fund was open to organizations that provide services such as:

  • Food shelves.
  • Food banks.
  • Food and basic needs distribution or delivery including cleaning supplies and hygiene products.

Funds distributed through the program will increase the capacity of food organizations to survive the current crisis amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and continue providing critical assistance to Ramsey County residents.

Eligibility

To be eligible, your organization must meet one of the options listed below.

Option one - existing RISE contractors

Your organization must:

  • Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State.
  • Provide food and basic needs services through RISE/CARES Act funding from Ramsey County in 2020 (including home meal delivery, food programs and meals for youth and students, and/or basic needs (e.g. cleaning supplies, hygiene products)).
  • Provide evidence of revenue loss and/or increased costs due to COVID-19 in the second and third quarters (April 1 – Sept. 30) of 2020 in comparison to the second and third quarters of 2019 (April 1 – Sept. 30).

Option two - new applicants

Your organization must meet all of the following criteria as of April 1, 2020:

  • Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State.
  • Provide food and basic needs (e.g. cleaning supplies, hygiene products) such as food shelf, food bank or food distribution/delivery to Ramsey County residents.
  • Have been in existence since April 1, 2019 or earlier.
  • Have a physical location or at least 40% of 2019 clients residing in Ramsey County.
  • Provide evidence of revenue loss and/or increased costs due to COVID-19 for second and third quarters (April 1 – Sept. 30) of 2020 in comparison to the second and third quarters of 2019.

Health and well-being

The health and well-being fund was open to organizations that serve communities disproportionally impacted by COVID-19 and provide services such as:

  • Self-care/self-healing.
  • Stress resiliency.
  • Supports to children, youth and families (such as mental health, wellness, healing justice and cultural health services).

These organizations give crucial support to a variety of resident needs.

Funds distributed through the program will increase the capacity of health and well-being organizations to survive the current crisis amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and continue providing critical assistance to Ramsey County residents.

Eligibility

To be eligible, your organization must meet all of the following criteria as of April 1, 2020:

  • Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State.
  • Provide social services that include: services focusing on self-care, self-healing and/or stress resiliency including those with a culturally specific focus; or, supports to children, youth and families such as mental health, wellness; or healing justice to communities who have been disproportionally impacted by COVID-19.
  • Have 2019 (or their most recent) IRS Form 990 revenues of less than $5 million.
  • Have been in existence since April 1, 2019 or earlier.
  • Have a physical location or at least 40% of 2019 clients residing in Ramsey County.
  • Provide evidence of revenue loss and/or increased costs due to COVID-19 in the second and third quarters (April 1 – Sept. 30) of 2020 in comparison to the second and third quarters (April 1 – Sept. 30) of 2019.
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Funding available

  • Workforce: Grants of up to $25,000 were available.
  • Food and basic needs: Grants of up to $50,000 were available.
  • Health and well-being: Grants of up to $50,000 were available.

Use guidelines

Funds will help organizations pay for critical eligible expenses incurred from April 1 – Sept. 30, 2020, including: 

  • Rent payments.
  • Mortgage payments.
  • Utilities.
  • Payments to suppliers.
  • Payroll.
  • Operational costs related to reopening including PPE and HVAC/building modifications.

If an organization has received any federal CARES Act funding, a PPP loan, Ramsey County CARES funding (RISE) or CARES Act funding administered by another municipal government, and/or an SBA EIDL loan, the Ramsey County Resiliency Fund funds can only be used to cover specific expenses that were not covered by any of these programs.

If an organization has received CARES Act relief funding (including PPP loan or SBA EIDL Advance Grant) they must demonstrate a loss of revenue or increase in expenses greater than the relief funding to be eligible for a grant.

Application process

Applications are now closed.

Application forms were accepted from Nov. 16 through Dec. 30, 2020, at noon. Applicants were required to submit the following:

  • 2019 IRS 990. Organizations that have not yet completed a 2019 IRS 990 may submit their 2018 IRS 990.
  • Evidence of revenue loss and/or increased costs related to the COVID-19 emergency. Applicants should submit second and third quarter financial statements for April 1-Sept. 30, 2020 and for April 1-Sept. 30, 2019.
  • Budget of eligible expenses, including any expenses covered by other CARES Act funding.
  • Proof of programming:
    • Workforce examples include annual report, training or event flyers, calendar of events, etc.
    • Food and basic needs and health and well-being examples include annual report, calendar of events, list of programs or services, list of participants, etc.
  • Proof of percentage of clients that reside in Ramsey County, if applicable.
  • Current IRS W-9.
  • Any additional documentation or information deemed necessary by the fund administrator to determine eligibility, generate grant documents, disburse grant proceeds or meet program reporting requirements.

Awardees will be required to sign and return a grant agreement prior to receiving any grant award. Failure to submit required documentation will result in forfeiture of grant award. 

Ramsey County reserves the right to revise these guidelines as needed to best address the impact of the current pandemic. In the event of insufficient funds, the county reserves the right to reduce grant amounts or run a lottery to allocate funds.

Questions