Disaster Recovery Fund Makes Investment

May 21, 2020 Disaster Recovery Fund

A $100,000 investment has been made from the Disaster Recovery Fund to support the Central Iowa Ethnic Community-Based Organizations Support Fund, an initiative of the Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa (RACI) and partners in its network. This funding will support seventeen local organizations working with refugee populations through both case management and direct service to assist some of the most vulnerable in our community.

At this time, investments are supporting surges in service and capacity for local nonprofits who are continuing to provide critical safety net services to keep individuals from vulnerable populations in their homes, healthy and safe.

To date, the Disaster Recovery Fund has raised nearly $1,000,000 thanks to the generous support of the people, businesses and funders of Greater Des Moines. To give to the Disaster Recovery Fund or learn more visit www.desmoinesfoundation.org/disasterfund.

As supporting the most vulnerable populations is the top priority in this unprecedented time, there is no administrative fee for participating in the fund. The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines is covering the cost of the staff leading and facilitating this effort. In addition, donors making a credit card contribution can increase their gift amount to cover the credit card processing fee. 

Dollars received will first focus on disproportionately affected communities by addressing economic needs and the health impact on vulnerable populations caused by COVID-19 related closures and other impacts of the outbreak. The long-term application of the fund will focus on additional needs that will inevitably arise. This long-term recovery work will be ongoing and it is the intent that this fund continues to grow and serve as a source that can be activated quickly in the face of whatever the next disaster may be.

The Disaster Recovery Fund extends beyond a single disaster and is a key part of the community’s coordinated disaster response. Preparedness work will be continuous and ongoing. The fund is activated in times of local disaster as informed by local Emergency Management authorities.

The Disaster Recovery Fund Grantmaking Committee works closely and collaboratively with local nonprofits and other emergency management initiatives to understand the critical needs in our community to provide resources where they are most needed and to supplement, not replace, existing resources and services provided by nonprofits and local, state and federal agencies. The Committee’s considerations for investments are informed by the voices of our community through understanding inquiries received through 211 outreach, information gathered from grantmakers, intelligence garnered through the Polk County Emergency Management Incident Command Center, data provided through the COVID-19 Nonprofit Update Portal, and additional research.    

The Disaster Recovery Fund was created in recent months as a critical component of the community’s collaborative Disaster Recovery Plan. The Disaster Recovery Coordination Team consists of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, United Way of Central Iowa, Polk County Emergency Management Agency, American Red Cross- Central Iowa Chapter, IMPACT, Polk County and Community Family and Youth Services- Polk County.