TELLURIDE, Colo. (April 6, 2020) – One clinic needed portable equipment to provide drive-by treatments. A nonprofit sought additional staffing necessary to organize over 350 volunteers for community testing, food banks, and other needs. Families required internet access so their children could participate in on-line learning. These and many more stories immediately emerged as the community grappled with the impacts of the coronavirus. Within the first few hours, the Telluride Foundation established and began accepting donations for a Coronavirus Regional Response Fund that would provide emergency funding for critical needs. To date, over 50 donors have given more than $245,000 to this fund.
In addition, the Telluride Foundation was approached by Ouray County donors who wanted to create a companion emergency assistance fund specifically for families in Ouray County. This Ouray County Response Fund will provide support to individuals and families experiencing need through the Foundation’s Good Neighbor Fund, which it and Tri-County Health Network have been administering for the past 15 year. The Ouray County Response Fund will match all donations, dollar for dollar, up to $200,000, potentially leading to over $400,000 in matching donations for Ouray residents.
The Coronavirus Regional Response Fund allows the Telluride Foundation to quickly fund emergency requests. The Response Fund priorities include: 1) hardship grants to individuals and families through the Good Neighbor Fund; 2) emergency grants to nonprofits, focusing on health and human service organizations that need to increase services due to COVID 19 grants; and 3) students needing internet access or infrastructure to participate in on-line learning.
The Foundation has expanded the Good Neighbor Fund to ensure vulnerable families and individuals in San Miguel, Ouray, and west Montrose counties, as well as Rico, are supported, especially during this recent time of economic uncertainty due to the coronavirus. The Good Neighbor Fund has seen a surge of applications last week, for everything from food, medicine, transportation and rent assistance. In addition, San Miguel County is considering providing targeted grants for mental health services through the Good Neighbor Fund,
In just the first week of the Coronavirus Regional Response Fund, two emergency nonprofit grants have been awarded and two are in review for a total of $102,000. Awarded grants include $50,000 grant to the Uncompahgre Medical Center and $10,000 to Basin Health Clinic in Naturita. In addition, the Foundation has spent $10,000 to install new wireless towers necessary to provide internet access to students in Norwood
For more on how to donate or information about resources, please visit the Telluride Foundation’s website: the Regional Response Fund donation page at https://telluridefoundation.org/responsefund/; community resources and how to apply, https://telluridefoundation.org/covid-19-community-resources/; or for more information about the Ouray County Response fund, https://telluridefoundation.org/ouray-county-response-fund/.
The Telluride Foundation exists to create a stronger Telluride and regional community through the promotion and support of philanthropy. 2020 marks 20 years of making more possible through the Telluride Foundation’s commitment to enrich the quality of life of the residents, visitors and workforce of the Telluride region. The Telluride Foundation is a nonprofit, apolitical community foundation that makes grants to nonprofits, owns and operates programs that meet emerging and unmet community needs, and makes investments. The Foundation approaches this work through the lens of its core values of inclusion, self-reliance, and innovation. Its work is funded through the generous support of individual donors as well as grants from state and national foundations. The Foundation hopes the community will join it in celebrating its 20th anniversary as it honors the nonprofits, donors, and community members who have all partnered together to achieve a significant positive impact on the region. For more information click on www.telluridefoundation.org. ###
