On Thursday, October 1st, Centre Foundation’s Board of Directors approved 41 grants to be awarded from Phase Two of the COVID-19 ACTION (Activating Contributions to Invest in Operations of Nonprofits) Fund. In total, $158,500 will be issued to support the operational or programmatic needs of local nonprofits in their ongoing efforts to provide services during the COVID-19 crisis. 

While $150,000 was originally allocated for Phase Two of the COVID-19 ACTION Fund grant funding, a further $8,500 in contributions from the community was added to the total in funds available to grant. Applications were accepted between August 5 and September 11, 2020.

“It is our hope that this additional funding assists the local organizations working to serve our community despite the challenging addition of financial hardship due to COVID-19,” said Molly Kunkel, Centre Foundation Executive Director. “For many, the programs and services provided by the nonprofit community are a lifeline. We can’t let that work go interrupted.”

Phase Two grants were not limited to health and human services organizations. Funding will support the operating costs and/or programs of Centre County nonprofits across the Foundation’s primary funding areas: Arts, Culture and Community, Education and Lifelong Learning, Environmental Conservation and Animal Welfare, and Health and Social Services. 

The grant recipients are as follows:

ACRES Project $5,000.00
Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania $4,000.00
Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County $5,000.00
Bethany Christian Services of State College $1,500.00
Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, Inc. $7,000.00
Centre County Federation of Public Libraries $5,500.00
Centre County PAWS $5,000.00
Centre County Youth Service Bureau $2,000.00
Centre Helps $5,000.00
Centre Safe $5,000.00
Centre Volunteers in Medicine $5,000.00
Centre Wildlife Care $5,000.00
Discovery Space of Central PA $2,500.00
Downtown Bellefonte Inc $7,500.00
Dyslexia Reading Center of Central PA $5,500.00
East Penns Valley Library $1,500.00
Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania $2,500.00
Grace Lutheran Preschool & Kindergarten $1,000.00
Hope’s Dream Rescue and Sanctuary $1,000.00
House of Care $3,000.00
Housing Transitions $5,000.00
Howard Volunteer Fire Co $3,000.00
Interfaith Human Services $2,500.00
Leadership Centre County $5,000.00
Mid-State Literacy Council, Inc. $3,000.00
Moshannon Valley EMS $3,000.00
Mount Nittany Health Foundation $5,000.00
Mountain Top Fire Company $3,000.00
Mountaintop Swimming Pool $3,500.00
New Leaf Initiative $2,500.00
Nittany Valley Symphony, Inc. $5,000.00
Out of the Cold: Centre County $5,000.00
Park Forest Preschool $7,500.00
Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra $3,000.00
Rowland Theatre Inc. $5,000.00
State College Community Land Trust $2,000.00
State College Friends School $1,000.00
State College SDA Diaper Bank $3,500.00
Ten Thousand Villages State College $3,500.00
The Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation $5,000.00
The State College Choral Society $3,000.00

The ACTION Fund has granted a total of $258,500 in Phases One and Two.  As the ongoing effects of COVID-19 may not be immediately clear, Centre Foundation will continue to monitor the crisis and work closely with local nonprofits to assess long term impacts. Funding from Phase Three will provide support for strategic planning for nonprofits as they face the rapidly changing needs in the community as a result of COVD-19. 

  • The total available for Phase Three is $125,000
  • Applications for Phase Three will become available in late 2020

Anyone interested in supporting the fund can make a gift here: https://centre-foundation.org/funds/centre-foundation-covid-19-action-fund/

For more information about Centre Foundation’s granting programs, please visit Centre-Foundation.org, email info@centre-foundation.org, or leave a message at (814) 237- 6229.