Winnipeg Foundation gives $8.9M to charities affected by pandemic

Nearly 300 Manitoba charities are getting financial help from the Winnipeg Foundation, which announced millions of dollars in grants on Thursday for organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The community foundation received applications from 303 organizations for its stabilization grants program 279 of which received a grant for between $2,500 and $50,000, the foundation said in a news release.

Those grants are intended to address the short- and medium-term financial needs of local charities that have lost revenue or had unexpected expenses during the pandemic, the release said.

The foundation initially committed $6 million to the program, but got additional funding from donors and reallocated money from other projects so it could help more charities, it said.

Of the grant recipients, 86 are organizations that work with children, youth and families, and 84 provide services in the health, wellness and recreation sector.

Another 65 organizations that got grants workinarts, culture and heritage, and 28 work in literacy, education and employment. There were 16 recipient organizations that provide services in the areas of animal welfare and environment.

The stabilization grant program came together quickly to give charities financial support as soon as possible, said Megan Tate, director of community grants at the Winnipeg Foundation.

"The funding has also been designed to be flexible, ensuring organizations can allocate resources where they are needed most, as circumstances continue to evolve," she said.

"We know that the impact of the pandemic has been challenging for Winnipeg charities."

On top of losing revenue, many charities in Manitoba have had to suspend services or move them online during the pandemic, CEO Rick Frost said.

"Some organizations have had to lay off staff and have felt anxiety over uncertain financial situations," Frost said.

"At the same time, we have also seen the resilience of the sector in challenging times, including organizations coming togetherand finding creative new ways to deliver services."

Many charities said they were not prepared or equipped to move online because of limited access or delayed investment in technology, which made the shift challenging, the release said.