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Spruce has always been committed to making Philly a better place, and in these tough and unprecedented times, we want to help in whatever way we can. Today we’re sharing a list of some of the emergency funds created in Philly for rapid response to Covid-19. Whether you’re looking for a place to donate, or looking for help, we hope some of the resources below will be a good fit for you.
(As a note, Spruce is not directly affiliated with any of these organizations, and the info here was the most up to date available as of April 7, 2020. For any specific questions please be sure to reach out to the organizations linked below!)
Local Non-Profits
Philadelphia government, philanthropy groups and the private sector have come together to create the PHL COVID-19 Fund. This fund supports community organizations providing support to our most vulnerable neighbors. The PHL COVID-19 Fund is built to rapidly deploy solutions and resources to help the nonprofit community navigate near-and longer-term challenges from COVID-19 and ensure that critical resources remain available for those in our community who need it most. To donate or apply, check out the link above.
Philadelphia Emergency Fund for Stabilization of Early Education
The Philadelphia Emergency Fund for Stabilization of Early Education (PEFSEE) aims to ensure that Philadelphia’s early learning sector can weather the COVID-19 crisis. PEFSEE will provide grant funds to minimize the loss of capacity and expertise in the sector so that children and families continue to have access to high quality early learning opportunities once this crisis has passed. To donate or apply, visit the link above!
Bread and Roses organizes donors at all levels to support community-based groups in building movements for racial equity and economic opportunity for all. They recognize that the pandemic and its economic fallout are landing hardest on those communities already targeted by systems of oppression: people of color, poor people, immigrants, people with disabilities, incarcerated people, people experiencing homelessness, and other marginalized communities. Bread and Roses is hoping to raise at least $500,000 to begin to address immediate needs in April. Please make a gift to help them meet the urgent needs of movement organizations during this crisis.
Restaurant Industry
Bartender Emergency Assistance Fund
The Bartender Emergency Assistance Fund provides assistance for local bartenders or their family members who are facing extreme hardship as the result of a catastrophic event. Check out the link above for more details on giving to the Bartender Emergency Assistance Fund or applying for this grant.
Philadelphia Food Service Relief Fund
This fund was established for servers, hosts, bartenders, cooks, floor staff, etc., to help with buying groceries, paying rent or bills or just getting by in the wake of this emergency situation. If you’d like to donate or apply, all of the details are available on the GoFundMe page linked above!
Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Fund (Links to an external site.):
The Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Program provides emergency funding to those employed by or own restaurants or bars or are employed by a restaurant or bar supplier that are faced unforeseen expenses that cannot or will not be covered by insurance. To learn more and apply, check out the link above.
Artists & Writers
The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE), the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (GPCA), and the Philadelphia Cultural Fund (PCF) have partnered to create COVID-19 Arts Aid PHL, a new emergency support fund focused on the arts and culture sector. COVID-19 Arts Aid PHL will support individual artists as well as small arts and culture organizations (annual budgets no greater than $250,000) and mid-sized organizations (annual budgets of $250,000 – $15M) whose operations, work and livelihood have been deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Philadelphia Performing Artists’ Emergency Fund
The Philadelphia Performing Artists’ Emergency Fund was created amid the COVID-19 outbreak to assist performing artists whose income has been impacted by show cancellations, slowing ticket sales, and/or low turnout during this pandemic. Emergency Funds can be requested by any Cabaret, Drag, Burlesque, Theater, or performance artists facing a financial hardship caused by COVID-19. Click above to donate or apply!
Queer Writers of Color Relief Fund
This fund was established to support Queer Writers of Color during these tough times where book events, classes and even college resources are not available. Their goal is to help 100 Queer writers of color. To donate or apply for assistance, check out the link above.
Miscellaneous Relief Funds
Modest Needs offers grants designed to help individuals and families who, because they are working and live just above the poverty level, are ineligible for most types of conventional social assistance but who, all the same, are living one or two lost paychecks away from the kind of financial catastrophe that eventually leads to homelessness. To give or be considered for a Modest Needs grant, check out the link above.
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has created an emergency fund to support any regional Jewish-affiliated organizations, schools, synagogues or agencies in need. Check out the link above to learn more about the work they’re doing, donate, or apply for assistance.
National Domestic Workers Alliance Coronavirus Care Fund
The Coronavirus Care Fund was established by the National Domestic Workers Alliance to provide emergency assistance for home care workers, nannies and house cleaners to support them in staying safe and staying home to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and to care for themselves and their families. Qualifying applicants who are experiencing financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic can receive $400 in emergency assistance from the Fund. If you’re a member of the NDWA, click the link above to apply.
Additional funds that are currently on hold:
We’ll continue to update this list as we learn of more local resources. But if you’ve got a program you’d like to share please be sure to reach out, and we’ll get that added to the list!