PPE Grant Program Extended to Nonprofits

(photo courtesy: USDA/Lance Cheung)

Nonprofit organizations in Marion County are now eligible for grants to help offset the costs of personal protective equipment. The city of Indianapolis is partnering with the United Way of Central Indiana to provide up to $5,000 to nonprofits through the Nonprofit Restart Program. Mayor Joe Hogsett says the grants are coming from a $2 million appropriation of CARES Act funding recently approved by the Indianapolis City-County Council.

In a virtual news conference, City-County Council President Vop Osili said nonprofits have been crucial in the fight against COVID-19.

“I’ve lost count of the number of examples that I’ve heard and seen since March of local nonprofits shifting their operations almost overnight to find new ways to make sure that they continue to serve those in need during this time,” said Osili. “Not only have they been amazingly excellent partners with city government, they’ve been excellent partners to each other; sharing information, services and resources to keep a safety net under our residents.”

The grants will be used to reimburse organizations for purchases of PPE, including disinfectant products and capital improvements to maintain safety measures for social distancing.

“As our city continues the reopening process, residents will be seeking out a greater variety of organizations and services,” said Hogsett. “The nonprofit sector in Marion County includes just such a variety, from educational, religious and philanthropic organizations all the way to the caretakers of our most historic institution from arts and culture to social welfare. Nonprofits are often the group or the groups that hold our community together.”

To be eligible for funding, nonprofits must be located in Marion County, have achieved 501(c)(3) status from the state prior to February 15, have purchased PPE and other health and safety items as a result of the pandemic, and submit all receipts of such purchases, which must have occurred between March 16 and August 15 of this year.

The nonprofit program is an extension of the RESTART Grant program launched last month by the city and the Indy Chamber, which benefited for-profit companies. Ann Murtlow, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Central Indiana, says new program is essentially the same.

“These grants are incredibly important to our nonprofit sector as they will go a long way to offset costs associated with critical safety supplies that none of us ever thought that we would need to budget so many months ago,” said Murtlow. “It is essentially all of the supplies that are necessary to make your environment safe, so your masks, your hand sanitizers, your capital improvements to your environment.”

You can learn more about the Nonprofit Restart Program by clicking here.