Wasilla, Alaska — The Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) is offering Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention and response grants to Mat-Su nonprofit organizations. The grants are designed to support local nonprofits as they address unplanned expenses and/or lost revenue relating to the Coronavirus pandemic. Examples of things that may be funded include:

• Support to build and develop pandemic education and prevention strategies for an organization’s staff and clients.
• Assistance in communicating with clients about service/outreach changes due to a heightened risk of exposure to Coronavirus.
• Funding for critical safety-net needs for the clients of nonprofits, including housing, transportation, medical care, childcare, and food security for those affected by disease, quarantine, or school/agency closures.
• Grants for psychosocial supports and mental health services for staff.
• Quarantine supplies for nonprofit residential programs.
• Unexpected work-from-home expenses, which could include establishing collaboration platforms and secure file sharing.
• Prevention-related expenses for items such as sanitizing supplies and equipment, or professional cleaning of common areas.
• Costs for offering services to a nonprofit’s clients in less risky ways to deliver services (for example, bringing pick-up or home-delivered meals rather than serving congregate meals, and offering virtual rather than in-person service delivery).
• Operating expenses associated with Coronavirus, such as lost revenue, continuity planning, or increased labor costs.

Grant funding is not available for the following:

• Reimbursement for any goods or services purchased or provided prior to March 12, 2020.
• Expenses without documentation or invoices.
• Any costs that insurance or state/federal emergency relief funds will cover or reimburse, unless delays will cause critical and/or ongoing program delays.

CPR grant requests may be as high as $50,000 per grantee. Approvals are prioritized as follows:

• Operational funding, supplies, equipment and other program costs for organizations that are trying to minimize exposure for high risk groups while meeting their basic needs.

• Operational funding, supplies, equipment and other program costs for organizations that are working to secure basic needs for all residents (i.e. food banks, homeless prevention program utility and rent payments).

These special grants may be used to fund projected needs based on estimates or other documentation, and applications will receive expedited handling.  Qualified applicants may request a CPR grant by filling out a Target Wellness grant application online at healthymatsu.org.  Assistance securing a line of credit is also available.

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Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) is the official business name of Valley Hospital Association, Inc., which shares ownership in Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. In this capacity, MSHF board members and representatives actively participate in the governance of Mat-Su’s community hospital to protect the community’s interest in this important healthcare institution. The MSHF mission is to improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in the Mat-Su and the tools it uses include grantmaking, convening of local partners, and policy change. The foundation’s work has resulted in significant improvements in systems that support the health of Mat-Su residents in areas such as behavioral health, child welfare, crisis response, community connections, workforce development, transportation, housing, and senior services.  More information is available at healthymatsu.org .