Meet our Disaster Recovery Fund grantee partners

Grant in support of urban flood recovery

Light Up Lawndale received $200,000 to serve as the West Side Long-Term Recovery Group’s case management arm as the group works to assist 175 flood-impacted households in Chicago’s West Side to recover their housing and ultimately thrive.

Grant in collaboration with CDP Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund and Tornado Recovery Fund 

DonorsChoose received $500,000 to provide support to teachers and students in equity-focused schools affected by disasters and in support of students new to the U.S. as a result of immigration, migration or refugee resettlement.

Grants in support of California storms recovery 

Corazon Healdsburg was awarded a $30,000 response grant to provide direct financial assistance to cover expenses such as food, rent, utilities and other urgent unmet needs for farmworkers and low-income residents affected by the flooding in Northern Sonoma County. Assistance is distributed via check or gift cards between $100 – $1,000. This funding ensures that vulnerable farmworkers’ immediate needs are met, and they can remain housed and continue to work and support themselves and their families.

North Bay Jobs With Justice* received $250,000 to provide training and work opportunities for and by immigrant and Indigenous farmworkers that build resilience in the community while creating good jobs with family-sustaining wages and a deep respect for workers’ traditional ecological knowledge.

*Awarded in collaboration with the CDP California Wildfires Recovery Fund

Grants in support of tornado recovery 

The following grants were made with grant dollars from multiple CDP Funds, often in partnership with Google.

Felix E. Martin, Jr. Foundation for the Muhlenberg County (KY) Long Term Recovery Group received $150,000 to build the capacity of the Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, Long Term Recovery Group. This grant funds a disaster response coordinator to oversee the recovery process and provides for a disaster relief center. Additionally, funds will help address the unmet needs of residents affected by the disaster.

Community Foundation of West Kentucky received $500,000 to expand the capacity of long-term recovery groups working in nine counties affected by the December 2021 tornadoes.

SBP received $250,000 for the SBP FEMA Appeals program to help disaster-affected individuals and families secure additional government resources for recovery to benefit those most in need.

Northwest Tennessee Development District received $80,000 to leverage additional funding to support hiring two positions to focus exclusively on disaster recovery over three years in rural areas of northwest Tennessee devastated by the same tornadic storms that affected Western Kentucky in December 2021.

Otsego County Community Foundation received $104,645 to expand their Michigan community’s capacity to support long-term recovery following a devastating tornado in spring 2022.

Bastrop County Long Term Recovery Team received $50,000 to help coordinate community recovery from a tornado that hit the town of Elgin in central Texas in March 2022.

Orange County Disaster Rebuild (OCDR) received $226,264 from multiple CDP funds, including for recovery from a tornado that affected several residents in spring 2022. The funding will help OCDR to sustain its work in support of recovery in their service area by coordinating rebuild projects with national volunteer groups returning to the area over the fall and winter months.

The Disaster Leadership Team received $250,000 from multiple CDP funding sources, including those intended to support recovery from multiple tornado events in 2021 and 2022. The funding expands their capacity and builds their sustainability for deployment of mentors and trainers and the provision of recovery resources for developing long-term recovery groups in disaster-stricken areas of the U.S.

Good360 received $431,888 from the Disaster Recovery Fund and other CDP funds to be more proactive about disaster response and recovery. By positioning products in warehouses for distribution in areas identified as needing such products, they expand their capacity to respond to and support recovery partners in multiple locations following multiple disaster events.

Vibrant Crisis Emotional Care Team received $500,000 from the Disaster Recovery Fund and other CDP funds to offer robust and accessible virtual and in-person best practices training to prepare communities and non-profit organizations to respond in the wake of a natural or human-caused disaster.

Grant in support of wildfire recovery in Texas (Eastland Complex and Big L Fires)

United Rescue Alliance (URA) received $100,000 to provide skilled case managers to support recovery from the Eastland Complex Fire that devastated this area in West Texas earlier this year. This project empowers the community affected to connect individual needs to available resources systematically. Providing case managers and case management software will enable the URA team to mentor community leaders and facilitate the entire recovery process.

Grants in support of 2021 winter storms recovery

Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group (CBDRG) received a grant of $63,933 for funding a project manager and case managers to assist families adversely affected by the winter storm in communities and colonias in the Coastal Bend of Texas. CBDRG restores the essential plumbing and repairs damages to homes for those who lack access to other resources. They also continue to assist clients who are still recovering from the damage to their homes due to Hurricane Harvey, as these are layered traumas on these communities.

East Harris County Empowerment Council (EHCEC) was awarded a grant of $120,000 for funding a disaster case manager/program manager to support the recovery work necessary for the many affected households in this part of the county. EHCEC is led by and serves Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)- communities based in a high-need, mostly unincorporated area of Harris County.

Galveston County Long Term Recovery Group received a grant of $104,000 to increase the resiliency of Galveston County to respond to any future disasters, provide outreach and identify the most at-risk residents who had winter storm damage. The group then assists them in applying for benefits and connects them with services and resources to help with recovery.

Good360 was awarded a grant of $125,000 to distribute much-needed supplies to partners working on recovery from the February winter storms. Good360 is an excellent resource for organizations struggling to access many of the supplies needed for the recovery.

Harmony Community Development Corporation received a $75,000 grant to provide mental health services for those experiencing post-traumatic disorders resulting in compounded trauma from the storms. They are a BIPOC-led and mainly BIPOC-serving organization located in a marginalized community in south Dallas.

Houston Responds (SW Louisiana Responds) was awarded a $160,000 grant. The grant will unite, empower and mobilize churches throughout southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana to expedite recovery through increased volunteer engagement and expanded repair capacity to serve families affected by all of these weather events.

Orange County Disaster Rebuild (OCDR) received $162,768 to build organizational capacity to respond to the multiple storms affecting Orange County in southeast Texas. This grant allows OCDR to hire a volunteer coordinator, a disaster case management supervisor and a project manager to work with clients affected by any or all of these events, without restrictions typically created by funding for a single event’s impact.

Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services was awarded $125,000 to provide direct cash assistance to foster families throughout Texas affected by power outages and freezing temperatures during the winter storms. Grants provided families with a small stipend to help them repair homes and replace items destroyed by the storm.

Texas Tribune received a grant of $75,000 to provide Texans access to nonpartisan news and information about the winter storm and related issues. The Texas Tribune team provides robust journalism when the need for it is more significant than ever. It is crucial to keeping Texans safe while holding officials accountable. Continuing to raise awareness of the ongoing challenges and opportunities related to the winter storm — particularly for marginalized communities — is vital as multiple issues vie for lawmakers’ attention.

United Way of Grayson County was awarded a grant of $140,000 to provide immediate services for rent, utilities, extended motel stays, home repairs, case coordination and basic need supplies for community members in Fannin County and Grayson County. This area comprises 37 cities and towns and has the third-largest senior citizen population in Texas. These communities are home to many retired seniors and immigrants, migrants and low-income people working in plants and distribution centers or on farms and ranches.

Victoria County Long Term Recovery Group (VCLTRG) received a grant of $110,000 to provide short-term immediate plumbing supplies and plumbing repair assistance with skilled volunteers or plumbing contractors to homeowners and renters in Victoria and surrounding counties. VCLTRG also replace water heaters that were lost during the severe freeze.

Grants in support of 2020 wildfires recovery

Washington

Carlton Complex Long Term Recovery received $108,708 to cover operational expenses. Funding allows for disaster case management and volunteer coordination and addresses unmet needs for those communities most affected by this substantial complex fire.

Latino Community Fund of Washington State was awarded $214,000 to sustain its work with local grassroots community organizations supporting the Latinx community affected by the 2020 wildfires. Outreach takes place at community centers, schools, churches, parks and other community hubs as defined by community leaders

United Way of Whitman County and Pine Creek Community Restoration Long Term Recovery Organization received $100,000 to support the Malden City Park’s revitalization destroyed in the Babb Road Fire.

Oregon

Cascade Relief Team received $30,000 to support volunteer cleanup of fire-damaged properties.

DevNW through Corvalis Neighborhood Housing Services was awarded $75,000 to provide essential support and resource navigation services for families affected by Oregon’s Labor Day 2020 wildfires. Efforts help survivors navigate recovery processes that are challenging, lengthy and unfamiliar, and reduces additional trauma as they begin to pick up the pieces of their lives and livelihoods.

Glide Revitalization received $64,680 to provide fire survivors with case management support and resources to put their lives, homes and properties back together in a meaningful way.

The Hearth was awarded $15,000 rapid response grant awarded in November of 2020 to support the Compassionate Listening Project, which organizes, trains, equips and deploys local community members to provide high-quality, neighbor-to-neighbor, emotional care to the diverse residents of Southern Oregon suffering from fire disasters. The Hearth developed these training materials and programs to be replicated in other communities.

Lomakatsi Restoration Project received $400,000 to provide capacity funding to meet the growing demand for services supporting tribal, Latinx and rural forest-based communities that have been directly affected by the 2020 wildfires or are at high risk for future wildfires in Oregon and California. This work includes the collaborative development of post-fire ecological restoration projects, hazardous fuels reduction and forest health treatments, and workforce training and development programs that build the capacity of local communities and provide sustainable jobs.

Oregon Community Foundation was awarded $100,000 rapid response grant awarded in November of 2020 for the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund to catalyze recovery and rebuilding efforts in the mid-and long-term.

Rogue Climate received $100,000  to provide immediate basic needs for fire survivors from the Almeda and nearby fires with as few barriers as possible and a place to find other resources and community support.

Natives of One Wind Indigenous Alliance/Unete was awarded $100,000 to provide emergency resources, reduce food insecurity and provide educational support for families impacted by the Almeda wildfire.

Grants to address U.S. humanitarian crises

Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) received $200,000 to address the needs of Black migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Through this funding, BAJI plans to increase culturally competent resources and create a resource guide in multiple languages for migrants to access. Plans also include expanding education, advocacy and organizing to inform policy change in support of this population, and providing additional translation services to serve migrants at the border. Finally, with funding from CDP, BAJI will hire a mutual aid associate to help coordinate and build their capacity for meeting the basic needs of those seeking refuge at the border and beyond.

Transgender Law Center (TLC) was awarded $150,000 for their “Border Butterflies Project.” Border Butterflies is a coalition responding to the significant gap in resources for LGBTQ+ migrants both at the border and within the U.S. Through funding, TLC will provide a spectrum of needed legal services. TLC also represents people in front of immigration judges, provides legal support with asylum applications and applications for work authorization, and connects clients to legal representation if TLC cannot take their case. It supports clients with change of address and change of venue requests, and engages in expert identification, affidavit drafting and brief writing. It also supports pro-bono attorneys who have not yet worked with LGBT asylum seekers with mentorship, sample legal documents and an overall support system when legal questions arise. Funding also allows TLC to provide or facilitate connection to critical humanitarian services, including food, housing, mental health services, medical care, clothing and other necessities. TLC also engages in community building, mobilization, storytelling and policy advocacy in response to the systemic challenges clients encounter.

TLC received an additional $450,000 grant to provide legal services and address the humanitarian needs of LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and migrants entering the U.S. at the southern border with Mexico through its collaborative program, the Border Butterflies Project.

UndocuBlack Network received $100,000 to build capacity to address the needs of the moment for Black immigrants while also laying the groundwork for long-term change. The UndocuBlack Network collaborates with groups on the ground and utilizes policy expertise to help provide relief for asylum seekers who need it now while pushing for longer-term, systemic change for Black immigrants. Specifically, grant funds defray the costs for rapid response efforts, build the groundwork to prepare for future injustice and work to ensure this never happens again. Learn more.

KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) was awarded $150,000 to leverage KIND’s work with Afghan unaccompanied children to identify best practices and novel policy approaches for promoting family unity and safe reunifications for unaccompanied children. Through trainings, stakeholder engagements and pilot projects, KIND hopes to share lessons learned during emergency response to formalize processes that can better serve children seeking protection wherever and whenever they are in need, including children arriving at the U.S. Southern border. Learn more.

Learn more about the CDP Disaster Recovery Fund or support the fund now.