Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1367422
Orange County Community Resilience Fund Evaluation Report 27 The pandemic has both shaken local nonprofits focused on providing services to the region's most vulnerable, and prompted innovation and introspection. One striking commonality in the original April applications was the positive attitude on display – nonprofits affirmed the challenge ahead of them but looked to it with confidence that they and the community would weather the storm. By the June survey, and with the understanding that the pandemic and its corollary economic impacts would not be waning anytime soon, this confidence had started to wane as organizations became more concerned about their survival. Several expressed fear that once emergency funding such as PPP or relief funds dried up, without new revenue coming in, they may face closure. As the second wave of COVID-19 hit California and the nation in July, these concerns continue to grow. Programs that ran in parallel with the school year had adopted a "wait until Fall" mindset, but with schools remaining closed for the foreseeable future, they may not be able to resume operating for several more months. Cultural institutions which were able to begin welcoming guests back in have needed to shut down again. Organizations that had converted to remote delivery as a short-term option now need to look to institutionalizing those programs. Nonprofits that cannot deliver services remotely need to adjust to increased distancing and safety protocols being longer term realities. In the survey, many nonprofits spoke of a new appreciation of the need for crisis planning, accessing working capital, bolstering reserves, and running "lean" into the future. Now as the reality of COVID-19 persists, nonprofits may be shifting to survival mode while hoping that they will be able to put these lessons to use in the future. Almost every Orange County nonprofit is facing these questions, but not all are equally vulnerable. A strategic approach the focuses on the sectors and community members that have the most need is critical. The data is clear that the pandemic has affected lower-income communities, communities of color, and immigrants the hardest. Further response strategies recognize the universal impact of COVID-19, but should prioritize those communities that have fewer resources to respond. Recommendations and Next Steps