Foundation donates $250,000 to COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund

SPOKANE -- The Gates Foundation announced today a donation of $250,000 to the Eastern Washington COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund to deploy resources to community-based organizations.

This commitment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation brings the Eastern Washington Response and Recovery Fund to $631,500, with donations from businesses, philanthropic organizations and individual donors.

The fund is hosted at Innovia Foundation.

“This generous donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provides a message of hope for local communities that are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the consequences of the outbreak,” Innovia Foundation CEO Shelly O’Quinn said. “We are grateful to them, and all the regional funders, who have quickly stepped forward to support those who are most vulnerable to the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The $250,000 grant is part of a commitment of up to $5 million that the foundation announced in early March to support the COVID-19 outbreak response efforts throughout Washington State.

“The pandemic feels like a universal experience, but we have to recognize that not all of us will experience it equally,” foundation co-Chairwoman Melinda Gates said. “By supporting local community response efforts, we can help make sure that, in this moment of crisis, we’re not leaving the most vulnerable behind.”

Grants will be released on a rolling basis as fundraising continues throughout the outbreak and recovery phases of the crisis, making it possible to move resources quickly and adapt to evolving needs in subsequent funding phases. The advisory group expects to make an initial round of grants within the next few weeks.