A message from Rick Smith, CEO of the United Way of Ross County:

It was just about one year ago that I had the pleasure of assuming the role of President and CEO of the United Way of Ross County.  During this time, as we endure the COVID-19 Pandemic and prepare for the Holiday Season, I am amazed at the benevolence and dedication of our area nonprofits, churches, schools, and first responders.

As you know, it is the United Way’s mission to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good.

Our focus is to identify and resolve pressing community issues and make measurable changes in communities through partnerships with schools, government agencies, businesses, organized labor, financial institutions, community development corporations, voluntary and neighborhood associations, the faith community, and others.

To this end, I am happy to announce that additional money has been received to support the United Way of Ross County’s COVID-19 Funds.  As you may know, we have two funds. 1.  The COVID-19 Micro-Grant Fund 2.  The COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.

The COVID-19 MICRO Grant Fund’s goal is to support local nonprofits and K-12 schools supporting those who may be impacted by COVID-19.  The grants total up to $500 per agency or school and must go toward virus-related aid.

The COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund also supports local nonprofits and K-12 schools supporting those who may be impacted by the virus. But unlike the Micro-Grant, this grant does not have a cap on the grant award amount.   However, it must be supported by a detailed budget and must aid virus-related relief.

The grants are open to any nonprofit or K-12 school within Ross County and are available until December 31, 2020, or until funds are depleted. If you have any questions about either the COVID–19 Micro Grant or the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund Grant, please contact the United Way of Ross County at 740-773-3280 or email [email protected]

The applications can be accessed by clicking the link here https://www.unitedwayross.org/covid19.

So here is what we need you to do if you are providing COVID-19 related relief in Ross County.

1. Download the application to the grant you want to apply for and complete it with as much detail as possible, highlighting the service you provide with a detailed budget.
2. Make sure that we have the details of the service you are providing to list the aid on our website and provide it to 2-1-1.    2-1-1 operators can only direct callers to the proper resource if they know about it.  The job to inform them is yours.  Send 2-1-1 updates to [email protected] or directly to Kasha Henning at [email protected]

If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact me or any member of the United Way of Ross County Team.