UPDATE: All funds have been allotted, and applications are no longer being accepted. 

Guidelines

To receive funding from this program, applicant agencies must have needs or budget shortfalls that can be directly tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applicants are limited to 501(c)(3) organizations that meet the eligibility criteria listed below:

• Applicants who need funding to recover lost or diminished operational revenue from closings, cancelled programs, fundraising events, etc.
• Applicants who continue to provide mission-oriented programs and services and related supplies and equipment
• Applicants who expand services to meet additional needs resulting from the pandemic

Each eligible agency is limited to receive a single grant based on need, not to exceed $24,000.

Non-profit arts organizations are required to first apply with Allied Arts and they must be able to demonstrate an inability to receive funding from Allied Arts to be eligible to receive funding from this program. 

Funding will be provided to selected qualifying non-profits on a first-come, first-served basis. If applications received on the first submittal date exceed available funds, applicants will be prioritized based on the following priorities: 1) those agencies which primarily provide services to special populations (homeless, seniors, person with disabilities, abuse victims, etc.), and 2) those agencies providing basic needs - food, shelter, medical services and mental health services to low to moderate income families.

Applicants are advised that those receiving grant awards may be audited at a future date to ensure funds are used for qualifying expenses. Grantees must keep documentation regarding the program, persons served and expenditures.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

• Have been in existence for more than 3 years
• Have an IRS nonprofit 501(c)3 designation
• Employ fewer than 100 people
• Have an operational budget of less than $10 million annually
• Have a location in The City of Oklahoma City corporate limits (check if you are within OKC limits)
• Be in good standing with the Oklahoma Secretary of State
• Agency services to be funded are limited to those provided within the Oklahoma City corporate limits
• Agency mission must include service to disadvantaged persons/populations, unless qualified under the urgent need category
• Agency must be operational or able to operate with COVID-19 assistance funds   
• Funds must not be used for inherently religious activities
• Agency must not require clients to participate in inherently religious activities or make faith proclamations to participate in programs or receive services funded with these funds
• Agency must demonstrate financial impact or loss (either from a loss of revenue or an expansion of services related to the COVID-19 pandemic) equal to or in excess of the requested amount
• There can be no “duplication of benefits”
• Applicant agencies will have to certify by affidavit they have not received funding from other sources to cover the same needs as are being requested under this program

1)    Urgent Needs (Note: Funding under this category will be limited per federal requirements, the majority of funds must directly benefit low to moderate income residents.)

• Funds go to support new and urgent needs outside normal operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Funds may go to exigent services too important to stop, or expansion of existing or creation of new services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Purchase of equipment, supplies and materials necessary to:
  • Expand services to meet specific needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Provide alternative services or access to such services
  • Mitigate the spread of COVID-19

2)    Low to Moderate Income Area Benefit

• Funds go to support non-profits located in and/or predominately serving low to moderate income areas
• Service area must be primarily residential in character
• Services must be available to all residents of the area
• At least 51% of the area residents must be classified as low to moderate income 
• Service area:
  • Cannot be the entirety of Oklahoma City
  • Boundaries must be defined
  • Will be verified by the City of Oklahoma City as qualifying as low to moderate income

2)    Low to Moderate Income Client Benefit

• Funds go to support activities that benefit low to moderate income individuals, families or special populations
• Agency must be able to provide information on client’s household size, race/ethnicity and income, and evidence that at least 51% of all clients served have incomes lower than 80% of the area median income, or
•  Serve clients who are presumed to qualify as low to moderate income by classification as one or more of the following special populations:
  • Abused children
  • Battered spouses
  • Seniors
  • Persons with documented mental, developmental or physical disabilities 
  • Homeless persons
  • Illiterate adults
  • Persons living with AIDS
• Agency provides programs or services that are of such nature and in a such location that it may be reasonably concluded that they benefit predominately low to moderate-income persons

Application