New Castle County announced a $10 million competitive grant program funded by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act today. These funds will be available to organizations who provide resources or services to the public to decrease healthcare inequities caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“Our communities of color have been underserved for decades, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated healthcare challenges across our county,” New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer said. “These funds will be used to address immediate and urgent needs forced by the pandemic. I wish to thank the committee for their hard work and expertise in tackling this issue as well as their continued engagement in allocating grants.”
Non-profit groups, organizations and small businesses addressing health equity issues in New Castle County can complete a grant application and submit a proposal to receive funding to continue or expand their efforts to address health disparities in vulnerable communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The funds will be available through a competitive grant process starting on Monday, August 24, 2020. Organizations interested in applying can visit https://www.nccde.org/2036/CARES-Act.
The grant program is part of a direct response to the work of New Castle County’s CARES Act Task Force’s Promote Health Equity Committee, which launched on June 18.
New Castle County Chief Administrative Officer Vanessa S. Phillips and community member Alicia Clark co-chaired the committee, which consisted o 17 members from across the county.
The committee was formed in response to the compelling concerns raised by committee member Jordan M. Hines who wrote an opinion piece on May 1 calling for the State government to establish a new task force to address public health disparities in Black and Latino communities. County Executive Matt Meyer read the article and immediately called Hines to discuss how the County could help.
Community-based organizations, non-profits, houses of worship, or other organizations dedicated to underserved populations of New Castle County are encouraged to apply for funding or reimbursements. Funding must be directly tied to COVID-19 related expenses. After organizations apply, they will be scored by the Promote Health Equity Committee and notified of their grant amount.
“COVID-19 has pulled back the curtain on the inequity in our health care system and shed light on a deep-rooted problem that, if unaddressed, will continue to affect all of us as we fight this pandemic,” County Councilman Dave Carter. “These funds will build the partnerships needed to help address the immediate COVID-19 problem affecting vulnerable communities, while establishing the necessary groundwork for long-term improvements in health care for everyone.”
