Dyson Foundation Response to COVID-19

 The board and staff of the Dyson Foundation deeply appreciate the remarkable people and organizations that make up the nonprofit sector in the Mid-Hudson Valley, and especially your continued work in these unprecedented and most challenging circumstances. As the needs of vulnerable individuals, families, and communities increase in the coming weeks, your work is even more critical.

To support Mid-Hudson Valley organizations whose work focuses on meeting people’s basic health and human service needs for food, shelter, and financial assistance, we are making additional funding available as follows: 

• A pool of $500,000 in grant funds is available to current or recent Dyson Foundation grantees to cover increased service provision, lost revenue due to service changes related to COVID-19, and other financial hardships resulting from this crisis. If you are a current or recent Mid-Hudson Valley-based grantee providing safety net services, please send us an emaildescribing the need you are experiencing.

• We are expanding our Cash Flow Loan fund to $500,000, removing the fees, and increasing the length of the loan terms. Find more information here.

In recognition of the importance of all nonprofit organizations in our region, we will also contribute to COVID-19 response funds established at the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, the Community Foundation of Orange & Sullivan, the United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, and the United Way of Ulster County. Even if your organization is not eligible for direct support from the Dyson Foundation, you may be eligible for support from one of those pooled funds.

While we know that our focus on safety net services will unfortunately exclude many vital organizations that are critical to the quality of life in the Mid-Hudson Valley, we feel that making sure individuals and families can withstand these challenging times is paramount. In support of the entire sector, we will continue to join with other funders and nonprofits in calling for a robust government response to the local effects of this global pandemic. And we will continue to work closely with our colleagues at other regional grantmaking organizations to better understand the region’s needs and create effective and efficient responses.

Finally, the Dyson Foundation will also continue to share resources as we come across them. For example, the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) has compiled an excellent source of information for nonprofits on their COVID-19 Resources for Nonprofits page. And remember that nonprofits are eligible to apply for Small Business Administration loans at a reduced interest rate (2.75% for nonprofits vs. 3.75% for for-profits). More information can be found here.

Again, we extend our sincerest thanks to all of you for the work you do. Please be in touch and be well,

The board and staff of the Dyson Foundation