Nonprofit Community Relief grant open for eligible Washington state veteran service organizations

Applications due May 24, 2021

||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE |||

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Commerce is partnering with the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) to administer $1.25 million in Nonprofit Community Recovery (NCR) grant funding to nonprofit veteran service organizations (VSOs). The grant focuses on statewide VSOs with networks of local chapters. Additional information and application forms are available at dva.wa.gov/ncrgrant. All applications received by 11:59 p.m. on May 24, 2021 will be considered.

“As we look ahead to reopening and recovery, we want to make sure our grant funds are reaching the sectors and communities that have been disproportionately impacted or left out of prior grant programs,” said Commerce director Lisa Brown. “Our VSOs are so important to making sure our veterans have the support they need during the pandemic. We’re very appreciative of this opportunity to partner with WDVA for this effort.” 

“Our VSOs help build communities and support WDVA’s mission of Serving Those Who Served,” said WDVA Director Lourdes “Alfie” Alvarado-Ramos. “VSOs provide opportunities for veterans to connect with peers, receive assistance filing disability claims to the Federal VA, and serve as gathering places for a number of other non-profit community organizations.”

Alvarado-Ramos added that recovery of VSOs is critical to a thriving post-pandemic economy and healthy communities within Washington.

These pandemic recovery grants will be administered by WDVA to VSOs in Washington state. Organizations that are led by and/or serve under-resourced communities, culturally diverse populations, and underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Grants will be distributed to nonprofit VSOs statewide. Eligible organizations must have 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(19) status, with appropriate documentation since their 2019 fiscal year.

Statewide organizations with multiple posts are chapters are strongly encouraged to file one application through the statewide organization on behalf of all posts and chapters. 

There is no minimum or maximum award amount. Awards must be used to cover expenses incurred between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021, due to financial hardship incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds will be awarded as unrestricted grants but cannot be used to cover expenses previously covered by other COVID-19 related public or private funding sources including Paycheck Protection Program funds.

A separate grant program is available for non-VSO 501(c)(3) veterans organizations. Commerce partnered with ArtsFund for an NCR grant program focused on arts, culture, neighborhoods, sports and recreation and veterans organizations. Their application portal is also open through May 24.

To date, Commerce has provided over $822 million in relief and recovery grants throughout the state. Funding to nonprofits includes $11.8 million to over 350 nonprofits in partnership with Philanthropy Northwest, $9.9 million to over 400 youth development programs in partnership with School’s Out Washington, $2.5 million to trusted community organizations to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach and technical assistance to diverse small business owners, and $1.5 million to over 250 arts organizations in partnership with ArtsWA. Additionally, three rounds of Working Washington grants have provided $125 million in relief to funds to nearly 11,000 small businesses, with another $240 million coming soon in Round 4. See a complete overview of Commerce’s COVID-19 response funding here.