Weekly COVID-19 Response Meeting
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Upcoming Events
Payroll Protection Program Guidance
Do you have questions about Payroll Protection Program loans? Not quite sure how or if you can get full forgiveness of the loan or how to track it?
Join us on Friday, May 8 and get your questions answered.
This webinar and info session will be presented by Patrick Curtis of Rubino & Company a nationally-recognized financial services and consulting company dedicated to helping nonprofits and government contractors.
When: May 8, 10-11am
How: Zoom Meeting, REGISTER HERE
Cost: Free
Your Membership Matters
Your Membership Matters
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Nonprofit Montgomery COVID-19 Resource Page
Visit our webpage with updates, resources, and news from the sector, as well as from the County government, philanthropy, and more.
CareFirst COVID-19 Response and Relief Request For Proposal due April 24 by 11:59pm.
- CareFirst will invest up to $2 million to address the impact of COVID-19 in the CareFirst region.
- In this first round of funding, CareFirst will support nonprofit organizations providing relief to communities’ health and social needs during the outbreak and recovery phases.
- Special consideration will be given to organizations serving those who are immuno-compromised and seniors.
- Eligible applicants include qualified 501(c)3 non-profit organizations or public (governmental) health entities in Maryland, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia. Click here to read FAQs.
ICYMI Nonprofit Montgomery’s Weekly Meeting on April 22
What we heard on the 4/22 call
PHEG program will close on Saturday. To help the County understand the need, Councilmembers encouraged all those in need to apply even if they don’t meet the current criteria. There may be a second round of this funding.
Community Grants and Funding
- The Council is working towards a same services budget for FY21, if possible, which will maintain services at FY20 funding levels. The Council passed a resolution communicating its commitment to dedicating any additional funds available to COVID-19 relief efforts. They hope to be able to come back early in FY21 with supplemental appropriations for recommended expansions.
- The Council anticipates funding FY21 Community Grants, as recommended by the County Executive, which includes moving some services to the base budgets of County departments. We will continue to work through the details and share new information as it becomes available, including any opportunities for new nonprofit organizations and programs.
Nonprofit Montgomery’s Advocacy Agenda
- Councilmembers are considering two items from Nonprofit Montgomery’s advocacy agenda: continued payment on nonprofit contracts with flexibility on deliverables, and a one to two month advance on contracted funds in FY21 to address nonprofit cash flow issues.
- DHHS is communicating flexibility on contracts (and encouraging all nonprofits to stay in touch with contract monitors.) The decision about advancing funds has been forward to the finance department. See below for news on a third agenda item: making PPE available to nonprofits.
Montgomery County Volunteer Center
- Molly Calloway, Director of the Montgomery County Volunteer Center reported that the Volunteer Center is taking requests from nonprofits for volunteers and other things they need (such as masks and supplies). Those interested in helping can go to the website and choose projects or nonprofits to help. There is great interest in volunteering and helping nonprofits, so all are encouraged to post their needs.
On Early Care and Education
- Research from NAEYC on Maryland child care providers indicates that up to 50% of providers report that they may be unable to survive a two week closure of their business.
- The DHHS Resource and Referral Canter is partnering with the Women’s Business Center to help child care programs address financial issues and apply for funding.
We’d Like to Help!
Nonprofit Montgomery is providing pro bono technical assistance and consulting related to issues stemming from the COVID-19 crisis to County nonprofits with one of our partners. Participating partners include Franca Brilliant, Justin Pollock, Alicia Alexion, and Rubino & Company (CPA), and others.
Thanks to generous support from the County, Nonprofit Montgomery is offering free one-on-one consulting on topics including:
- Determining which relief grant is appropriate for your organization.
- Assistance with completing an application for grants and loans.
- Questions on how to show losses on relief applications.
- General accounting questions related to COVID-19 crisis.
- Fundraising pivots and challenges.
- Human resource issues and concerns.
Whether you might need 10 or 60 minutes, one of our experts can help guide you through your issue. Consultations are available at no charge to County nonprofits.
Please fill out our intake form and let us know what you need. You will receive a response within two business days.
COVID-19 Nonprofit Toolkit – Part 2
Join 20 Degrees co-founders Tom Bartlett and Sara Gibson for a discussion of the COVID-19 Nonprofit Toolkit they designed for nonprofit leaders. The goals of this two-part webinar will be:
- Introduce you to the available resources, explaining their purpose and outputs.
- Guide you through the critical steps and questions in the creation of scenario plans and related tools
- Prepare you to complete the one-page plan driving your COVID-19 response
When: Part 2: Tuesday, April 21, from 3-4:30pm
This is a two-part series with different content at each session.
Where: on Zoom. RSVP and you’ll receive an email with all the details.
Cost: Free!
Click here to RSVP.
Navigating Uncharted Waters During a Period of Hyper-Change
We are all faced with the challenge of responding to “hyper change”. This multi-part series will provide fiscal and financial strategies and guidance for nonprofit leaders and their organizations during this time of uncertainty. When and how should you protect your organization’s assets? How best to position financial resource utilization during a hyper-change period until “true” recovery begins.
In Part I of this series, we will begin by exploring a framework for a thoughtful approach that favors using a financial bias of protecting the financial position of a nonprofit organization when considering key management decisions that must be made.
Speaker: A. Michael Gellman, CPA, CGMA, Founding Principal/Shareholder of Fiscal Strategies 4 Nonprofits
When: Monday, April 20 at 10-11am
Where: on Zoom (you’ll receive the details once you register)
Cost: Free!
Click here to RSVP.
Check out Gellman’s blog that answers questions such as ….
Can donors use the charitable deduction for pre-paid fees for events that have been cancelled if the donor lets the organization keep the fees in lieu of a refund?
Top 10 Legal Action Items for Nonprofits in Light of COVID-19
ICYMI Nonprofit Montgomery’s PHEG Webinar for Nonprofits
On Thursday, Nonprofit Montgomery partner Franca Brilliant answered questions about the new PHEG Program. Click here to see the video and here to view her presentation.
A few take aways:
- Organizations have to show a 50% loss since the disaster declared compared to a comparable period previously. Funding for first round of applications (approximately 50% of total funding) is a maximum of $10,000 plus a potential $2,500 for support for teleworking.
- With these constraints the grant is likely to work best for organizations who have significant earned income, eg childcare providers, performing arts groups, ESOL providers, and who need short term assistance while they look for other resources.
- There is a complicated formula for calculating the loss in revenue but essentially the County will compare a monthly average revenue from pre-COVID-19 operations to March 2020 revenue. The amount you will be awarded is based on revenue lost, not any additional costs incurred because of the emergency.
- It is important to read the FAQs and the Executive Regulation to ensure that revenue calculations are done correctly. [NOTE: one of the questions on the webinar had to do with organizations that only had quarterly financials for the post emergency period. In that case, the monthly average revenue would be multiplied by three as a basis for comparison to the post emergency revenue).
- Applicants may use the funds for a wide range of operating costs, and may use these funds along with other funds from state and federal sources such as the PPP or SBA disaster loans.
- Funds may not be used to cover costs covered by insurance or for wages paid to employees who are eligible for unemployment at the same time.
- The application asks for a percentage breakdown of how the funds will be used if awarded but the County has said that they understand that the percentages and use may change because conditions are evolving so rapidly.
- There is no deadline for the application and there does not appear to be a specific grant period other than the duration of the public emergency. Organizations can apply monthly until the grant funding expires.
Weekly COVID-19 Response with County and Local Leaders 4/22
Join Nonprofit Montgomery for our weekly virtual meeting with Montgomery County and nonprofit leaders on Wednesday, April 22 at 11am. This will be an opportunity to hear from our County officials and receive updates on the local covid-19 response.
County Government Updates and Q&A:
- Council President Sidney Katz
- Vickie Buckland, Chief Operating Officer, DHHS
- BB Otero, Special Assistant, Office of the County Executive
- Caroline Sturgis, Assistant Chief Operating Officer, Office of the County Executive
Montgomery County Volunteer Center
- Molly Callaway, Director
Sector Update – Early Care and Education:
- Joanne Hurt, Executive Director, Wonders Early Learning & Extended Day
- Tiffany Jones, Head Start Policy Council and Community Action Board
- Jennifer Arnaiz, Resource and Referral Center, DHHS
When: Wednesday, April 22, 11am-12:30pm
Where: On Zoom. Once you register you’ll receive an auto-email with all the details.
RSVP HERE
*Please be sure to to put any questions in the comments section of the registration.
Save the Date: 4/29 Senator Chris Van Hollen will be joining us on our weekly call.