Pinellas Community Foundation talks relief funding and Mothers Day arts event
The St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce presents: Coronavirus Impact Insights. Click the play arrow above to watch the full video. (Video coming soon)
On this episode, Duggan Cooley, CEO of Pinellas Community Foundation joins Chris Steinocher, CEO of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Joe Hamilton, publisher of the St. Pete Catalyst to talk about the Fighting Chance Fund, the Tampa Bay Resiliency Fund and Creative Pinellas’ “We Are Family” Mother’s Day event.
The Pinellas Community Foundation has been very nimble throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, propping up fundraising mechanisms for the City of St. Peterburg’s Fighting Chance Fund, as well as the Tampa Bay Resiliency Fund, jumping in where it is needed to raise funds or serve as a platform for accepting donations. Thus far, the public Fighting Chance Fund established by the Community Foundation has raised $450,000 from the community, much of that total with small donations of $10, $20, and $50.
The Tampa Bay Resiliency Fund, a partnership between Pinellas Community Foundation, Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg and United Way Suncoast is providing nearly $1 million of funding assistance to nonprofits and governmental agencies.
The Pinellas Community Foundation recognizes that many nonprofits rely on government grant funding, Cooley explains, but the likelihood of that funding being available to nonprofits as it has in past years is waning as the pandemic continues to pummel the economy and the funds are diverted elsewhere. With that knowledge, Cooley says many nonprofits are changing their business models.
Cooley’s major concern is that as relief and recovery needs continue over the next year or longer, it will be more and more difficult to sustain fundraising for nonprofits and individuals in need.
Creative Pinellas is hosting a creative and joyful way to support local artists on Mothers Day (May 10), this “Pinellas County Virtual Festival of the Arts” will bring together livestream appearances of artists and performers from around the county. The event will benefit the Pinellas County Arts Relief Fund. Tickets can be bought for $12.50 each here: https://creativepinellas.org/pcartsfest/. Read the full story on the event from Culture Editor Bill DeYoung here.
