El Centro de Corazón clinic in Houston
In an additional round of funding related to COVID-19, Episcopal Health Foundation has awarded $1.3 million in grants to 32 nonprofit clinics and other organizations that are serving at-risk communities in Texas on the front lines of the pandemic. Along with initial funding announced in May, EHF’s grant investment for COVID-19 now totals $5 million. Grant funding is just one part of the foundation’s $10 million comprehensive plan to address the crisis across the state.
“These organizations provide desperately needed health-related services to low-income Texas families who are often at-risk of chronic health issues,” said Elena Marks, EHF’s president and CEO. “COVID-19 has highlighted why these services are so important for communities in need. And at the same time, many of these organizations are battling severe financial issues plus increased demand for their services. That’s why this funding is aimed at helping them continue their critical work during the ongoing financial and public health crisis.”
EHF’s COVID-19 grants are supporting community clinics serving low-income Texans, behavioral and mental health organizations, nonprofits offering enrollment in health and other benefit programs, organizations promoting early childhood brain development, and groups raising community voice on health equity issues. All of the organizations receiving these COVID-19 grants are current EHF grantees working within the foundation’s strategic plan to improve health, not just health care in Texas. In addition to added demand and additional costs, many of these organizations are also transitioning to telehealth and remote services during the pandemic.
See EHF’s first round of COVID-19 grants
Along with grant funding, EHF’s COVID-19 response plan includes a $5 million emergency loan program for grantees, technical assistance to help organizations apply for government aid programs, an extensive research project related to COVID-19 similar to EHF’s groundbreaking survey conducted after Hurricane Harvey, and a pilot program to support those facing social isolation during the ongoing crisis.
EHF expects there will be additional COVID-19 grant funding available later this year.
“Public health events like COVID-19 are experienced even more deeply by low-income communities or those living in a neighborhood that just doesn’t have access to the many different services needed to be healthy,” said Marks. “To do this important work, we know that the organizations and clinics working in these communities and supported by EHF must remain strong and effective both now and in the future.”
EHF’s second round of COVID-19 grants
Community Clinics: These clinics operate on the front lines and are sustaining significant financial losses as a result of decreased reimbursement and increased expenses associated with response to the pandemic. Grants will fund personnel-related costs, equipment, and new and emergency needs in order to continue patient care.
El Centro de Corazón (Houston) $85,000
HOPE Clinic (Houston) $85,000
People’s Community Clinic (Austin) $85,000
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast (Houston) $75,000
Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas (Tyler and Waco) $15,000
St. Paul Children’s Foundation (Tyler) $50,000
Tejas Health Care (La Grange) $50,000
The Rose (Houston) $50,000
Early Childhood Brain Development: Partners provide programs and services in alignment with EHF’s strategy to improve maternal health outcomes and optimize early childhood brain development and is adapting work to maintain critical supports in response to the pandemic. Grants will fund equipment and new and emergency needs.
Mama Sana Vibrant Woman (Austin) $25,000
Partners in Parenting (Austin) $22,320
Rupani Foundation (Houston) $12,000
Enrollment & Benefits Assistance: These organizations work to enroll individuals and families for health insurance and other benefit programs and are experiencing large increases in demand during the COVID-19 crisis. Grants will fund additional technology, equipment and other related costs for enrollment services and to begin remote assistance for those services.
Casa Marianella (Austin) $70,000
Every Texan (Austin) $15,000
North Pasadena Community Outreach (Pasadena) $56,062
SEARCH Homeless Services (Houston) $70,000
Mental & Behavioral Health: Local mental health authorities, behavioral health organizations, and advocacy groups. Grants will provide personnel and equipment support to allow them to continue providing patient care, including realignment to telehealth services.
Andrews Center (Tyler) $50,000
Family Service Center (Galveston) $25,000
Integral Care (Austin) $30,000
Mental Health America of Greater Houston $25,000
Network of Behavioral Health Providers, Inc. (Houston) $25,000
Texana Center (Fort Bend County) $25,000
Raising Community Voice: Partners raise community voice on inequality issues impacting underserved families during the pandemic and is experiencing revenue loss and increased expenses associated with response. Grants will fund personnel related costs and equipment needs to continue serving under-resourced communities.
Avenue Community Development Corporation (Houston) $25,500
Communities for Better Health (Houston) $30,580
Gulf Coast Leadership Council (Houston) $61,300
Neighborhood Recovery Community Development Corporation (Houston) $18,000
Texas Organizing Project Education Fund (Houston) $20,000
The Immunization Partnership (Statewide) $30,000
Young Invincibles (Statewide) $50,000
Others:
BakerRipley (Houston) $32,000
Community service organization rapidly responding to maintain services to community members. Grant supports equipment needs to continue serving under-resourced communities.
Children’s Defense Fund (Statewide) $25,000
Partner offers systems level advocacy and benefits enrollment service to address access to comprehensive care for underserved populations in pronounced need during the pandemic. Grant supports equipment and personnel-related costs.
Northeast Texas Public Health District (Tyler) $40,000
Public health department operates on the front lines and is sustaining significant financial losses as a result of increased expenses associated with response to the pandemic. Grant supports personnel-related costs and equipment.
The Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (Statewide) $40,000
Partner offers frontline provider training and systems level advocacy to address access to comprehensive care for underserved populations in pronounced need during the pandemic. Grant supports personnel-related costs.
