Giving Compass' Take:

• Philanthropic and government partnerships are successfully working in California and Washington to fill resource gaps, leverage government resources, or hold governments accountable to support those in need. 

• How can your charitable giving be part of collective impact efforts?  

• Here are suggestions and recommendations for donors to address coronavirus. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted innovative responses from various sectors across America, from industrial companies rethinking supply chains to health care providers adopting new regulations to serve patients. The pandemic’s scale has also brought philanthropic innovation to the forefront, with organizations rallying to address urgent humanitarian needs, both in advance of and in conjunction with state and federal agencies.

Although philanthropy cannot replace an effective and assertive government response, it can enhance it, especially when the problem’s complexity requires multiple stakeholders working toward a common goal.

In California and Washington, newly created public-private partnerships illustrate this type of joint innovation. The partnerships are intended to address the needs of groups affected by the pandemic, with private funds broadening the reach of state resources. If successful, these partnerships could provide a roadmap for other states looking for best practices to shape their own pandemic response.

In California, the new state-financed $75 million Disaster Relief Fund will partner with the privately funded California Immigrant Resilience Fund, which has already attracted $5.5 million in lead investments toward their $50 million goal. Together, the funds will provide financial assistance to families of undocumented immigrants who have been affected by COVID-19 and are ineligible for unemployment insurance benefits and disaster relief, including through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, because of their immigration status. Regional nonprofits with expertise and experience serving undocumented communities will disburse the funding.

In Washington State, a request has been submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to establish a disaster relief fund as part of Medicaid, but it is still under review (PDF). As proposed, the fund intends to cover services such as quarantine isolation tents, disease screening centers, and shelters for people experiencing homelessness who test positive, which are not traditionally offered within Medicaid. In addition, private funds would be used to cover some of the costs.

Read the full article about how philanthropy can partner with government by Faith Mitchell at Urban Institute.