WCCF awards $12,000 technology grant
The Washington County Community Foundation (WCCF) recently awarded a $12,000 technology grant from its Close to Home Disaster & Emergency Fund to Washington Communities Human Services (WCHS) to purchase an information technology server for tele-health services. This grant complements a $15,000 technology grant the foundation made to WCHS in 2018.
“The COVID-19 virus has impacted every industry and has resulted in a significantly increased use of technology among many industries, including the health-care industry,” said Betsie Trew, WCCF president and CEO. “Washington Communities Human Services, a local behavioral health charitable nonprofit, had to quickly adapt from an in-person delivery of services model to a tele-health delivery of services model. They had the laptops and other equipment, but their existing IT server was near its end and needed to be replaced.”
“When COVID first hit the US in March 2020, behavioral health service providers were scrambling to find and purchase information technology equipment to convert employees to remote work,” said Natalie Ross, executive director, Washington Communities Human Services. “But because of a previous capacity-building grant we received from the foundation’s Community CARE Fund, we were able to convert our services to a tele-health platform seamlessly without even a day of disruption. However, earlier this year we learned that our IT server was at its end and would no longer be supported. To ensure the protection of confidential information, we had no choice but to replace this equipment; however, it would come with a significant price tag. Once again, WCCF didn’t hesitate to help with the Close to Home grant.”
Each year the foundation directs a significant portion of its grants to capacity-building initiatives including equipment purchases, such as this grant to WCHS. In 2021 a minimum of $250,000 in capacity-building grants will be issued to area nonprofits. Grants will range from $5,000 to $50,000, and any project that increases a nonprofit’s operational, programmatic, financial, or organizational maturity will be considered.