UPDATED JULY 23, 2020 With the global spread of COVID-19, we find ourselves in extraordinary and uncertain times. We have a brand promise at Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) – Engage. Build Trust. Make a Difference. While we strive to live these words with each other and our partners every day at MACP, these unprecedented times have made them even more relevant.
With engagement at our core, we are working to ensure continued collaboration within MACP, with our grantee partners, and in our community during this global crisis. These relationships will guide us as we work together to make a difference.
Supporting our grantees
Across the nonprofit community, the pandemic has presented challenges ranging from interruptions in project implementation, to difficulties in sustaining critical sources of revenue, to, in some cases, the inability to keep the doors open. To support our grantees during this unprecedented time, we are taking the following steps:
- Providing options for grantees to utilize current funding flexibly for needs that are essential to maintaining the survival of key business operations and priority programs;
- Simplifying grant administration and reporting for our grants; and
- For new grants, and for scheduled renewals, providing options to build additional flexibility into proposals that reflect ongoing program goals and other less predictable operational needs.
In addition to this funding flexibility, MACP has awarded more than $20 million in new funding to support grantees in responding to this COVID-19 crisis. Our boards also recently approved up to an additional $10 million in funding to meet needs related to COVID-19 response and recovery for the remainder of this year and into next year.
Supporting our local community
While our grantmaking continues to be global in nature, we stand with our local community. MACP is currently committing more than $6 million in support of nonprofits in our home state that are suffering under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes support for area food shelves, housing, mental health services, arts organizations, and other efforts that help support individuals and communities who are at their most vulnerable during this crisis.
Supporting our employees
Our employees have been working from home since mid-March. We have extended our time away from the office through the end of 2020.
Like all organizations, our staff are balancing personal and other responsibilities beyond the work of MACP during this pandemic. We have encouraged flexibility and redefined what constitutes a full-time schedule during these challenging times, even as we remain committed to our mission. Above all, we have worked to stay connected, support each other, and remain focused on responding to the new and unanticipated needs of our grantee partners.
We will do our best to continue to move ahead with our plans as we work remotely. But much remains unknown. While it is our fervent hope that health risks subside and a sense of normalcy returns as quickly as possible, we recognize that many organizations and communities may never be the same.
As we continue to monitor developments related to the novel coronavirus, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies prioritizes the safety and well-being of our staff, grantees, and other partners. Amid the challenges each of us is facing, we remain dedicated to fulfilling our mission to provide meaningful assistance and support to society, the arts, and the environment.
Thank you for your understanding as, together, we navigate these unprecedented times.
Warm Regards,
Paul Busch
President & CEO
