Hurricane Helene Grantees
In response to the significant impact of Hurricane Helene on our community, the Community Foundation for the CSRA established the Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, we were able to make rapid relief grants to dozens of nonprofits that were on the front lines of administering critical aid. Through this fund, we have granted over $5.5 million to support immediate relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene. This initiative is providing critical assistance to the affected communities, ensuring they receive the necessary resources to rebuild and recover.
Interested in Applying?
The Community Foundation is steadfast in its commitment to empowering nonprofits during these challenging times. Now in our second phase of granting, our focus is on the longer-term recovery and stabilization of our community. We recognize the critical role these organizations play in enriching and supporting our communities. To help them navigate the current landscape, we are offering targeted financial assistance in the following key areas:
- Increased Operating Costs
- Infrastructure Needs
- Recovery Programming
We ask that all applicants think strategically about your needs both now and, as best you can, the foreseeable future.
In this phase of funding, each organization will have UP TO TWO opportunities to submit a grant request. You may either submit two separate funding requests now, or you may apply once now and then reapply for an additional grant during the life of the fund.
Application Opens: Applications will be reviewed and approved on a monthly basis. Applications must be submitted by the first Friday of each month by 5:00 p.m. Requests submitted after this deadline will go in the next round of reviews.
Request restrictions:
- Applicants must not have policies that exclude individuals from receiving assistance or participating in activities due to their race, religion, gender, or sexual preference/identification.
- Grant awards may not be redistributed through a regranting process.
Checks Distributed: Monthly
Grant Cap: Varies by grant type (see below)
Counties That May Apply: All CSRA counties
Priority Areas: Nonprofits in the CSRA that are serving Helene impacted individuals.
Grant Usage: These grants may be used for the following categories:
- Increased Operating Costs: (Maximum Award $50,000) This is a dollar-for-dollar match grant that will be paid once other funds have been raised. Funds can be used for additional program costs that have occurred due to Helene services, loan repayments, and/or interest fees due to Helene loans.
- Infrastructure Needs: (Maximum Award $50,000) This grant is for public access spaces who can show damages have had a negative economic impact on both their organization and their community. Grant may assist in covering costs associated with insurance deductibles, repairs, and mitigation activities.
- Recovery Programming: (Maximum Award: $50,000 for organizations with an annual operating budget up to $750,000, $100,000 for organizations with an annual operating budget over $750,000)
This grant is for programming and/or activities that have been created or expanded due to the impact of Hurricane Helene. Examples of allowable programming are mental health care, housing, utility assistance, assistance with clothing and/or household goods, etc. These services may be related to ongoing programming that is now serving Helene impacted individuals in addition to regular clientele or may be new programming that is being provided due to needs from Hurricane Helene.
Questions: Contact a member of the program team of the Community Foundation:
Contact Lasima Turmon
Contact Erin Starnes
The generous funding provided in response to Hurricane Helene is offering essential support to communities in need across multiple counties. Each grantee is actively and tirelessly working across diverse service areas to make certain that relief efforts effectively reach those who are most affected.
Through the collaborative efforts of these dedicated organizations highlighted below, the Hurricane Helene funding is making a significant impact in restoring hope and rebuilding lives.
Recovery Programming
The Recovery Programming grant is designed to fund programming and activities initiated or expanded in response to the impact of Hurricane Helene.
Nonprofits that received funding in this category:
- ACTS of Aiken
- Aiken Senior Life Services
- Augusta Dream Center
- Augusta Faith Leadership Consortium
- Augusta Locally Grown
- Augusta/CSRA Habitat for Humanity
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta
- Cancer Support Services
- Child Enrichment
- Edgefield County Youth Empowerment Center
- Golden Harvest Food Bank
- Greater Augusta Arts Council
- James Henry Sweat Foundation
- Kids Restart
- Mental Health America of Aiken County
- North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church
- Overflow Foundation
- RISE Augusta
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta
- The Dr. Paulette P. Harris Literacy Center
- The River
- The Salvation Army Augusta Area Command
- The Salvation Army of Aiken
Increased Operating Costs
This grant is structured to provide a dollar-for-dollar match, which means the grant amount will be equal to the funds raised by the organization from other sources. The goal of the matching grant is to support organizations in covering additional program costs or managing financial obligations related to Helene services.
Nonprofits that received funding in this category:
- 143 Ministries International
- Aiken Senior Life Services
- Apparo Academy
- Aquinas High School
- Augusta Heritage Academy
- Augusta/CSRA Habitat for Humanity
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta
- Edgefield County Youth Empowerment Center
- Episcopal Day School
- Family YMCA of Greater Augusta
- Gamechangers Foundation
- Georgia-Carolina Council, BSA
- Miracle Making Ministries
- Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church
- Safe Homes of Augusta
- Soar Academy Augusta Inc
- SORBA-CSRA
- St. John United Methodist Church
- The River
- Via Cognitive Health
- Walter L. Shepeard Community Blood Center
Infrastructure Needs
This grant is designed to support publicly accessible spaces such as parks, trails, and outdoor public gathering areas. The goal is to aid spaces that have suffered damages with a noticeable negative economic impact on both the organization managing the space and the surrounding community.
Nonprofits that received funding in this category:
- Bath Gardens Foundation
- Family YMCA of Greater Augusta
- Girl Scouts of Historic GA
Relief Reimbursement
Relief Reimbursement grants were granted for emergency relief efforts provided from September – December of 2024.
Nonprofits that received funding in this category:
- 143 Ministries
- Belle Terrace Presbyterian Church
- Concerned Women
- Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons
- Good Neighbor Ministries
- Living in Purpose
- Mental Health America of Aiken County
- Miracle Making Ministries
- Murphy-Harpst Children’s Centers
- Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church
- RISE Augusta
- Saint Luke United Methodist Church
- The James Brown Family Foundation
- Westabou Montessori School
Lost Revenue
The Lost Revenue grant provided financial assistance for organizations that experienced a loss of revenue due to canceled events, fundraisers, or other sources of earned income.
Nonprofits that received funding in this category:
- Apparo Academy
- Aquinas High School
- Augusta Canal National Heritage Area
- Augusta Locally Grown
- Augusta Mini Theatre
- Augusta Museum of History
- Burn Foundation of America
- Brown Girls Code
- Christ Community Health Services Augusta
- CSRA Business League
- Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons
- Easterseals East Georgia
- Goodwill of Middle Georgia
- Georgia-Carolina Council, BSA
- Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art
- Good Neighbor Ministries
- Guiding Path Enrichment Center
- Historic Augusta
- Hope House
- Le Chat Noir
- Mead Hall Episcopal School
- Oaks Ministries
- Pregnant Choices
- Project Refresh
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta
- Sacred Heart Cultural Center
- Safe Homes of Augusta
- Saint Luke United Methodist Church
- The Augusta Players
- The Center for New Beginnings
- The James Brown Family Foundation
- The Salvation Army Augusta Area Command
- Via Cognitive Health
- Walter L. Shepeard Community Blood Center
- Westabou Montessori School
- Westobou Festival
- Woodlawn United Methodist Church Preschool
We welcome your questions and comments. Please contact Lasima Turmon, Sr. Program Officer, here or 706-724-1314.
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