The United Way of Windsor-Essex is accepting applications to help local charities struggling during COVID-19.
As part of the federal government's 'Emergency Community Support Fund', the United Way has received $926,000 to hand out to charities that help vulnerable people that are having a tough time making ends meet.
The first round of applications received will be reviewed by the United Way starting June 2nd.
United Way Executive Director Lorraine Goddard says charities need to submit an application on the United Way's website.
Goddard says the goal is to get this funding out to the community quickly.
"We want to be able to ensure that we can get dollars out as quickly as possible because we know a lot of organizations are starting to struggle with the inability to raise funds in traditional ways," she says.
Goddard says there is some criteria to meet, but it is focused on charitable groups.
"You have charitable status or if you are a non-profit, you can apply but we need to find a lead organization that is a charity, so pretty much anybody supporting vulnerable populations can apply," she says.
The Emergency Community Support Fund is a $350-million investment by the federal government to help the communities across the country.
Goddard says the federal government will keep an eye on how the money is spent.
"Federal government is requiring regular tracking of data so organizations will have to track certain data and that needs to be submitted every three weeks, so the federal government really wants to monitor how these dollars are helping people," she says.
The Emergency Community Support Fund is also available through the Windsor-Essex Community Foundation and the Canadian Red Cross, but Goddard points out people can not apply for funding with all three groups.
The funding will be handed out by the end of July and the money will need to be spent by March 31, 2021.
The Windsor-Essex Community Foundation is also accepting applications for $600,000 in funding.