Resources, tips and toolkits from grantees & partners

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) was created on a simple premise that banks should invest equitably in every community they serve. It serves as a critical tool giving low-income communities and communities of color the opportunity to thrive. Yet, current and proposed changes would result in lower levels of lending and investments in low-income communities – at a time when those resources are needed most. WKKF joined with several other foundations and the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance to request a delay in the rule making process and that the proposed changes be reconsidered.

Need help navigating resources and capital availability for COVID-19 response? Independent Sector is tracking how nonprofits can apply for relief funds through the CARES Act. They hosted a webinar this week; Navigating the CARES Act — Independent Sector. The Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business has built a comprehensive, searchable database that includes grants, loans and other cash equivalents to support entrepreneurs, nonprofits and businesses globally. You can upload grant and loan opportunities as well.

What can years of solitary confinement teach us about how to cope with social distancing? Shaka Senghor, WKKF Community Leadership Network  alumni fellow, shares eight tips he learned from his experience in prison that turn the pain of isolation into a transformative experience of “enlightenment, creativity and higher learning.” From meditation to visioning and cooking, Senghor offers flickers of hope in the darkest of times.

It’s estimated that more than 30 million people in the U.S. lack comprehensive health insurance, and millions more are expected to lose employer-sponsored insurance, as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads and the economy contracts. WKKF grantee Families USA compiled State Health Coverage Strategies for COVID-19, which tracks and catalogs key policies that states are considering – or pursuing – in response to the pandemic, with a focus on the health care coverage provided by Medicaid and private insurance.

The National Employment Law Project created a toolkit for workers, their advocates and allies, to help protect the rights of employees during this public health emergency. NELP will continue to update this document, Worker Safety and Health During COVID-19 Pandemic Rights and Resources, as new resources become available.