We are in uncharted waters.

Everyday chores—like buying food—present a challenge, and even the near future is filled with unknowns. This is life in the middle of a pandemic.

It has brought me comfort to return to GlobalGiving’s founding purpose: to connect amazing people doing hard but important work.

COVID-19 is now present in nearly every country in the world. It has taken thousands of lives and now threatens millions of livelihoods. And it will require bold individual and collective actions to defeat.

GlobalGiving, in this lens, has an important role to play, and we’re rolling up our sleeves in service to you—our community of amazing nonprofits, companies, and donors who have always believed a better world is possible.

The coronavirus crisis is certainly unique. Unlike hurricanes, wildfires, and humanitarian catastrophes, which GlobalGiving has responded to since 2004, this crisis affects all of us, not just those of us in a particular geographic region. Yet, like other crises, it’s already inspired incredible generosity from people of all means around the world.

Despite staring into the unknown, ordinary people like you and our corporate partners are answering the call for help. The GlobalGiving community has raised millions of dollars for COVID-19 relief through our Coronavirus Relief Fund and generous corporate grants. Together, our community has sent emergency funding to China, Italy, South Korea, the United States, and elsewhere.

Dozens of our nonprofit partners are hard at work on the front lines of the crisis, protecting the most vulnerable people from the outbreak.

They’re sending medical equipment to coronavirus hotspots. They’re delivering soap to refugees in camps who can’t buy it. They’re making sure children and seniors have hot meals. If you have the means, please consider making a donation to support the fund.

Most of our partners, however, aren’t directly involved in frontline efforts to stop the coronavirus. They’re deep in uncharted waters, too. Their economic struggle isn’t making headlines or mentioned in press conferences. But their work—to preserve the Amazon, to rescue stray dogs, to shelter the homeless—has never been harder, and it must go on. Suddenly, they must find a way to fundraise without a gala, educate without a classroom, rally their staff without four walls to unite them…

GlobalGiving cannot singlehandedly make up for that loss, but we are committed to doing whatever we can. We’re sending money on an expedited basis to COVID-19 responders and on our normal monthly schedule to other partners working on important causes around the world. We’re adapting our project and grant reporting timelines to acknowledge the ripple effect of social distancing on programming (and everyday life). We’re exploring additional virtual training and connection opportunities. Simply stated, we’re here to help.

In recognition of this period of hardship, GlobalGiving is making $1,000 microgrants to at least 100 vetted nonprofit partners in our community who tell us they need it.

We won’t ask them to fill out a lengthy grant application. We won’t ask them to justify why with a lyrical essay. We won’t ask them to beg for it in a perfectly crafted tweet.

We’ll simply ask them to tell us what they need in a few sentences. And then we’ll trust them.

We’ll trust that they’ll put the money, however inadequate, to good use. Trust that a little something extra at this difficult time is better than nothing. Trust that they know what their communities need right now better than anyone else.

And we’d like to ask something of you, too. Can you make a flexible, no-strings-attached donation to vetted nonprofits that need it right now?

I hope the first $100,000 from GlobalGiving is only the beginning. With your help, imagine the difference we could make for champions around the globe who refuse to let a virus stop a mission!

Support A Nonprofit In Need

In solidarity,

Alix Guerrier
GlobalGiving CEO