Innovia Foundation announces second round of grants

The Spokane-based Innovia Foundation announced 165 grants Tuesday totaling $746,012 from its COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Funds for eastern Washington and northern Idaho.

It is the second round of assistance offered by the foundation since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a news release.

The funds are directed at nonprofit and grassroots organizations, tribal entities, schools and government agencies that are on the front lines of COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, according to the foundation. Awards focused on child care and youth programs, food assistance needs, support for immigrant and refugee communities, mental health resources and small business support.

Grants awarded in north central Idaho and southeastearn Washington include: $10,000 to the Washington State University Foundation to support mobile health care units; $10,000 to the Community Action Center in Pullman to provide emergency housing assistance for eviction prevention; $20,000 for small-business support for Whitman and Latah counties; $3,450 for personal protective equipment (PPE) at Whitman County public libraries; $2,500 to the Pullman Christian Childcare Center for staff support and PPE; $1,000 to the Pullman Community Council on Aging to support Meals on Wheels and increased food costs; $4,800 for the Council on Aging & Human Services in Colfax to provide grocery gift cards to 12 small food pantries; separate grants of $6,000, $2,000 and $2,000 to the University of Idaho to provide mental health first-aid training for extension faculty to train community groups at various locations; $4,500 to the YMCA of the Palouse to provide program operating costs and scholarships for summer youth program; $1,000 to the Blue Mountain Artisans Guild in Pomeroy to purchase supplies for children’s summer art kits; $6,000 to the Garfield County Food Bank for purchasing meat and other proteins; $10,000 to provide assistance to Pomeroy families to meet expenses including rent and utilities during the pandemic; $2,000 to the Beautiful Downtown Lewiston Revitalization Corporation to provide public health education and PPE distribution; $18,000 for small-business support for Asotin and Nez Perce counties; $3,500 to First Step 4 Life Recovery Center in Lewiston to provide emergency support like food, phone and housing; $1,500 to Idaho Legal Aid Services to provide technology support for legal aid conferencing in Lewiston; $4,000 LC Valley Youth Resource Center in Lewiston to provide homeless youth support, services and shelter; $5,000 to Lewis-Clark State College to provide student support and technology for remote learning; $5,000 to the Nimiipuu Community Development Fund to support tribal member small-business needs; $3,000 to Tri-State Memorial Hospital to provide technology support for dialysis and behavioral health patients; $2,000 to the Valley Community Center in Clarkston to provide general COVID-19 community resources; $5,000 to the city of Grangeville to provide season passes, swim lessons and alternative swim programming for local and regional youth and families; $3,500 to the city of Weippe to provide electrical upgrades at the senior center to allow it to remain open and serve meals; $3,000 to Clearwater County Ambulance to provide medical supplies; $4,500 for small-business support for Clearwater, Lewis and Idaho counties; $3,000 to the Grangeville Farmers Market to provide portable wash station rental for the summer 2020 season; $3,500 to the Grangeville Senior Center to provide support for basic bills to enable the center to continue serving local seniors; $1,500 to the Idaho Foodbank Lewiston warehouse to provide food and food boxes for Lewis, Idaho and Clearwater counties; $5,000 to Lakeside Assisted Living in Winchester to provide PPE, increased Wi-Fi capabilities and portable TV carts for residents, and increased staff training; $3,500 to the Pierce Community Center to repair a boiler room to enable it to open this summer; $2,000 to Prairie Mountain Nutrition in Cottonwood to provide food for local seniors and people with disabilities; $4,000 to the Upriver Youth Leadership Council in Kamiah to provide a youth group counseling summer session, no-touch thermometers and family meals.

The Idaho Humanities Council awarded the Latah County Historical Society in Moscow $3,500 and the Lapwai School District $4,500 Tuesday to support operational costs that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release from the council.

The council announced a total of $122,455 in grants to 25 organizations. The funding is from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act via the National Endowment for the Humanities.

No new COVID-19 cases were reported Tuesday by Public Health – Idaho North Central District, the Nez Perce Tribe, Asotin County, Whitman County and Garfield County.