It seems hard to believe that nearly two full years have passed since the start of the pandemic. On some days it feels like we have been dealing with this health and economic crisis forever, while on others it seems like two years have gone by in the blink of an eye.
As I look back over the last two years, I remain in awe of the amazing work done by thousands of nonprofits and community volunteers to ensure that this unprecedented crisis was not even worse for people here in South Carolina and across the country.
During a time when there were more questions than answers and countless people suddenly struggling due to no fault of their own, nonprofits across the Upstate, the state of South Carolina and entire country mobilized to ensure that people directly impacted by the pandemic and/or the temporary closure of many businesses were able to have their needs met. From food insecurity, internet access and housing/utility assistance to skills training, job placement assistance and many other areas, nonprofits played a vital role in helping just about everyone who was directly impacted by the crisis.
Though there are still individuals and families who are in recovery mode, for most of the country, the focus now is on the future and how to take the lessons and opportunities from this crisis to develop and implement systemic changes that can provide everyone with resources and tools needed to succeed.
Again, nonprofits are well-positioned to play a valuable role in developing and implementing innovative initiatives that will remove barriers to employment and enhance the quality of life for everyone.
With significant funds (at least $2.5 billion) now available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), a new federal infrastructure bill and a projected state budget surplus, South Carolina leaders can make once-in-a-lifetime changes to support the citizens of our state. The initial accelerateSC report that looked at how the state could best emerge from the pandemic recommended $50 million designated for nonprofits, though the funds now available are much greater than what was projected when that report came out.
Led by the state nonprofit organization Together SC, nonprofits from across the state are encouraging the investment of $100 million of the newly available funds for a competitive grant program that would help nonprofits implement new or grow existing programs that will reduce employment barriers (including transportation, childcare and skills training) while enhancing the overall quality of life and growing the collective capacity of nonprofits across the state.
So far, both the Governor’s funding proposal and the initial funding designations from the South Carolina Senate have not included direct funding for nonprofits, though they have not yet made their allocations for all the available funds.
Nonprofits in South Carolina have proven time and again that they have the expertise, internal infrastructure and collaborative partnerships needed to make major impacts on both short-term and systemic challenges, often with extremely limited resources.
During this time when more money is available to address short-term and long-term issues than ever before, our leadership must seize on the expertise and capabilities of our nonprofit community by investing a portion of the funds to allow them to create generational changes within our communities.
You can learn more about the Together SC nonprofit investment proposal at https://www.togethersc.org/.
Dean Hybl is the executive director of Ten at the Top. You can learn more about Ten at the Top at www.tenatthetop.org.
