The County has set aside $1 million to help local nonprofit organizations that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Kern Recovers Nonprofit Grant Program uses the County’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act Relief Fund, which was approved on Aug. 18 by the Board of Supervisors. 

Nonprofits who apply can receive up to $20,000.

The recipients of these awards are for nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving the needs of Kern County or to help the overall quality of life, according to Kern County’s website. 

Applications are available now at KernCounty.com and will close on Sept. 30. Once the application process closes, they will be evaluated before the grants are made. 

The county will email the participants to inform them of their status by Oct. 3. 

In order to be eligible for the grant, nonprofits must show that the funding is needed because it has been impacted by  COVID-19 and will use these resources to alleviate the impact. 

Nonprofits also need to be a legally organized nonprofit entity, actively registered to do business by the California Secretary of State, must be based in Kern County, must serve the residents of Kern County, and must provide a service advantageous to the public.

Businesses who received financial assistance from the Kern Recovers Small Business Forgivable Loan Program will not receive funds from Kern’s Nonprofit Program. A nonprofit cannot be used for a religious purpose, cannot be involved in allocating funds to other organizations or people, and cannot be an educational establishment, a government or quasi governmental institution, a social, recreational, sports or booster club, nor can it be a private foundation.   

For more information you can email kernrecovers@kerncounty.com or visit the website at kerncounty.com.