Non-governmental organizations are playing significant role in counteracting effects of the pandemic. They are offering help to various social groups, including seniors, the sick, the homeless, as well as children and youth. They are helping at hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries, community centers, and they are assisting local leaders as well. However, NGOs themselves are affected by the pandemic and are facing serious problems. They may have to limit the scope of their actions or often totally suspend their activities.

Due to this situation, PAFF has decided to make significant shifts in its programs’ operations. The Foundation’s staff is staying in touch with the Program Managers, monitoring developments and taking steps to help solve problems faced by the PAFF Partners and participants of the Foundation’s initiatives.

The 2020 Relief Fund for NGOs and Civic Initiatives, established by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation, will not only support current activities that NGOs implementing PAFF programs are carrying out in response to the crisis but will also offer help in designing and implementing activities aimed at minimizing the long-term effects of the pandemic.

For 20 years PAFF has been actively supporting NGOs, schools, libraries, Third Age Universities, as well as local leaders and civic groups under its programs. Today, during the pandemic, the Foundation aims to continue its previous activities and help NGOs maintain their achievements within these undertakings. Therefore, in March it supported a dozen NGOs acting as PAFF Program Managers, awarding them a total of PLN 200,000 for their current needs related to staff personal protection and purchases of equipment necessary for distance working.

Starting in May, organizations involved in PAFF programs will be able to apply to the “Relief Fund” to obtain grants allowing them to adjust to the new conditions, initiate new projects, launch larger undertakings or intervention actions under the new program. They will also be able to receive institutional support consisting of grants that will cover their necessary administrative costs and remunerations. That support will be offered on a continuing basis.

And, in the next few months an open grant competition will be carried out, the rules and regulations of which shall be based on the experience gained during the first stage of the new program’s implementation.

The Manager of the “2020 Relief Fund for NGOs and Civic Initiatives” will be the Education for Democracy Foundation, a long-time partner of PAFF in operating the “Region in Transition” (RITA) Program.

For more information contact:

Martyna Bogaczyk
President, Education for Democracy Foundation
Tel.  601 458 653

Marianna Hajdukiewicz
Program Director, Polish-American Freedom Foundation
Tel. 22 550 28 00