City, health department name 86 awardees for $1 million COVID-19 grant program

More than 80 local organizations will receive a total of $1 million in grants for wellness projects supporting communities that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, the city of Indianapolis and the Marion County Public Health Department announced Friday.

“The many organizations awarded funding today have direct connections in the communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said health department director Dr. Virginia Caine. “These groups and their trusted messengers will now be our partners in improving access, providing education, and ensuring equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and the lifesaving protection it offers.”

The 86 groups, selected from among nearly 200 applicants, will get between $2,500 and $40,000 each. The average award is about $11,600.

“For Indianapolis to continue its recovery from the pandemic, it is incumbent upon us to ensure all of our neighbors have the information and support they need to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and get back to normal,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “We are eager to see the impact of the $1 million we are infusing into our neighborhoods through the efforts of organizations big and small.”

The announcement is the latest in local officials’ efforts to combat racial health and economic disparities exacerbated by the pandemic. Others include pop-up vaccine clinics and a multilingual vaccine registration hotline.

The COVID Community Recovery Grant Program was funded through a partnership between the city, health department and Resolve to Save Lives, part of global health organization Vital Strategies.