Jackson Water Crisis – Nonprofit Rapid Response Mini-Grant

Nonprofit Rapid Response Mini-Grant

(Updated: October 12, 2022)

This grant program is a reimbursement program for 501c3 nonprofits residing in the Jackson area who have been directly affected by the Jackson Water Crisis. This is a reimbursement grant specifically covering expenses that nonprofits incurred related to CHARITABLE service during Jackson’s boil water notice that lasted between July 29 – September 15, 2022.

Expenses should be unplanned, un-budgeted expenses and related to water needs. Applicants are required to certify and explain the expense relation to the water crisis. Documentation will vary based on the eligible items listed below. Reimbursements may range from $200-$2,000.

The deadline to apply is Monday, October 31, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Awards will be announced in Winter 2022.

A frequently asked questions page has been created to help ease the process. Please refer to this page to help assist you as your complete your application.

For technical assistance, contact Melody Moody Thortis, Director of Strategic Impact, at melody@formississippi.org.

Eligible organizations and expenses:

• All eligible nonprofits must be based in the City of Jackson or served by the Jackson municipal water system, including Byram, who were affected by the boil water notice and subsequent system failure.

• Reimbursements must replace past expenditures and past expenses should NOT have been paid by another grant source

• Grant awards should be targeted to needs expended related to the Jackson water crisis.

Applicants will be asked about their additional needs and solutions related to the water crisis however, this round of funding will only include the following eligible items:

• Reimbursement for purchased water or ice
• Reimbursement for rentals related to the distribution of or lack of water related to your charitable purposes.
  • These may include: Rentals of vehicles, trailers or other transportation specifically related to the distribution of water and water-related needs for charitable purposes and/or reimbursement for port-a-potty rentals made necessary due to the water crisis and made available to the recipients of charitable services.
• Reimbursement of purchases of paper products, hygiene products, paper, plastic or bamboo utensils or other disposable items specifically related to the water crisis and outside of your organization’s normal expenditures.
• Reimbursement of mileage incurred directly by a nonprofit or charitable organization and related directly to water delivery or procurement.
  • Cost related to travel mileage must have been incurred by the nonprofit/charitable organization itself (such as the use of an organization’s owned or rented vehicle) or, if a personal car was driven, the organization must have reimbursed employees for mileage or gas expenses.

For additional questions and clarifications on proper documentation, please view our frequently asked questions page.

This grant will:

• Require clear and legible documentation of payment. (Illegible receipts will not be accepted.)
• Include itemized receipts to cover expenditures made from July 29 – September 15, 2022.

This Grant will NOT:

• Cover expenditures that you have already been reimbursed for (from this funding or others)
• Reimburse for donations or mini-grants provided to other organizations
• Reimburse purchases in excess of reasonable quantity, quality, or outside of eligible expenses.
• Reimburse nonprofits for costs related to gas, food, salaries/contractor pay, or permanent equipment.

For additional questions, please refer to our frequently asked questions page.