COVID 19 Community Action Resources
From Virginia CSBG Office
- Memo from Virginia Community Services Block Grant Office regarding Program Year 2020 changes – Issued March 24, 2020
Virginia Specific Resources
- COVID DSS Website with resources for individuals and businesses
- Guidance from Feedmore on Volunteers during COVID-19
- Volunteer Template for Foodbanks
- Senator Warner COVID Resources
- Public Meeting Laws. AUTHORITY FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS, ADOPTED on April 22: Amendment 137: Allow policy-making boards to meet virtually during emergency declaration: Item 4-0.01
- VA Department of Social Services COVID-19 Coronavirus Update and Resources for Child Care – Updated March 18, 2020
From National Partners
- DOE has issued WAP Memorandum 62: Weatherization Assistance Program’s Response to Guidelines for Opening Up America Again – Phase One & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Statement to Community Action Network from National Community Action Partnership – Issued March 19, 2020
- CAPLAW News Alert: Paid Leave Under COVID-19 Response Act – Issued March 20, 2020
- CAPLAW News Alert: OCS and OHS Funding Source COVID-19 Updates – Issued March 13, 2020
- WAP Memorandum 060: Frequently Asked Questions Related to COVID-19. – Issued March 25, 2020
- FNS Program Guidance on Human Pandemic Response – Issued March 16,2020 – Important guidance related to FNS nutrition assistance programs
- CAPLAW Key Points in OCS IM #157 Guidance for COVID-19 Response– 4/14/2020
- 2020 CARES Act—FAQs for Nonprofit Organizations and Donors – 4/6/2020
- CAPLAW CARES Act Loans and Tax Credit Slideshow – 4/7/2020
- Federal Response to COVID-19 FTLF White Paper – 4/8/2020
HUD Resources
- CDBG Entitlement Assistance
- Homeless Assistance Providers Resources
- CDBG Quick Guide on Coronavirus Response
- Virginia Tenant Rights Article with FAQ’s
From Office of Community Services (Federal Level)
- CSBG Dear Colleague Letter on Guidance Related to COVID-19– Issued March 12, 2020
- LIHEAP Dear Colleague Letter on Guidance Related to COVID-19– Issued March 12, 2020
From the Office of Head Start:
- COVID-19 Wages and Benefits – Issued March 13, 2020
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Flexibilities – Issued March 13, 2020
- Managing Infectious Diseases – Dr. Deborah Bergeron Video – Issued March 13, 2020
- HHS Dear Colleague Letter on Guidance Related to COVID-19 – Issued March 12, 2020
- Coronavirus Prevention and Response – Last updated March 13, 202
Helpful Articles
- Sustainability to Survivability: Finance Must-Do’s in the Time of COVID – Issued March 19, 2020
Helping Communities Know Mitigation Strategies
The CDC released their “Implementation of Mitigation Strategies for Communities with Local COVID-19 Transmission.” Essentially, this is a guide describing possible mitigation strategies for communities dealing with transmission at three different levels: (1) None/Minimal, (2) Moderate, or (3) Substantial. Community mitigation strategies, which are non-pharmaceutical interventions, are often the most available interventions to help slow the transmission of COVID-19 in communities. The Mitigation Plan includes a set of actions that persons and communities can take to slow the spread of respiratory virus infections. The Community Mitigation Plan can be found here.
Guidance for Preparing Workplaces
The Department of Labor released practical guidance for how to prepare workplaces for COVID-19. This guidance will help to educate workers and employers about the COVID-19 outbreak. The guidance can be found here.
Guidance to Prepare Homeless Shelters
We recognize persons experiencing homelessness are an especially vulnerable population. CDC released guidance on March 9, to help homeless shelters plan, prepare and respond to COVID-19. The guidance can be found here.
General Preparation Information
On March 9, 2020, the White House Coronavirus Task Force released practical steps that we recommend posting and sharing to keep workplaces, school, home and commercial establishments safe. This information can be found here.
Funding for States to Address COVID-19
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced upcoming action by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide resources to state and local jurisdictions in support of our nation’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The $8.3 billion dollar Supplemental passed by Congress included statutory language which prescribed the exact formula for disbursing the money: states will receive 90% of their 2019 CDC PHEP grants. This marks the first tranche of funding to states from the $8.3 billion supplemental. Today, CDC is contacting State Health Officers to move forward with awarding over $560 million to states, localities, territories, and tribes. CDC will use existing networks to reach out to state and local jurisdictions to access this initial funding. To view the list of CDC funding actions to jurisdictions, click here.
Department of Labor information on FLSA/wage and hour considerations can be found here.
VEC released FAQ’s on this page (the top of the page with red coronavirus language, there is a link for Office Closings Due to Coronavirus, with a Q&A document).
From Tamarah Holmes, Director of the Office of Broadband at DHCD – Covid 19 Broadband Resources
- This is an issue that is evolving. Several school systems have moved to secure hotspots for students. One thing to do would be to reach out to your school system and see what has been done on their front, they may have started this conversation.
- First action Tamarah recommended was to reach out to your current cell or LAN-line provider. Many are waiving restrictions or restructuring deals temporarily in light of current situation. For example, Tamarah noted that some providers have opened networks beyond customers. This is one example, not meant to encourage any provider, just to show what to look for. As you work with providers, I would suggest sharing information with us that we can broadly share if you are successful.
- Another idea is to check with libraries, as they sometimes have hotspots and may be willing to share with agencies, if they can.
- In relation to the three points above, there are initiatives to ensure that providers make access available, both of these resources talk about working with schools and libraries on plans with providers on these lists:
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- Several broadband and cellular providers in Virginia have signed onto the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected“, pledging that for the next 60 days these companies will not terminate service or impose late fees due to circumstances from the virus, as well as open wifi hotspots in areas of need.
- The FCC has also waived gift rules in the Rural Health Care and E-Rate programs to allow healthcare providers, schools, and libraries to accept improved capacity, Wi-Fi hotspots, networking gear, or other equipment or services from broadband providers during the coronavirus outbreak.