It isn't a secret that when crisis hits, Black communities often bear the brunt of the impact, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no different. In many ways, COVID-19 is simply exposing the many racial inequities that have long existed in our nation. That means that our response to it has to be informed by racial equity, and we want to lend a hand.
The NYC COVID-19 Just Recovery Match Fund provides matching dollars on ioby crowdfunding campaigns for projects that serve low-income, Black communities within the five boroughs of New York City.
As neighbors continue to respond to COVID-19 across New York City, this match opportunity seeks to lift up Black leadership and center the needs of Black communities. When you crowdfund for a project that provides COVID-19 relief in Black communities, we'll match donations up to $8,000 and we'll waive our fiscal sponsorship and platform fees. Relief projects should be led or co-led by residents of the neighborhoods that projects take place in, and/or people personally affected by the issues the project addresses. Project leaders should have strong relationships with the communities they plan to serve.
What kind of projects are eligible? A "Just Recovery" isn't just about recovering after a crisis, it's also means caring for one another right now so that none of our neighbors fall through the cracks. Eligible projects could include mutual aid funds, projects that encourage and make social distancing easier, community campaigns to slow the spread of COVID-19, urgent mental health support, relief funds for essential workers, educational enrichment for kids, and more.
Matching funds are available now on a first-come, first-served rolling basis until funds runs out.
As always, please remember to follow the CDC's guidelines and your local health authority's instructions as you support your community. Putting you and your neighbors’ health first is one of the most important things you can do to offer care, even if it means doing so from afar.
Support a Project:
Neighbors are already fundraising to support their communities. Start a campaign of your own to be featured here.
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Help NYC drivers launch a platform cooperative
*We're increasing our goal to $20K! Every dollar helps!* We are New York City for-hire drivers. We are starting our own driver-owned rideshare platform.
NEEDS: $0 of 25,000 + Volunteers
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Learn More
Read our frequently asked questions and the full eligibility guidelines here.
Still have questions? Send us an email at matches@ioby.org, or, give us a call at 917-464-4515 extension 5.
Completely new to ioby and crowdfunding? Get answers to your questions at ioby 101.
Need further resources? We've compiled a running list of resources from our neighbors and from around the web, so that you and your neighbors can start thinking about ways that you can lend a hand and care for the people around you when times are tough. Use them to start your own project, or to plug into efforts already underway.
About ioby
ioby stands for “in our backyards,” but it also stands for taking care of each other, for civic participation, and for trusting neighbors to know what’s best for the neighborhood. Neighbors nationwide have raised over $10 million in citizen philanthropy on ioby for projects that make their communities healthier, greener, safer, and more livable. When you post a project on ioby you can collect tax-deductible donations, find new donors and volunteers, and receive one-on-one fundraising coaching.
This program is made possible with the generous support of Robin Hood.
