Emergency Preparedness, for everyone.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

NCO is now Requesting Proposals to help our community with Emergency Preparedness

We are no longer accepting applications as of January 8th, 2020. All received applications are currently under review. Please contact your county coordinator with questions. 

Natural disasters come in many forms and affect people in different ways. Low-income and vulnerable populations in our communities are most at risk and likely to need support in the event of a disaster or emergency. North Coast Opportunities (NCO) is pleased to announce the release of a grant program intended to provide our community access to resources to help everyone be prepared for emergencies. This type of work is not new to NCO, with 5 years of leadership in disaster response and community rebuilding, Emergency Preparedness in Communities (or EPIC) will bring more than half a million dollars towards disaster preparedness for vulnerable populations in Lake and Mendocino Counties. 

The Request for Proposals (RFP) process is now open and applications can be submitted until January 7th, 2020. EPIC mini grants will be awarded in amounts ranging from $1000 to $25,000. Applicants do not have to be registered nonprofits. Any group can apply, including small businesses, schools, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, student groups, and any other group serving diverse, vulnerable, and hard to reach populations. 

Vulnerable populations include any people most likely to be seriously affected by a disaster. That could mean underserved groups like the elderly, disabled, minority ethnic or racial groups, non-English speakers, LBGTQ+, youth, or people facing homelessness.  Disaster survivors, people living in frontier communities, or living with hazards like limited evacuation routes, are also listed as vulnerable populations. Program Director Robyn Bera said, “If you know of a group that can benefit from extra support preparing for emergencies like power outages, fires or floods, or if you already work with or represent vulnerable populations, we encourage you to apply.”

Groups that receive grants must be able to track and report their activities, who they are serving, and follow a state mandated curriculum.  NCO will support grantees with training and technical support during the grant period. Grantees will also get a chance to help each other during support days hosted by NCO.

Grant applications will be assessed depending on the project and need, how many people are reached, long-term sustainability, and the groups’ ability to do the work. In general, funding is for education and communication, not fire-fighting materials such as; chippers or water tanks. No matching contributions are required. NCO encourages applicants to work together on relevant and integrated solutions. The online application can be found on NCO’s website on the home page, (or by clicking Disaster Response and scrolling to Disaster Preparedness).

Any questions about EPIC grants in Mendocino County may be directed to Megan Watson, EPIC coordinator: mwatson@ncoinc.org.

Any questions about EPIC grants in Lake County may be directed to Tammy Alakszay, EPIC coordinator: Talakszay@ncoinc.org.