Ventura County Rapid Response Fund
About the rapid response fund
Following the impacts of COVID-19, the Ventura County Community Foundation, in coordination with the County of Ventura, Amgen Foundation, Southeast Ventura County YMCA, Give An Hour, and the Economic Development Collaborative, launched the Ventura County Rapid Response Fund to support nonprofit organizations addressing the needs of individuals and families with food and housing support, childcare, wage replacement, mental health care, and more.
The purpose of the Ventura County Rapid Response Fund has been to support those organizations providing basic human needs to individuals, families, and small businesses in Ventura County. Organizations providing basic human needs to individuals, families, and small business owners throughout Ventura County are invited to apply for funding to support their unrestricted operating expenses ensuring that these nonprofits may continue to fulfill their missions and serve Ventura County. Funding was also available to these organizations to provide cash assistance to those they serve, which can allow families to stay in their homes or address other essential needs.
Impact stories
Since its founding in 1983, Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County (HFHVC) has helped 72 hardworking, low-income families become first-time homeowners. When COVID-19 hit our community last year, HFHVC conducted a COVID-19 needs assessment survey with all of HFHVC’s homeowners across the county and found that many had lost their jobs or hours and some were worried that they wouldn’t be able to make their monthly mortgage payments. To date, HFHVC has been able to provide direct mortgage assistance to nine of its homeowners, with support from the Rapid Response Fund. That’s nine families who were able to stay current on their mortgages, remain in the homes they worked so hard to build and purchase, and weather the financial challenges that happened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safe Passage was in a position to respond immediately to vulnerable micro-communities who were more at risk to the pandemic because of their limited access to services. We had the staff, the volunteers, and the ability, but lacked financial support. Because of the Rapid Response Fund we were able to:
- Provide emergency food relief to families who were stricken with COVID-19 and/or suddenly left unemployed
- Deliver over 140,000 meals to children
- Disperse over 60,000 diapers to families
- Deliver over 100,000 pounds of groceries to keep families healthy
- Issue more than 300 emergency utility grants for persons of color who have children in their household and were unable to pay their utilities
- Ensure weekly COVID testing in micro-communities of color
The Rapid Relief Fund, in a true sense, is the engine for nonprofits to be able to respond more quickly in emergency situations.
Tim Hagel, Safe Passage

“VCCF’s Rapid Response Fund helped Turning Point at a time of great unknowns to prepare our programs for the COVID health and safety protocols adopted by the County of Ventura to continue operating as an essential business.
The fact that VCCF continues to take care of our community organizations at what is a worrying and difficult time for us all, speaks volumes of their kindness and feeling for those that are struggling. I believe that that is the generosity of spirit is the bedrock of what is good about our community and will be what helps us all get through this crisis together.”
Suki Sir
Turning Point Foundation
“Thanks to the VCCF’s Rapid Response Fund, Cabrillo EDC been able to continue to provide programs and services to our residents while keep everyone safe. The donations enable us to purchase what we needed to provide PPE our staff and residents, and also distribute PPE to farmworkers in Ventura County. Many of our residents are essential workers: the farmworkers, grocery clerks, and caregivers working hard to keep all of us safe.”
Denise V. Bickerstaff
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation