Grande Prairie Volunteer Services Bureau (Facebook)

By Jeff Henson

COVID-19 caused financial impacts on local charities

Jul 2, 2020 | 7:35 AM

Grande Prairie Volunteer Services Bureau recently conducted a survey of local charities and not-for-profit groups to see how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted them, and Executive Director Carol-Anne Pasemko says the biggest impact to these groups was financially.

She says some organizations were able to dip into emergency funds in order to stay open and provide services, while others had to close their doors completely.

“Those were the agencies that were dependant primarily on rental incomes, or incomes that they generated through programs that they offer. So anything that had to do with instructional classes or learning type things.”

Pasemko says some organizations that rely heavily on fundraising said the cancellation of traditional spring fundraisers and casino nights was the biggest financial impact caused by the novel coronavirus.

“Funding for the non-profit, charitable sector is different from business. They would have already had their funding lined up for 2020. But 2021 is when the big crunch is going to hit on a number of agencies because these emergency funds will not be there, and yet business will be different.”

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And she says if a second wave of COVID-19 breaks out this fall, it would lead to more fundraisers being cancelled, which would cause further devastation to these groups.

The survey also showed that there is some uncertainty moving forward with regards to how to relaunch business, and keep both their volunteers and clients safe.