Assemblywoman Luz Rivas Urges California’s Governor to Support Nonprofits During the COVID-19 Crisis

ARLETA – Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-Arleta) issues a letter urging the Governor to include nonprofits in emergency funding measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. This letter received support from the California Association of Nonprofits’ (CalNonprofits) nearly 1,000 nonprofit organizations throughout the State, and members of the Legislature.

The State cannot address all of the public’s needs on its own. This is why California must collaborate with nonprofits to address all of the public’s various needs. Nonprofits perform a wide variety of services for the State, such as supporting the public health sector, operating educational programs, and fulfilling a multitude of community needs. At this moment, California’s nonprofits are stepping up during the COVID-19 pandemic without hesitation to provide services to their communities in order to protect public health, and support their employees.

“California’s nonprofits complete the State’s efforts to help everyone. These community-based organizations are trusted messengers that have incorporated cultural competencies and language access to reach and serve our most vulnerable communities. We depend on them to reach those the State cannot,” said Assemblywoman Luz Rivas. “Our State’s nonprofits have stepped up to assist Californians during this time of emergency. It is time the State steps in as a full-partner to support our nonprofits and provide them the immediate assistance they need during this COVID-19 pandemic.”

In the letter that I have sent to the Governor, I urge him issue an Executive Order to do the following:

• All California government agencies to continue to pay on contracts and grants with nonprofits if they are underperforming due to temporary closures and suspension or reduction of services associated with COVID-19.
• An expedited or automatic approval processes for budget modifications that must be implemented to allow nonprofits to move budget-line items associated with existing contracts to new COVID-19 related priorities, such as the cost of disinfecting facilities.
• New and immediate emergency funds to be made available to address increased COVID-19 related costs to nonprofits to support the uninterrupted delivery of essential services that affect public health such as: increased sanitation efforts, take-out meals for the homeless, and pre-packaged food at food banks.
• Programs aimed at assisting employers and employees, tenants and mortgagees, and utility ratepayers, etc. through the COVID-19 crisis to be made equally available and at least as beneficial to nonprofit as to for-profit entities.
• State agencies waiving certain certification procedures, as appropriate, to let nonprofits provide COVID-19 related emergency and essential services as needed. Nonprofits affect the lives of all Californians every day.

The letter was sent to Governor Gavin Newsom; California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon; California Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins; Assemblymember Phil Ting, Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee; and Senator Holly Mitchell, Chair of the Senate Budget Committee.

Assemblywoman Rivas proudly represents the 39th Assembly District, which includes the City of Los Angeles communities of Arleta, Lake View Terrace, Granada Hills, Mission Hills, North Hollywood, Pacoima, Sun Valley, Sunland-Tujunga, Sylmar, and the City of San Fernando.