New London flood relief begins first round of funding

NEW LONDON — The New London Area Chamber Foundation’s Flood Relief Fund Ad Hoc Committee has approved the first round of funding for New London residents affected by the spring flooding, marking a significant milestone in the community’s long-term recovery efforts.

The committee met Monday, August 31, to finalize the first round of individual grantmaking and review the documentation required to begin distributing funds. Applicants included in this round will be contacted directly with information regarding their individual award and the next steps in the process.

“This has been an incredibly detailed process because we have a responsibility to distribute every donated dollar carefully, fairly and in compliance with disaster-relief requirements,” said April Kopitzke, executive director of the New London Area Chamber of Commerce. “We know applicants have been waiting, and we are grateful for their patience as the committee worked through each application and the individual circumstances involved.”

The Foundation also recognizes that the process has taken time. This is something the organization has never done before and, quite frankly, something it hopes it never has to do again. Historically, the Chamber and Foundation have been on the receiving end of donations and sponsorships to support programs, events and community initiatives. They have never before been responsible for building and administering a disaster-relief grantmaking program of this magnitude and distributing funds directly back into the community.

There was no existing program or roadmap to follow. To responsibly administer the Flood Relief Fund, new applications, agreements, review processes, tracking systems, compliance documentation, and supporting procedures had to be established.

Much of that work has been developed and managed by the one employee dedicated to the Flood Relief Fund program, working alongside the Flood Relief Fund Ad Hoc Committee and community and recovery partners.

While the Foundation understands the urgency felt by those waiting for assistance, it also has a responsibility to applicants and donors to ensure the program is administered correctly and that funding decisions comply with disaster-relief grantmaking requirements.

Funding decisions consider the information provided through each application, including documented flood-related losses and other assistance that may be available through insurance, FEMA, the Small Business Administration or additional recovery programs. Award information will remain confidential and will be shared directly with applicants.

Assistance may be provided through several funding options based on each applicant’s needs, including:

The committee also approved the first round of funding for flood-impacted New London businesses after reviewing the required documentation and program agreements. Preliminary funding was also approved for nonprofit organizations affected by the flooding.

This first round of funding does not represent the completion of the Flood Relief Fund process. Additional applications have been received and will continue through the review process as the committee works through Phase 6, the second-to-last phase of the program. Each application represents a different set of circumstances, losses and available resources and requires individual review.

The Flood Relief Fund was created to help fill financial gaps remaining after other forms of assistance and is not intended to replace insurance, FEMA or other recovery resources. The New London Area Chamber Foundation is not retaining any donated funding for administrative expenses.

The committee will continue working through the remaining phases of the program, coordinating with applicants and community partners and completing the documentation necessary for funding distribution.

After months of fundraising, grant writing, program development, application review and partnership-building, Phase 6 represents the point where that work begins turning into direct assistance for the individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations working to recover and rebuild.

Additional updates will be shared as the process moves forward. The Flood Relief Fund Ad Hoc Committee will meet again on September 14 and September 28.