Serving immediate community needs during COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust is collaborating with fellow philanthropic organizations and community partners in Indiana and Arizona to serve the immediate needs of individuals and families facing hardship.

In Indiana, the Trust is participating in the COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund, led by the United Way of Central Indiana and serving organizations in Boone, Hancock, Hamilton, Hendricks, Marion and Morgan counties. C-CERF is prioritizing funding for organizations that provide childcare for healthcare workers and first responders, food access, housing assistance and shelter care, resources for seniors and immigrants, disaster planning and infrastructure support. To donate to the fund, learn more about available funding and see the list of participating funders, visit www.uwci.org/covid-19-cerf/. 

In Arizona, the Trust is part of the Arizona Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund, which is providing financial resources to nonprofit agencies across the state facing an increased demand for services from clients and communities as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Trust funds are targeting Maricopa County agencies providing food access, senior services, homeless services and crisis intervention, such as domestic violence shelters. For more information and to donate, visit www.azfoundation.org/covid19.  

The Trust is mindful the pandemic is affecting our grantee partners’ daily operations, so where possible, we are offering flexibility with our current and pending grants, including altering restrictions on funding uses and adjusting grant deliverables.

While we distribute additional resources toward meeting basic human needs, we remain committed to our animal welfare and environmental initiatives. With key partners, we have achieved significant gains in reducing pet euthanasia in Marion County, Indiana and Maricopa County, Arizona and in conserving critical waterways, including the Verde River in Arizona and the White River in Indiana. We continue to support these initiatives and will maintain momentum in protecting animals and nature.

$7.75 million over five years for Arizona and Indiana pets

The Trust works closely with animal welfare agencies in Maricopa County, Arizona and Marion County, Indiana to keep pet euthanasia rates low and curb overpopulation. Since the Trust began collaborative grantmaking in 2012, euthanasia rates among cats and dogs in both counties have dropped 86 and 73 percent, respectively. Vigilance is critical to maintain this progress, so the Trust is dedicating nearly $8 million in Arizona and Indiana over the next five years to continue funding spay/neuter surgeries, vaccines and wellness access, and expand partnerships with animal welfare providers.

Learn more about the Trust’s animal welfare initiatives  

Trust outlines $19.5 million, five-year environmental roadmap

The Trust is implementing a five-year environmental roadmap that dedicates $19.5 million to investments in protecting nature in Arizona and Indiana. The roadmap supports the Verde and White rivers to protect river flows, address water quality, preserve wildlife habitat, foster development of sound water policy and innovate economic and conservation collaborations. With the additional funding, the Trust continues to underwrite environmental reporting at The Arizona Republic and The Indianapolis Star, and annual state and international environmental reporting awards, to keep people informed about pressing environmental concerns of our time.

Learn more about the Trust’s environmental initiatives