Lumina News

A Message to Lumina’s Partners About COVID-19

Jamie MerisotisMarch 17, 2020

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Lumina’s Work Continues

A lot has changed rapidly since the emergence of COVID-19, including the declaration of state and national emergencies, international travel restrictions, the cancellation of events locally and nationally, and a sudden and widespread emphasis on working from home to slow the spread of this harmful new virus.

I am writing to assure you the work of Lumina Foundation goes on even as we exercise caution amid the coronavirus pandemic to protect our employees and the people we come into contact with. Our offices in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C., are closed, and we are working remotely. We also are postponing or canceling meetings and convenings until further notice. However, we remain available through email, phone calls, and video conferences even as we refrain from in-person contact.

We want to assure you we will continue to make timely, uninterrupted payments to grantees and contractors, although some processes and procedures for doing so could change.

We know the COVID-19 pandemic has placed unexpected stresses, financial and otherwise, on the organizations we work with. And we want to let you know we are here and plan to help in the following ways:

• We can talk about adjusting, delaying, or waiving terms and timelines of any grant or contract (including interim and final reports) so that you can put your focus where it needs to be right now. We will do what’s best for you and the work to ensure the continued strength of our partners—and the best outcomes.
• We will continue to consider new grants and contracts advanced by Lumina’s employees.
• To ensure Lumina’s partners maintain sufficient cash flow, we can accelerate payments under already-approved grants, based on an organization’s circumstances. This includes payments scheduled for later in 2020 or in 2021. For example, if you have a second grant payment due in the fall or even in 2021, we could make this payment earlier.
• We can work with you on events and gatherings, large and small, that are part of your work with us and are likely to be postponed or canceled. This flexibility includes exploring with you how your grant or contract allocations might be repurposed.

In the weeks and months ahead, your Lumina officers or directors will be your primary points of contact. You should contact them about any of these matters or other issues you want to bring to Lumina’s attention.

We value you and your work, and we want to demonstrate the empathy, flexibility, and responsiveness this public health crisis demands. We also know that this situation will cause enormous financial stress on many organizations, so we are also exploring ways that we can help our partners and communities who are particularly vulnerable, and we welcome your thoughts and suggestions on how best to do so.

Jamie Merisotis
President and CEO

Resources

Many of our colleagues have assembled helpful resources. We recommend (suggested additions welcome and we will update):

• News and Updates on the Coronavirus Outbreak from the Council on Foundations.
• Nonprofits and the Coronavirus from the National Council on Nonprofits.
• Resources for Artists & Cultural Organizations from the New England Foundation for the Arts.