Compeer Financial, a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative based in the Upper Midwest, announced that it is dedicating $830,000 to COVID-19 relief efforts across the organization’s three-state territory of Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Compeer said its multifaceted approach will directly affect the response efforts of local organizations and community partners.

“As people in agriculture and rural America grapple with the impacts of COVID-19, Compeer Financial is proud to support community response efforts,” said John Monson, chief mission and marketing officer at Compeer Financial. “Our commitment to serve our clients and to champion rural America remains steadfast, and we are dedicated to helping communities and people remain resilient during these challenging times.”

Compeer’s support includes donations to local community foundations for COVID-19 response efforts, grants for organizations and emergency response providers, funding for local foodbanks, donations to rural health care facilities and more. Funding comes from the Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America and the organization’s newly established donor advised fund, the Agriculture & Rural Initiative.

“This pandemic has disrupted jobs, impacted education, affected childcare and much more, creating some pretty immediate needs in the communities we serve,” Monson added. “The care and compassion our team members have for the agriculture industry and the people we serve is unparalleled. We truly believe that by working together we can make a difference that matters now and as new challenges emerge in the weeks and months to come.”

As a part of these efforts, the Fund for Rural America will open up two grants in the coming months. The application for Compeer’s general use grant will open May 1, with a deadline of May 31, 2020. Applications for the emergency response equipment grant program for volunteer fire, rescue and ambulance departments will open on Aug. 1 and are due by Aug. 31, 2020. Priority will be given to projects and initiatives related to COVID-19 response efforts.