Harris County

COVID-19 Relief Fund

Harris County established the Harris County COVID-19 Relief Fund to provide much-needed relief to Harris County residents most impacted by the global pandemic.

The Public Application is now closed. If you are in need of assistance, we encourage you to visit our Resources page.

For the latest updates on the fund, visit our Updates & Media and Data Dashboard pages. The data dashboard is updated weekly and provides data on the number of households served and an interactive map displaying the impact by zip code and census tract, among other key data points.

The sudden loss of jobs, wages, and childcare has created an unprecedented economic crisis – especially for the most vulnerable in our community, who were already struggling when the pandemic struck. It is our responsibility to help these individuals, especially those who won’t be getting support from anywhere else.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo

The Coronavirus pandemic has created both a health and a financial crisis in our region. Our communities are hurting. And it is our duty as public servants to make sure that our most vulnerable residents, who were already living paycheck to paycheck, do not lose everything in the midst of this crisis. Advancing a relief fund with enough resources – and structured to ensure those resources reach the most vulnerable in our community – was a key priority for our County.

Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis

Right now, the focus of our work is to get the Harris County COVID-19 Relief Fund up and running as quickly as possible. Much like previous relief efforts, such as the Harris County Small Business Loan program, our goal is to expedite the process and get money into the hands of our most vulnerable residents fast while also making sure it’s done right.

I have total confidence that our partners at Greater Houston Community Foundation will be successful in this endeavor. The Foundation is a recognized leader in disaster recovery efforts, and their performance managing the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund as well as the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund proves they are the right organization for the job.

Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia

About the Fund

The $30 million fund, which is administered by Greater Houston Community Foundation, aims to strategically serve a large number of the most vulnerable people, in particular county residents who may not be eligible for other COVID-related funding and/or who cannot afford to wait for assistance.

The Harris County COVID-19 Relief Fund will distribute funds in two ways to help ensure equitable distribution.

Nonprofit Distribution

The Fund will partner with trusted, high performing community-based organizations that are already actively supporting the community and have deep relationships and understanding of families with emergency needs.

Phase 1 funds were disbursed on June 12, 2020.

Public Application

The Fund invited all eligible low-income Harris County residents to complete an application online or over the phone. Eligible individuals were matched with a community-based organization to understand their needs, verify eligibility, and provide assistance.

The Public Application was open on June 23 and 24, 2020, and is now closed. If you are in need of assistance, we encourage you to visit our Resources page.