Covid-19: Gray philanthropy ecosystem responds to crisis with R180 million in funding

The Gray philanthropy ecosystem in South Africa has made available R180 million of funding to assist with the economic, educational and medical shortages created by the coronavirus crisis.

The contribution will not only make an immediate impact on the crisis but will also take a long-term approach in assisting affected South Africans.

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The response is a collaborative effort of the various entities within the Gray philanthropy ecosystem including Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropy, Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Endowment, E2 and Allan Gray Orbis Foundation.

“In allocating the R180 million commitment, the Gray philanthropy ecosystem is mindful of the pervasive impact of the pandemic as well as its likely longer-term impact. The response seeks to address both the immediate welfare and economic impact, as well as keeping a smaller resource available for future responses as the full consequences of the pandemic unfolds,” said Anthony Farr, CEO of the Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropy in Africa.

Each individual entity will have its own area of responsibility, aligned to their specific mandate and has already taken steps to provide an immediate response to the crisis.

The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation provided support for Allan Gray Scholars, Candidate Fellows and Fellows; the E2 Trust made necessary adjustments in support of investee companies and the Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy Initiative and Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Endowment made small emergency relief grants available to grantees.

These efforts will be supplemented by funds raised through an internal campaign at Allan Gray Proprietary Limited to encourage executives and employees to contribute individually, thus joining the growing wave of South Africans who have felt compelled to ease their fellow citizen’s burden.

In the first phase of the donation, the following immediate funding will be made available:

· R50m to the Solidarity Fund.

· R50m to support small businesses dealing with the fallout from Covid-19.

· R20m to Covid-19 Innovation and Response Fund – an initiative that the Gray philanthropy ecosystem will establish to fund businesses and start-ups which are providing products and services that are either ‘highly innovative’, or ‘essential’, in the fight against the pandemic.

· R10m to fund a Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (CRAM) – a survey of a nationally representative sample of 10 000 South African individuals every month over the next six months, helping to create a six-wave panel survey to track changes in social and economic outcomes over the period.

· R10m towards additional support in Namibia (R5m), Botswana (R3.5m) as well as eSwatini (R1.5m) in accordance with the Gray philanthropic footprint in the Southern African Development Community.

However, because the struggle with the virus is set to be a long one with echoing repercussions, over 20% of the funding (R40 million) is being held back for initiatives that will have a catalytic and strategic response beyond the immediate.

“Ultimately, the Allan and Gill Gray philanthropy ecosystem is striving to ensure they bring to life the core beliefs of their founders, Allan and Gill Gray, for whom philanthropy and business are inescapably entwined. We have heeded the call of our government to stand in unity with South Africans in the fight against the coronavirus, and we are pleased to be able to assist those who are currently in need,” concluded Farr.

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