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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

America Forward and We the Action Launch Partnership to Provide Legal Support to Nonprofits Navigating COVID-19 Relief Policy

[Washington, D.C.] – America Forward, a national nonpartisan policy initiative and coalition that unites social entrepreneurs with policymakers on social problem solving, today announced a new COVID-19 relief partnership with We The Action, a free digital platform that helps nonprofits connect to lawyers who provide pro bono legal services on a range of important organizational and policy issues. The partnership will bring urgent support to social entrepreneurs and nonprofits as they attempt to gain access to critical federal COVID-19 relief resources, which will enable them to support students, workers, families, and their communities during the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath.  

In response to the pandemic, federal lawmakers have allocated hundreds of billions to emergency loan programs and other supports available to small businesses and nonprofits. The rapid launch of these programs and intense demand for funding has created enormous complexity, and barriers to access, for organizations across the country. We The Action has mobilized more than eighty volunteer lawyers into a special task force focused specifically on helping nonprofit organizations apply for the Payroll Protection Program available under the CARES Act. This will allow the organization to meet increased need, including among the more than 100 social entrepreneur-led and other nonprofits that make up the America Forward Coalition. 

“Nonprofits and social entrepreneurs are facing unprecedented challenges in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis,” said Deborah S. Smolover, Managing Partner of New Profit and Executive Director of America Forward. “Support from We The Action and their network of legal professionals will help the members of the America Forward Coalition confidently navigate the rapidly evolving federal response, gain the organizational guidance they need, and enable them to remain focused on providing vital support to their communities during the pandemic.”   

“We The Action’s mission is to achieve meaningful progress by providing the opportunity for lawyers to put their skills to the best, highest use in support of impactful nonprofits across the country,” said Sarah Baker, President and Executive Director of We The Action. “During the COVID-19 crisis, the work of nonprofits is more important than ever, and our new partnership with America Forward and New Profit gives We The Action the chance to support a wide range of organizations providing critical expertise and capacity to communities grappling with this crisis.” 

The partnership announced today is effective immediately, and We The Action hopes to be able to connect organizations seeking support with an attorney or other legal professional within 24-48 hours. 

About America Forward

America Forward is a nonpartisan policy initiative of New Profit, a national venture philanthropy fund that seeks to break down the barriers between all people and opportunity in America. America Forward unites social entrepreneurs with policymakers to advance a public policy agenda that champions innovative and effective solutions to our country’s most pressing social problems. We lead the America Forward Coalition, a network of more than 100 social innovation organizations that foster innovation, identify more efficient and effective solutions, reward results, and catalyze cross-sector partnerships in education, early childhood, workforce development, youth development, and poverty alleviation.

About We The Action

We The Action is a community of hundreds of nonprofits and thousands of volunteer lawyers, working together to advance social justice nationwide. Since launching in 2017, more than 10,000 lawyers have joined WTA to apply their specialized skills and experience to more than 250 nonprofit organizations working on our most pressing problems—from protecting voting rights, to helping families of fallen service members negotiate benefits, to reuniting families separated at the border, and more. Our platform makes it easy for lawyers to find volunteer projects that match their skills, interests, and experience, and alleviates many of the burdens nonprofits commonly face in volunteer management. 

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