(October 5, 2020) – United Way of Southern Kentucky (UWSK) would like to invite all nonprofit organizations who would like to apply for funding for a program impacting Education, Income, Health, or providing Safety Net services from the United Way of Southern Kentucky for the 2021/2022 funding cycle to submit your initial request via a Letter of Intent, the first step in applying for funding, beginning October 5th.
Who is eligible to apply for funding?
UWSK seeks proposals to implement its Community Impact priority areas and strategies in Education, Income, Health and Safety Net. Organizations that are federally tax exempt, nonprofit, and currently providing, or could successfully implement, quality programs in alignment with one or more of these strategies are encouraged to apply for UWSK funding.
Programs that provide services within a best practices framework, that are collaborative and integrated into the fabric of other community Education, Income, Health and Safety Net efforts, that consider the goals, needs and aspirations of the communities they serve, and that are innovative are programs that UWSK seeks to support. Collaborative programs are highly encouraged. Funds are available on an annual basis to support programs for one year.
How does an organization apply for funding?
The first step in applying for funding from UWSK is the submission of a Letter of Intent which can be downloaded at uwsk.org starting October 5th. Organizations that are interested in applying for funding should read through the Letter of Intent details available on the website to ensure that programs seeking funding meet the program requirements and can respond to all questions.
All applicants must submit a Letter of Intent by: 4pm on Friday, October 23rd, 2020 to United Way of Southern Kentucky. Submission link can be found on at www.uwsk.org/partner-funding-process.
Organizations seeking funding for multiple programs must submit a Letter of Intent for each program. For the purposes of the Letter of Intent submission, a regional program providing those program services in multiple counties requires only one Letter of Intent submission. However, a separate program from that regional agency would require a second Letter of Intent. Organizations may apply in more than one Impact Area.
Letters of Intent will be reviewed by a UWSK regional committee. Proposals that demonstrate meaningful impact in one of the priority areas/ strategies will be invited to submit a full Community Impact Grant Application.
Upon submission of Grant Applications, community volunteers work to ensure that funds collected during United Way’s campaign season are distributed according to donor’s wishes and oversee the allocation of funds to all programs through community investment committees. These panels conduct annual reviews and closely monitor services.
Are there requirements for receiving United Way funding?
In addition to achieving impact in one of the priority areas/ strategies, UWSK has several operational requirements that must be agreed to in writing and met over the duration of the grant period by organizations receiving support. These requirements can be downloaded from the UWSK website at uwsk.org. If an organization cannot agree to meet these requirements it will not be eligible to apply for funding from UWSK. A full description of the Policies and Procedures for Funded Agencies can also be downloaded at uwsk.org.
What is different about UWSK’s current funding process?
In 2012, UWSK began the development of a Community Impact Plan and a new approach to United Way business. Designed to create long-term community change, this plan serves as a road map for United Way and partners on how to build a better community that provides opportunity for all. It guides UWSK in connecting the strengths and assets of communities with opportunities to improve in a measurable way. Community Impact harnesses the power of the entire community to create significant, sustainable improvements; it requires many community partners working together to solve complex, systematic problems.
Based upon the results of an in-depth community driven research project that included 55 community conversations, nearly 5,000 surveys and layered with local secondary data, UWSK adopted a Community Impact funding model that began implementation in 2016. Focused in the four categories that emerged as most important to community members of Education, Income, Health, and Safety Net, seven priority areas each with defined key strategies have been set. UWSK works with community representatives to closely evaluate proposals and provide funding for these priorities:
Education: Kindergarten Readiness; College & Career Readiness
Income: Workforce Development
Health: Access to Affordable Health Care; Safe Home & Community
Safety Net: Transportation; Access to Basic Needs
Important Dates
October 5th, 2020: Letter of Intent available on UWSK website
October 23rd, 2020: Letter of Intent submission due by 4 pm
December 14th, 2020: Invitation to complete full UWSK Community Impact Grant Application.
United Way of Southern Kentucky (UWSK) is a local, independent, non-profit organization that works to identify and address the issues that matter most, change conditions and improve lives. The mission of United Way of Southern Kentucky is to be the leader in bringing together the resources to build a stronger, more caring community. United Way is focused on the building blocks for good quality of life – Education, Income, Health and Safety Net. Therefore, the vision of United Way is a Southern Kentucky where all residents are educated, healthy, and financially stable. Incorporated as a charitable non-profit entity in 1956, UWSK has long served a major role in the community by bringing people together to create opportunities that make a measurable difference in the quality of life for people where they live and work.
