United Way accepting funding applications | News

The written application period began Monday and will end at 4 p.m. Oct. 23.

“In the previous five years, we have given away millions of dollars to our 10-county region,” United Way Director of Community Impact Ashley Carter said. “The letter of intent is that key first step for organizations to really make their self known in this process.”

A United Way regional committee will review the letters of intent. Proposals that demonstrate meaningful impact in one of the priority areas/strategies will be invited to submit a full community impact grant application.

Carter said programs that have been in the community for a long time and are able to showcase their impact and results have a very good chance of being selected for funding.

All programs and organizations that meet requirements for funding need to send in a letter of intent, Carter said.

United Way’s community impact funding model began in 2016 based upon results of a research project that included more than 5,000 surveys of the area.

The seven priority areas within the four defined key strategy areas are kindergarten readiness, college and career readiness, workforce development, access to affordable health care, safe home and community, transportation and access to basic needs.

In the last fiscal year, Warren County organizations received $508,000 from the agency’s community impact funding.

“It’s definitely a very exciting time,” Carter said of the new funding period. “There are a lot of moving parts with the process, but everyone is hard at work. In today’s time during the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations have struggled so it is even more vital for us to provide these funds. We are very proud to do it.”

– Follow reporter John Reecer on Twitter @JReecerBGDN or visit bgdailynews.com.