Deadline: 8-Jan-21
The United Way Quad Cities is accepting applications for United for Equity Fund grants, with up to $200,000 to distribute — supported by local business and industry leaders as well as individual gifts.
The United for Equity Fund will make grants to reduce and prevent racial inequities across systems that impact education, income, and health in the Quad Cities.
Focus Areas
United Way then convened a committee of community leaders who selected their three top priorities from that list – the three areas of focus for the United for Equity Fund:
Strengthen Families
Providing support to parents and families of colour by increasing access to social services Examples include:
- Parent mentoring.
- Training & resources that empower parents to support students academically.
- Parent engagement (i.e. developing Parent Advisory Boards for education and family-serving institutions to share decision-making power).
- Work with private and public sectors to bridge the digital divide.
- Quality early learning/childcare specifically in low-income, minority communities and for single-parent households.
Empower the Next Generation
Supporting and engaging youth of colour to better inform them about the issues of today and equip them to tackle the challenges of the future. Examples include:
- Youth mentoring;
- Out-of-school time programming;
- Career exploration;
- Community youth leadership program.
Educate and Equip the Community
Creating safe spaces to unpack the history of race and systemic inequalities alongside making Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training widely available. Examples include:
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training/conversations across all sectors.
- Deploy implicit bias, Restorative Justice, and cultural trauma training to teachers, business leaders, and law enforcement.
- Establish safe spaces to focus on racial healing and reconciliation and teach the historical implications of systemic racism.
Eligibility Criteria
United Way Quad Cities Board of Directors has recently voted to broaden the range of organizations that are eligible to apply for funding:
- 501(c)(3) nonprofits or 170 public institutions: These include:
- 501(C)(3) Organization – Section 501(c)(3) is a portion of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and a specific tax category for nonprofit organizations. Organizations must be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- 170 Organization – An public institution which is allowed to receive charitable contributions under Section 170(b)(1)(A). These include:
- Churches and church associations.
- Educational institutions.
- Hospitals and medical research facilities.
- Other public institutions which receive a substantial amount of their funding from federal, state, or local government.
- Grassroots Organizations: A community-based organization or organized group of individuals who has identified a specific issue/problem and is working collectively towards a solution.
- Social Entrepreneurs or Innovators: An individual, company, or aspiring nonprofit with a novel solution to a social problem.
For more information, visit https://www.unitedwayqc.org/apply