Deadline: 01-Apr-21
The United Way of Southwest Minnesota is seeking applications for its Community Impact Grants (CIG). The United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community.
Programs awarded funding must work to improve the lives of local people in Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Yellow Medicine and portions of Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Nobles and Redwood counties in Minnesota.
Priority Areas
- Health – Increase healthy behaviors and wellness.
- Achieve a healthier start to life.
- Increase community conditions that support healthy behaviors.
- Promote healthy eating and physical activity.
- Provide and increase access to programs that improve physical, emotional and mental fitness.
- Education – Improve life-long learning and development.
- Assure children enter kindergarten developmentally on track in literacy skills, as well as in social, emotional and cognitive skills.
- Prepare elementary-age students to succeed in later grades and to graduate from high school.
- Assist learners in exploring areas of interest and preparing for post-secondary education and/or career.
- Financial Stability – Improve financial stability and independence.
- Increase financial literacy skills for youth and adults.
- Help individuals and families move toward financial stability.
- Increase access to education, employment and/or job training.
- Assure community members have resources to overcome disasters and emotional or financial crises.
- Hunger – Increase food access, nutritional awareness and outreach.
- Connect people to food support efforts/programs/opportunities.
- Increase access to food and/or nutritious meals for people in need.
- Increase nutritional awareness, food budgeting/stretching and/or basic cooking skills.
- Safety & Well-Being – Increase access to services focused on safety and well-being.
- Increase suicide prevention, support, outreach and/or awareness.
- Increase access to services that provide a safe environment free from sexual assault, domestic violence, abuse, bullying and/or crime.
- Provide engagement opportunities for community involvement, service, mentoring and/or youth development.
- Strengthen efforts to create equitable opportunities; increase awareness and engagement in outreach services/programs.
Eligibility Criteria
- Operate as a non-profit 501(c)(3) health and human services organization, a public school, a unit of government and/or have a fiscal sponsor with an organization that meets one of these requirements.
- Operate under written Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws or other written documents or statutes that define the applicant’s purposes, membership, management and operation.
- Operate on a non-discriminatory basis in employment, recruitment of volunteers and delivery of services.
- Demonstrate effective program performances and financial responsibility and accountability, including the following:
- For applicants with total budgets of $350,000 or more, UWSWMN requires submission of an independently conducted audit and the accompanying IRS form 990.
- For applicants with total budgets of less than $350,000, UWSWMN requires an Independent Review. An Independent Review is conducted by someone with financial expertise, not necessarily a CPA, and not associated with the organization and/or UWSWMN.
- Operate or provide service within Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Yellow Medicine or portions of Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Nobles and/or Redwood counties of Minnesota served by UWSWMN. Grant funding is only for programs that serve individuals living within the UWSWMN service area.
- Certify that all UWSWMN granted funds and donations will be used in compliance with all applicable anti-terrorist financing and asset control laws, statutes and executive orders.
- Use grants funding exclusively for services or activities that align with the UWSWMN Priorities.
For more information, visit https://www.unitedwayswmn.org/CIG