(Photo | Courtesy of United Way of Central Oregon)
Through grants, our local United Way of Central Oregon (UWCO) is working to ensure all community members are cared for by directing efforts and resources to where they will have the greatest impact, especially for individuals identified as being part of our community’s most vulnerable and marginalized groups.
To that end, the agency has just announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) from all organizations providing essential services regionally to individuals in Jefferson, Crook and/or Deschutes counties and/or on the lands of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
Each year, UWCO awards grants to vetted local nonprofits that focus on health, education, prevention and development, financial stability, basic needs, childhood trauma, community transformation and building resilience.
This year, the grantmaking organization has evolved its Community Impact funding priorities to focus on supporting community agencies as they help our community members adapt and recover from the pandemic. Funding will help these nonprofits as they stabilize the delivery of services that build resilience in individuals, families and our Central Orgon community — achieving positive outcomes in the face of adversity.
Last year, UWCO’s grantmaking was focused exclusively on COVID-19. As a longstanding, nimble local nonprofit, the agency rapidly evolved its priorities to be immediately responsive to new community needs formed by the COVID-19 pandemic and created two Funds focused on Emergency Response, Recovery & Resilience that addressed the fallout of COVID-19 across Central Oregon. Through those Funds, United Way funded 44 COVID-19 Partners with $295,000 in emergency relief.
Twenty-six percent of Central Oregonians were served by one of these United Way funded programs last year.
Also last year, UWCO created a plan for distributing $500,000 of grant funding supported by funds that came from the City of Bend’s CARES Act funding to nonprofit organizations providing essential services to vulnerable populations in the City of Bend. And, the agency was tasked with distributing $260,000 plus in federal Emergency Food and Shelter funds in Deschutes County.
This year, UWCO is accepting applications for Community Impact Grants between now and May 26th at 2pm. More information and a link to the grant application may be found at: unitedwaycentraloregon.org/get-involved/partner-with-us/impact-partner-grants. Organizations with a need specific to Crook or Jefferson counties and/or on the lands of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, please email kati@unitedwaycentraloregon.org or call 541-389-6507 for additional guidance.
To be eligible to receive Community Impact Grants from UWCO, an organization or its fiscal sponsor must: be recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt nonprofit under IRS code 501(c)(3); have a program with goals in the areas of education, financial stability, or health and supporting resilience building; have an annual tax return (990/990EZ); have current Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet statements; and have an active Board of Directors.
Nonprofit funding proposals will be assessed on a competitive basis by a Community Impact Committee (CIC), made of up volunteers representing all segments of our community. The CIC rigorously reviews applications using standardized criteria, including applicant program’s alignment with goals outlined in UWCO’s Community Impact Priorities, and decides grant funding awarded to the nonprofit applications. Following receipt of a grant, nonprofits submit reports to United Way throughout the funding cycle.
About United Way of Central Oregon
United Way of Central Oregon fights for the health, education, financial stability and resilience of every person in our region. The local nonprofit is simultaneously driving the change that is building a resilient Central Oregon and working to reduce disparities and increase equity through grantmaking and through the TRACEs movement.
