United Way of Deschutes County is soliciting proposals from local nonprofit organizations. Grants awarded will be aimed at creating lasting change with measurable impact for people in need in Deschutes County. Grants awarded will be directed towards building stronger individuals, families, and communities. Funding priorities for this 2018-2019 funding cycle include health, education, financial stability, and resilience.
Grant applications are due no later than 2pm on Thursday May 17. United Way of Deschutes County will hold two Community Impact Investment Process Information Sessions. Attendance at one session is required for each organization that intends to submit a proposal. The first will be held from 9am-10:30pm on Monday, April 23 at the Deschutes County DeArmond Room (Deschutes Services Building at 1300 NW Wall Street in Bend). And the second will be held from 3:30-5pm on Tuesday, April 24 at the United Way Community Board Room (Mike Maier Building at 1130 NW Harriman Street in Bend).
United Way of Deschutes County has for years focused on health, education, and financial stability – three things that are the foundation of positive outcomes and wellbeing, along with basic needs like food, safety, and shelter. United Way will also award grants focused upstream of these immediate needs to address root causes, and has added building resilience in children, families and communities, as well as reducing childhood trauma to its funding priorities. Childhood trauma poses a barrier to educational attainment, employment, safety, housing, access to healthcare and access to basic needs, including food. The link between childhood trauma, educational attainment and health is clear.
Resilience means having the personal skills and perspectives, social support and relationships, and external supports to manage hardships, cope with stress, and bounce back.
Resilience is like a vaccination against the effects of childhood trauma. And resilience can be cultivated.
This focus on the root cause is part of United Way’s new way of doing things. To change community conditions and improve lives, United Way is finding and taking on the root causes of issues facing our community and tackling those most challenging issues – the community characteristics that cause or contribute to critical problems.
deschutesunitedway.org/community-impact-grant-request-proposal • 541-389-6507
