Current Funding Opportunities
Early Success:
Success in the early years of life—generally prenatal to 5 years old—is crucial in developing positive physical and emotional health. Children with strong foundations in the early years are more likely to have successful academic careers; launch and maintain successful employment; maintain financial stability as adults; and raise healthy, stable children themselves. UWOC has been involved in early success work for many years and recently partnered with Families First to conduct a study of early childhood programs and capacity in our community. Early Success funding will invest in strengthening foundations for children in the early years, leading to cross-generational success.
Printable summary of the highlighted opportunities for 2018
Independent Living:
Investments in Independent Living are meant to focus on strategies that support and encourage independence for vulnerable populations. There are many identities that might be considered vulnerable, and United Way has always focused its investments on persons and households that are, by definition, struggling financially. This funding stream would be designed specifically to provide support for those persons who face additional barriers beyond financial instability.
Anticipated release in Summer, 2018.
Connections:
Connections investments will be designed to help reduce isolation by establishing personal connections between individuals and groups, reduce segregation by establishing intercultural relationships and contexts, or reduce inequities by seeking out the voices of underrepresented or marginalized individuals and amplifying them. This is a wide field of possibilities, and while it overlaps with much of UWOC’s previous investment portfolio, it also opens a variety of new strategies and widens our organizational field of view.
Anticipated release in Fall, 2018.
Previous Funding Opportunities
Housing Stability:
United Way of Olmsted County anticipates awarding approximately $125,000 in annual Housing Stability investments beginning July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022. There is expected to be less than 5 total successful partnership proposals. This Request for Proposals intends to establish partnerships and offer support for programs that improve emergency shelter capacity in Olmsted County in three primary ways: expanding the total number of shelter spaces in Olmsted County, reducing the need for emergency shelter through eviction prevention and rapid-rehousing strategies, or improving navigation resources for homeless individuals and families.
You may view the supporting documents by following the links below:
Food Security:
United Way of Olmsted County anticipates awarding approximately $150,000 in annual Food Security investments beginning July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2024. There is expected to be 4-5 total successful partnership proposals. Possible areas of funding include traditional food access (food banks and their distribution partners), culturally-responsive food provision, food access, distribution systems, health education, and community-based access to fruits and vegetables.
You may view the supporting documents by following the links below:
Neighborhood-Based Work:
United Way of Olmsted County is seeking to establish a key partnership with an organization (or a collaboration of organizations) to serve as the coordinating partner in our neighborhood-based work. That partner will take the lead in developing program plans, leading community organizing efforts, building one-on-one relationships with residents, assessing opportunities and challenges, and managing program partnerships in the neighborhood. United Way anticipates a partnership to begin in the summer or early fall of 2018.
You may view the supporting documents by following the links below: