Routt County United Way Grant Cycle

Overview

_NOTE: Schedule a pre-qualification meeting with Routt County United Way._

Our Vision

We envision a county where all individuals and families achieve their human potential through access to education, opportunities to improve financial stability, and support to lead healthy lives.

Our Mission

Our mission is to unite people, ideas, and resources to advance the common good in education, financial stability, and health.

RCUW Community Impact Goals

Give children a strong start (birth to 8 years of age)

We all benefit when every child from the earliest age has a strong developmental start. RCUW funds programs that improve developmental opportunities for lower-income, at-risk children. We seek to address the following challenges:

* Access to affordable, quality preschool and childcare
* Access to other early childhood development programs that promote literacy, kindergarten preparation or parenting skills
* Childhood food insecurity
* Need for more and better qualified preschool teachers

Provide youth a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment (9-17 years of age)

Transitions are sometimes tough for young people, particularly at-risk youth. RCUW seeks to fund programs that support the successful transition of elementary school students into middle school, of middle school students into high school and of high school students into adulthood. Challenges that we will look to address are:

* Literacy at grade level
* Financial literacy or work/life readiness
* Food insecurity
* Bullying prevention and support for diversity
* Discouraging use of alcohol, tobacco, vaping and other drugs
* Need for student engagement and/or parental support
* Healthy behavioral boundaries
* Appropriate use of technology

Improve the financial stability of all Routt County residents in need (families and adults 18 years and older)

With 30% of Routt County households living below the county self-sufficiency standard, many individuals and families struggle to make ends meet. Lack of savings or insurance may make other adults or families vulnerable to unanticipated, adverse circumstances. Programs that seek to achieve the following will be considered:

* Build financial skills or resiliency through adult education or counseling in household financial management or workplace readiness
* Reduce food insecurity
* Enable seniors to live in their homes longer if they wish
* Improve household financial stability
* Improve access to adult education or training that enhances job skills

Expand access to Mental Health & Crisis Services (individuals of any age)

People who experience mental health issues or physical or emotional abuse need support and access to resources to move towards a better quality of life. To promote the social/emotional wellbeing of community members, we seek to fund programs that:

* Offer mental health education or counseling for adults or children
* Prevent suicides through education or counseling
* Address substance abuse
* Prevent domestic violence or abuse
* Respond to people in crisis

Community Program Application

Community Programs are limited to an annual funding request in an amount not exceeding $5,000. Community programs must provide services that help lower-income Routt County residents to develop their potential or to meet their basic needs, and that align with one of RCUW’s community impact goals.

Nonprofit Organization Application

Non-profit organizations do not have a dollar limitation on the amount that they can request for their programs. Non-profit organizations must be tax-exempt, provide services to Routt County residents which address a RCUW community impact goal, and meet other key considerations.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* Grant Criteria
* Program Features
* Fund a program aligned with your core organization goals.
* Serve primarily lower-income, at-risk clients in Routt County.
* Address a RCUW community impact goal.
* Show strong program management ability by delivering, critically evaluating and improving program results.
* Organizational Features
* Exhibit strong oversight by an engaged Board of Directors.
* Present a financially healthy organization with independently reviewed or audited financial statements.
* RCUW only accepts requests for program funding

Ineligibility

* RCUW does not fund general operations or capital equipment at this time.