Community Impact Grants & Investments

Group of excited students

GRANTS

United Way of Washington County, MD invests 100% of your local donations to address specific community-centered issues. We do this annually through our annual Community Impact grants. Funding decisions are made through a competitive application process that is open for new applicants every year. 

After the funds are raised each year, local volunteers work to determine where investments will make the largest and most positive impact.  These volunteers are recruited from throughout the community, representing people from all walks of life who live and work in Washington County.  Grant review and fund distribution is a transparent process that anyone can join. For more information on how to get involved, please contact us by emailing uwwcliveunited@uwwcmd.org.

Our Funding Statement

 
United Way of Washington County, MD strategically approaches local community solutions through funding evidence-based programs focusing on Education, Financial Stability, and Health.  
 
 

FY24 Community Impact Grant Awards

Annual grants awarded were announced on May 26, 2023 and are effective July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.

FY24 Education Grants  

  • Boys & Girls Club of Washington County, Girls, Inc., and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washington County - Out of School Time Collaboration
  • Education Foundation of WCPS - Super Readers

FY24 Financial Stability Grants

  • Gatekeepers - Business of Living
  • Ladders to Leaders - Recovery Program
  • Reach of Washington County - Client Assistance Program
  • Reach of Washington County & St. John’s Family Shelter - Shelter Collaboration

FY24 Health Grants

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters - Community Based Mentoring Program
  • Breast Cancer Awareness Cumberland Valley - Patient Care Coordination
  • CASA, Inc. - Medical Advocacy Program
  • Hagerstown Area Religious Council (HARC) - Micah’s Backpack
  • San Mar Family & Community Services - Jack E. Barr Center for Well-Being

 

FY25 Community Impact Grants

Annual grants will be awarded in the categories of Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency for the upcoming fiscal year. (FY25, 7/1/24 - 6/30/25). All grants are funded for a one-year term. 

The grant application window is now closed. Our volunteer grant review teams are hard at work reviewing requests for FY25. We will announce grant awards on June 3, 2024. 

For more information, please visit our Annual Grant Funding page or contact Kelli Tencer, Director of Community Impact & Investment at 301-739-8200 extension 104 or by email: kelli@uwwcmd.org.

Monthly Mini-Grants

Live United Urgent Needs Grants 

LUUN Grant Logo
 
You asked. We Listened. This low-barrier grant is designed for non-profits that experience unplanned expenses as a result of unanticipated program needs, emergencies, or underlying situations. Grants are not meant for start-up costs, operational expenses, capital campaigns, fundraising events, or promotional/marketing materials. 

Grant Details

To qualify under the terms of the grant, local nonprofits must:

  • Be a registered 501(c)(3) organization with a federal determination letter.
  • Serve the community in the areas of education, financial stability, health, or essential/basic needs.
  • Use requested grant awards in Washington County, MD for Washington County residents only.
  • Use requested grant awards for equipment and/or materials needed to address an emergency or unexpected project or program expense.
  • Be able to expend funds for requested use within 30 to 60 days of award (with supporting documentation).

Examples of requests that qualify for grant awards include:

  • Replacement of equipment due to irreparable failure
  • Repair of equipment
  • Replacement of items lost due to natural disaster or other major event
  • Unanticipated shortfall of funding donations such as federal/state or local grant discontinuation/termination
  • Unanticipated community need items

To apply:

This is a rolling grant and offered monthly. Grant awards up to $2,000 per month. Applications are accepted until 3:00 pm on the 27th of each month (no exceptions) and reviewed by our volunteer-led Community Impact Committee. 

Nonprofits interested in applying for Live United Urgent Needs funds should apply via the webform: Live United Urgent Needs Grant Application.

Contact Kelli Tencer by email at kelli@uwwcmd.org or phone at 301-739-8200 ext. 104 for questions or a printable form. 

United Against Hunger Urgent Needs Grants 

UAH Logo

As the Live United Urgent Needs Grant Program has evolved, requests for assistance from organizations addressing food insecurity in Washington County have increased significantly. In response, the United Way of Washington County has launched the new United Against Hunger Urgent Needs Grant Program to address needs specific to food insecurity. 

Grant Details

To qualify under the terms of the grant, local nonprofits must:

  • Be a registered 501(c)(3) organization with a federal determination letter.
  • Serve the community in the areas of essential and basic needs or food insecurity.
  • Use requested grant awards in Washington County, MD for Washington County residents only.
  • Use requested grant awards for the acquisition, storage, supply, or distribution of food to low-moderate income individuals/households. 
  • Be able to expend funds for requested use within 30 to 60 days of award (with supporting documentation).

Examples of requests that qualify for grant awards include (but are not limited to):

  • Unexpected replacement of equipment due to unrepairable failure.   
    • Ex: Refrigeration or stove unit at soup kitchen fails and is unrepairable.  
  • Unexpected repair of equipment.  
    • Ex: An HVAC system at food pantry fails but can be repaired. 
  • Replacement of items due to flood, fire, or other major events.  
    • Ex: Pipes burst in old building (not covered under insurance) and food items are destroyed in subsequent flooding/water damage.   
  • Materials needed to address a documented, unanticipated shortfall of funding for a program or project that addresses food insecurity which will result in a community emergency or crisis. An unanticipated shortfall of funding donations is defined as, but not limited to, federal/state or local grants being discontinued or terminated due to a budget shortfall. This would be a one-time grant to the program to offer support while seeking a new funding source.  
    • Ex: Additional funds needed to purchase food items for distribution to low-income residents. 
  • Items needed to support a program or project to address an unanticipated local community need.  
    • Ex: A housing complex, town, or rural area has a local disaster that creates the need for food or meal preparation not covered by other emergency funding agencies.  
  • Program materials to address an unanticipated increase in need due to a major economic, health, or natural disaster.  
    • Ex: Demonstrated need for food caused by a disaster. 

To apply:

This is a rolling grant and is offered monthly. Grant awards up to $1,000 per month. Applications are accepted by 3:00 pm on the 27th of each month (no exceptions) and reviewed by our volunteer-led Community Impact Committee.

Nonprofits interested in applying for United Against Hunger Urgent Needs Grant funds should apply via the webform: United Against Hunger Urgent Needs Grant Application.

Contact Kelli Tencer by email at kelli@uwwcmd.org or phone at 301-739-8200 ext. 104 for questions or to submit this printable application

 
 

INVESTMENTS

Donations and gifts to United Way of Washington County, MD are invested back into the local community and impact thousands of lives. Take at look at what we were able to accomplish last year.

Visit our Community Impact - Your Gift at Work page for additional information. 

FY23 Collective Impact ReportFY23 How We Gave Report