Community Impact Grants & Investments

GRANTS

Together, with our community partners, we raise funds to invest in the health, education, financial stability, and basic needs of Washington County residents.  The funds raised and awarded have a purpose, a direct path to make the greatest impact in our community.  After the funds are raised each year, local volunteers work to determine where to invest your donation.  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.

Community Impact Grants 

Your United Way of Washington County, MD supports a network of local human service programs that address community needs in a primarily collaborative manner. Funds raised are invested to improve the quality of life in Washington County. 

 
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.  
 
CI Formula

Up to $50,000 in grants will be awarded per collaborative in the categories of Health and Financial Stability for the upcoming fiscal year (FY24, 7/1/23 - 6/30/24). All Community Impact grants are funded for a one-year term.               

Grant review is currently under way and we will announce grant awards in June 2023. 

 
 

Grant Details

Click the blue link to see a detailed description of strategies and performance measures for each category:

  • Education - Helping children and youth achieve their potential through educational readiness.

  • Financial Stability - Promoting financial stability and advancing the economic mobility of Washington County residents. 

  • Health - Improving individual and family health, safety, and security. 

To qualify, the program or collaborative must:

  • Be a project or program that works collaboratively across multiple agencies or be a collaborative legal entity. 
  • Be a 501(c)(3)  nonprofit in good standing (relevant to all program partners). 
  • Have a 3rd-party financial report from within the last two years.
  • Have support letters from all agencies' board of directors.
  • Be seeking funding for Health or Financial Stability projects or programs. 

The FY24 Community Impact Grant application window will open on February 1, 2023 and will close on March 3, 2023. 

Grants will be focusing on Health, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs. 

You must have attended one of the FY24 grant applicant informational sessions prior to submission of application. For more information, please contact Kelli Tencer, Director of Community Impact & Investment at 301-739-8200 ext. 104 or by email: kelli@uwwcmd.org 

Live United Urgent Needs Grants 

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. 

United Way of Washington County - 21-22 Collective Impact United Way of Washington County - 21-22 Collective Impact PartnersUnited Way of Washington County - 21-22 How We Gave