United Way of Walworth County CoMMUNITY IMPACt GRANT

The United Way Walworth County (UWWC) Community Impact Grant purpose is to significantly and positively impact Walworth County’s unmet needs related to education, financial stability, and health. The Community Impact Grant target population is the Walworth County ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed). ALICE earns above the poverty level, but not enough to afford a barebones household budget (learn more about ALICE at https://www.unitedforalice.org/). The UWWC Community Impact Grant is looking to invest in programs that help ALICE; in particular programs that make housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care, and smartphone plans are accessible and affordable. 

Living United means being courageous and eliminating the disparities that keep certain segments of our community from achieving opportunities for a better life. UWWC’s competitive Community Impact Grant process is designed to award funds to programs demonstrating community need, articulating program efficacy, delivering measurable outcomes, and providing effective services. UWWC’s goal is to fully-fund the top rubric scores of grants, with sliding support based on rubric scoring thereafter. Volunteer-driven reviews are conducted on each Community Impact Grant application. Upon recommendation of the volunteer-led Community Impact Committee, UWWC’s Board of Directors ultimately approves Community Impact Grant awards. No single volunteer or staff person at United Way makes award decisions. 

The UWWC and Community Impact Grant applicants are allies in meeting health, education, and financial stability needs in Walworth County.  Community Impact Grant Funding is to meet ALICE needs with a specific program proposal. Minimum request for program funding must be $1,000 and should not exceed $25,000. UWWC Community Impact Grant funding may not under any circumstances be used to serve persons residing outside of Walworth County. 

Community Impact Grant Programs funded by the UWWC must: 

• Align with UWWC’s mission and align with the United Way impact areas of Health, Education, and Financial Stability. 
• Demonstrate a Walworth County need for United Way of Walworth County Community Impact Grant funds. 
• Improve the life of ALICE and have a focus target population of Walworth County ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) 
• ONLY be used to serve persons residing in Walworth County 
• Be an entity that operates for no profit with proof of exemption from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(19), or be a school district in Walworth County. 
• Be registered as a charitable organization with the State of Wisconsin, and provided service for a minimum of two (2) years as an incorporated nonprofit entity. 
• Be governed by an active, voluntary board of directors with policy/provision for term limits of members and officers. 
• Be fiscally responsible. Provide financial accountability. Comply with GAAP & Wis. Stat. § 202.11 Statute, as amended by 2015 Assembly Bill 778 (Audit and financial oversight requirements).
• Maintain records documenting that the awarded funds were used for the purposes identified in the Community Impact Grant Application. Administrative costs for the proposed Community Impact Grant Program must remain under 15% of total funding received. All unused or inappropriately used funds must be returned to UWWC. 
• Maintain a policy of non-discrimination, equal opportunity, and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Sarbanes–Oxley Act.
• Provide and report goals, outcomes, measures, and target population metrics of the proposed Community Impact Grant program by September 15, 2025 to UWWC. 
• Actively co-brand the proposed Community Impact Grant Program with the UWWC logo or the statement “Funded by United Way of Walworth County Community Impact Grant”
• Completed W-9 

It shall be the responsibility of the Community Impact Grant applicant to inform UWWC of any major change, substitution and/or deletion in a funded program. The Community Impact Grant applicant must obtain approval from United Way for changes including but not limited to, program direction, levels of service and client groups for programs receiving & UWWC support. Failure to comply may result in immediate loss of funding. UWWC reserves the right to withhold or deny funding for unapproved program changes. UWWC may seek reimbursement of funding not used for a program as approved. 

Community Impact Grants awards are always contingent upon availability of funds for distribution. Funding of a specific program does not imply endorsement with regard to the agency’s other activities and policies, whether controversial or not. All applications are zero-based. Funding in any prior grant cycle does not guarantee funding in any future grant cycle. 

At any point during the application process, UWWC reserves the right to assemble a team of volunteers and/or staff to conduct an in-depth review of any Community Impact Grant applicant in terms of fiscal, program delivery and accountability, outcome measurement and governance issues or to request financial information that clarifies the relationship between United Way Walworth County funded program and the overall agency budget.

UWWC reserves the right to deny any application for funding for any reason the Community Impact Committee and/or Board of Directors agrees upon, including but not limited to falsification of information contained in a current or any previous application, omission of information from a current or any previous application, demonstrated non-compliance or a reluctance to comply with requests for information, etc. UWWC Board of Directors reserves the right to suspend funding immediately if deemed necessary. 

Applicants will refrain from engaging in any verbal and/or written communications that in any way disparages, discredits or dissuades support from UWWC. 

UWWC complies with applicable federal, state, and county civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity). UWWC does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity). UWWC’s non-discrimination policy applies to the Community Impact Grant application process and all of the Community Impact Grant applicants/agencies.