United Way of Western Connecticut (UWWC)
2015 Community Investment Grant
Request for Proposal Instructions (RFP)
Health Impact Area
Purpose: The purpose of the 2015 RFP is to identify and fund those Income programs which best demonstrate the ability to address identified community needs. These programs must assist members of the communities served by UWWC: Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Kent, New Fairfield, Newtown, New Milford, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Sherman, Stamford, Warren, or Washington.
Mission: United Way of Western Connecticut improves lives by mobilizing the power of caring communities to create lasting change.
COMMUNITY GRANTS APPLICATION/EVALUATION PROCESS
UWWC is focused on making a meaningful difference in the community within the three Community Impact areas of Education, Health and Income and pledges to allocate local dollars raised in the regions of Northern Fairfield County, Southern Litchfield County and Stamford to quality programs serving those communities. The community impact areas are:
· Education - helping children, youth and their families achieve their potential
· Health - promoting health and wellness
· Income - promoting financial stability and self-sufficiency
UWWC welcomes those organizations or coalitions that meet established standards to apply for program funding. Program funding is the means by which funds are awarded to address issues by UWWC partners through programs the community deems essential for UWWC to support. A “program” is defined as a set of activities or services executed to solve a problem. Organizations should be able to demonstrate that they maintain separate program budgets for financial reporting and audits, with the exception of organizations that deliver only one program in the community. This funding is determined on a multi-year cycle in each community and reviewed regularly by UWWC volunteer leadership based on community need, knowledge of the service, and outcome performance.
The 2015 Community Impact Grant is a three-year grant, for the fiscal years of July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018 and will focus on HEALTH PROGRAMS ONLY. Health programs focus on promoting health and wellness and as a result:
· People are mentally healthy
· Families are well and physically healthy
· People are safe and have healthy lifestyles
In order for nonprofit organizations to be approved for funding, the organization must submit the corresponding documents as well as agree to all UWWC policies, procedures and requirements for funding. It is incumbent upon the organization’s board of directors to ensure that polices are understood and followed. UWWC’s Community Investment Policy is available for review online at www.uwwesternct.org. Program funding cannot be guaranteed due to the nature of this competitive grant review process. Notwithstanding the above, UWWC reserves the right to deny partnership to any organization whose policies and practices are inconsistent with the policies and practices of UWWC.
If a program is approved for funding, funding for subsequent grant years will be the same as Year One, contingent upon periodic review of outcomes performance, continued compliance with UWWC policies and requirements, and results of the UWWC annual fundraising campaign. UWWC funding may be used to support operational program support and is not restricted as long as it is used to support expenses for the particular program in which the funds were granted. Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by local volunteers in each community.
UWWC funding is zero-based and is not guaranteed for any programs. UWWC Board of Directors will approve all final funding decisions.
Request for Proposal Submission Instructions
ð Please submit one (1) original signed copy of the complete proposal packet and email an electronic version to the attention of the UWWC representative listed below no later than Noon on Friday, February 6, 2015. The complete proposal packet includes:
o Organization Fact Sheet
o Program Cover Sheet
o Program Narrative Questions
o Program Client Story
o Program Demographics
o Most Recent Organizational/Agency Budget
o Most Recent Program Budget
o Most Recent Form 990
o Most Recent Audit
o Balance Sheet and Income Statement as of December 31, 2014
o UWWC Anti-Terrorism/Patriot Act form
o UWWC Non-Discrimination form
o Board of Director’s Roster & List of last year’s meeting dates
ð Agency Assurances & Documentation – for existing UWWC funded agencies, please only submit the following if there has been a revision to any of the documents below. For agencies new to applying for United Way funding, please also submit the following:
o Letter of Non-Profit, 501 c 3 status
o Articles of Incorporation
o Organizational By-Laws
o Board Adopted Non-Discrimination Policy
o Annual Certificate of Registration with Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
ð Agencies with more than one program proposal must submit each RFP separately.
ð Agencies submitting program proposals to more than one UWWC community (i.e., Northern Fairfield County, Southern Litchfield County or Stamford) must submit separate RFPs to each community office.
ð Please email the program client story in a word document and send over separate from the other documents required.
ð Late or incomplete proposals may jeopardize funding.
UWWC Representatives:
Northern Fairfield County
Attn: Karen Mello
85 West Street
Danbury CT, 06810
(203) 297-6687
Southern Litchfield County
Attn: Kathy Thomas
24 Bank Street - P.O. Box 29
New Milford, CT 06776
(860) 354-8800
City of Stamford
Attn: Nicole Granskog
1150 Summer Street, 2nd Floor
Stamford, CT 06905
203-883-6034
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