Community Investment Process

The Foundation offers support to help strengthen charities in addition to funding operations and projects. These supports are available whether or not your charity receives direct funding. 

Organizations must be addressing one or more of these community priorities:

• Moving people from poverty to possibility
• Helping kids achieve their full potential
• Mental health support
• Breaking the cycle of domestic violence

Funding Principles: Organizations seeking funding are required to indicate how their funding request will demonstrate the following principles:

• Know the community: the funding request builds on community assets – knowledge, abilities, diversity and is based on an organization’s in-depth understanding of what the community cares about.
• Capacity building: the funding request strengthens the organization’s capacity to be resilient and healthy so it can effectively respond to challenges and opportunities.
• Measurable difference: the funding request makes immediate and long-term, positive and measurable difference in one or more of United Way’s priority areas.
• Flexibility and innovation: the funding request exhibits an innovative and flexible approach in addressing community needs and United Way priorities.
• Collaboration and partnership: the funding request employs collaborative efforts and optimized partnerships to support its clients and strengthen the community. 
  

The Foundation invests in the following:

• The real costs associated with delivering outcomes. Funding is provided for both program and operational expenses. 
• Multi-year grants (the majority of funding is committed for multiple years).
• System change and capacity building.
• Requests that engage and benefit multiple organizations, clear ownership and deliverables are required.