United Way of Greater Portland’s (UWGP) Fiscal Year 2021 investment application opened January 6, 2020 and will close February 21, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Applicants, both currently funded applicants and new applicants proposing work that targets specific Thrive2027 strategies and serves the Greater Portland region, are encouraged to visit unitedwaygp.org/applicant/ for eligibility and details.
United Way’s investment application process is competitive where nonprofits and collaborative partners bring forward their best work connected to strategies that will have the greatest impact on the Thrive2027 Goals: (1) giving kids a strong foundation so they meet critical developmental milestones and are set on a course to fulfill their potential; (2) empowering neighbors to thrive where they can earn family-sustaining wages and increase their wealth; and (3) helping people live longer through access to mental health services and substance use prevention and treatment services.
Investments to community partners are made based on expert advice and under the direction of local volunteers in the areas of education, financial stability, and health in Greater Portland.
United Way investments in 2021 will prioritize programs that offer (1) data-driven activities and evidence-based best practices or promising practices that are based in research; (2) articulate the way in which collaboration is included in program creation, implementation, and/or evaluation; and (3) showcase measurable impact on Thrive2027 Goals Framework Strategies demonstrated through performance measures. Volunteers include community leaders and representatives of key corporate partners. Last year, more than 45 volunteers, with the support of UWGP staff, devoted more than 600 collective hours determining which programs and collaborative efforts best supported the strategies to achieve Thrive2027 Goals.
In 2016, following three years of careful planning and collaboration with community partners, UWGP shifted from funding programs based on their ability to deliver on the agency’s mission to funding programs based on their ability to deliver on Thrive2027, the community’s goals. And this change, while transformational, rests on the foundation of a United Way that has always been willing to stretch and change toward the needs of the community while responsibly stewarding each dollar, building sustainable solutions that achieve long-term impact.
Today, UWGP is more deeply engaged with the community, is co-creating community-based change strategies with a wider diversity of people and organizations, and is bringing our community together around a common vision, a common agenda, and a common path forward. To give, volunteer, advocate, or learn more, visit UnitedWayGP.org.
To learn more about the 2021 investment application eligibility and details visit unitedwaygp.org/applicant/.
