Liz Cotter Schlax
Capacity Building Grant

United Way of Southern Maine is pleased to announce to the opening of the Liz Cotter Schlax Capacity Building grant, an annual $10,000 award to a Southern Maine organization that aligns with our eligibility criteria and community goal areas.

This low-barrier funding opportunity provides flexible support for broad organizational capacity building, an essential but often underfunded need in our community. Open to organizations with annual budgets of up to $750,000, the grant is designed to help organizations strengthen their operations, grow, innovate, and sustain their critical work. The funding opportunity was established in honor of Liz Cotter Schlax, former President and CEO of United Way of Southern Maine, in recognition decade of service to the community.

Examples of this work include: training board or staff members, supporting strategic planning process or long-term visioning, investing in new or upgraded technology, strengthening financial systems, or developing fundraising strategies.

Applications for this funding opportunity opened September 23 and will close October 22, 2026. Funding decisions will be announced this winter. The funding period for this investment will be January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027.

To view application, go here: https://uwsme.submittable.com/submit

Apply Now

Eligibility Requirements

NOTE: In order to be eligible, your organization must be able to say “yes” to all of the following questions.

  • Our organization is a non-profit 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organization, public school, municipal entity, Indian Tribal government or can demonstrate a legal relationship with an established 501(c)(3) acting as our fiscal agent. 
  • Our organization certifies that all United Way funds and donations will be used in compliance with all applicable anti-terrorist financing and asset control laws, statutes, and executive orders. 
  • Our organization operates consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances. Compliance with this policy by agencies shall be a pre-condition of United Way funding. 
  • Our organization is able to provide the required financial documents as listed below. 
  • Our organization and all partners represented in the application confirm endorsement of Thrive2027’s (Thrive2027.org) three, ten-year goals. 
  • Our organization is requesting $10,000. 
  • The program for which we are seeking funding serves Southern Maine, defined as residents of York County and Cumberland County minus Brunswick and Harpswell. Applicants must use any funding received to serve the community in these areas. 
  • Organizations previously funded by UWSM must have submitted the final grant report for their funding. 

What we do not fund

  • Expenses already incurred  
  • Capital campaigns  
  • General operating support  
  • Political campaigns  
  • Lobbying in the form of calls to action on a specific candidate (advocacy in support of legislation aligned with the Thrive2027 goals is allowed)  
  • Religious activities, including, but not limited to, religious services, promotion of religious beliefs, or activities that are restricted to church or religious group membership.  

Financial Requirements

  • Applicants with revenue that exceeds $750,000 in the preceding year are required to submit an annual independent audit and financial statements prepared in conformance with the Standards of Accounting and Financial Reporting for Voluntary Health and Welfare Organizations.
  • Applicants with revenue between $250,000 and $750,000 in the preceding year are required to submit an audit, OR a Review of Financial Statements, OR answer a series of questions detailing their financial processes.
  • Applicants with revenue below $250,000 in the preceding year may submit an Internal Revenue Service Form 990 in lieu of an audit or Review of Financial Statements.

Application Evaluation

Investments are driven by our community; with each investment opportunity having a dedicated and diverse team of volunteer reviewers that represent community voice across our full service area of Southern Maine. Volunteer investment reviewers score and discuss applications based on the following criteria: 

  • Specific impact on Thrive2027 Goals 
  • Tracking and evaluation of program implementation 
  • Dedication to advancing equity 
  • Commitment to collaboration 
  • Solid management and fiscal soundness 

The Community Investment process is a volunteer-led review process. Volunteers are involved in each step of the grant cycle timeline from identifying priority strategies, to reviews and recommendations, and all the way through to final Board approval. United Way staff support this process, but do not make funding recommendations.  

I had a great experience. I loved getting to hear other people’s perspectives on applications and seeing the difference this funding can make in our communities. 

Investment Volunteer

Grant cycle timeline

  • Prescreening: UWSM staff review each proposal to determine if it meets the required eligibility criteria, that all required documents are uploaded, and that the selected shared outcome measure(s) match with the chosen strategy(ies).
  • Review: UWSM staff assign proposals to volunteer investment reviewers who read proposals and score them based on the criteria above, as well as financial reviewers who review all provided financial documentation to ensure fiscal soundness.
  • Investment Review and Recommendation Meetings: Volunteer reviewers discuss proposals and make recommendations to board-level committees. The UWSM Board of Directors approves the final investment decisions.
  • Communication and Contracting: UWSM staff communicate the resulting investment decisions and send the applicant’s CEO/Executive Director and Board Chairperson the investment contract to finalize the process.

for general questions

Picture of Karen Stephenson

Karen Stephenson

Director, Community Investments
kstephenson@uwsme.org