Giving Circle Investment Process
Investment Process for United Way of Southern Maine’s Giving Circles
Women United and Emerging Leaders United
This application goes live on February 25, 2025, and changes may occur up until that date. Do not click the the application links before then, as doing so may result in errors with your application.
Women United and Emerging Leaders United are pleased to announce the opening of our next investment processes. Successful applicants will receive funding from July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026. We are excited to invite community organizations to participate in these opportunities.
Applications will be open for submission from Tuesday, February 25 to Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Our community volunteer-led investment review process will take place throughout the spring, and applicants will be notified of decisions at the end of May. Please see below for more information on each of these opportunities.
Applications must be submitted through our online portal, Blackbaud. We strongly suggest completing the application in the Word document provided and then copying and pasting the answers into Blackbaud when ready. (Below, we provide both a Word version of the application, as well as a workbook which is more of a how-to document with additional details.)
Please only click the Blackbaud application link once (for each application you intend to submit) because each time it is clicked, it creates a new application. To sign into your saved application, do not click the original link, instead retrieve your draft from the Application Portal. If you need Blackbaud support, reach out to Blaine Flanders, bflanders@uwsme.org.
APPLICANT SUPPORT:
UWSM staff will host an applicant information session for each funding opportunity. We strongly encourage applicants, particularly new applicants, to attend the appropriate information session.
- Women United – Thursday, February 27, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. (Join here)
- Emerging Leaders United – Wednesday, March 5, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. (Join here)
Staff are available for one-on-one applicant support and questions during the open application period. If you are looking for assistance between March 10-14, please schedule through Bookings (see below for appropriate link)
CHOOSING AN APPLICATION:
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 at least $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 Women United must have submitted the final grant report for their funding.
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 at least $25,000.
- 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 Brick & Beam Society (now Emerging Leaders United) must have submitted the final grant report for their funding.
What we fund:
- Program expenses (including travel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, etc.)
- Capital expenses that specifically support programmatic work
- Program salaries, including related benefits and taxes
- Administrative expenses (overhead)
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
- Religious activities
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 Resources
- Thrive2027 Goals Framework with Priority Strategies: A list of strategies by goal from which to choose for your application. New applicants MUST choose from the priority strategies in bold.
- List of Shared Outcomes Measures: A list of shared “difference made” measures by goal required in the application. For every Thrive2027 strategy you use, you must choose at least one of the corresponding outcomes measures on this list.
- Budget Template
- Simplified Financial Review Questions
- Women United (WU) Materials
- Emerging Leaders United (ELU) Materials
Grant cycle timeline
The Community Investment process is a volunteer-led review process. Volunteers are involved in each step of the grant cycle timeline from identifying priorities, 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.
- 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 Recommendation and Decision 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.
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 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 racial equity
- Commitment to collaboration
- Solid management and fiscal soundness
United Way of Southern Maine (UWSM) Diversity & Inclusion Commitment:
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are vital to achieving our mission, living our values, and advancing the common good. United Way of Southern Maine fosters and promotes an inclusive environment that leverages the unique contributions of diverse individuals and organizations in all aspects of our work. We know that by bringing diverse individuals and viewpoints together we can more effectively create opportunities for a better life for all. Our full Diversity and Inclusion statement can be found here.
Thank You for Your Commitment to a Thriving Southern Maine
for general questions
Karen Stephenson
Director, Community Investments
kstephenson@uwsme.org
Mackenzie Staropoli
Sr. Donor Engagement Manager, Giving Circles
mstaropoli@uwsme.org