Giving Circle Investment Process

Investment Process for United Way of Southern Maine’s Giving Circles
Women United and Emerging Leaders United

Emerging Leaders United (ELU) is pleased to announce the opening of our next investment process. Successful applicants will receive funding from July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027. We are excited to invite community organizations to participate in this opportunity.

ELU is seeking to fund innovative programming that supports educational opportunities and youth engagement as well as aligns with United Way of Southern Maine’s Thrive2027 framework and shared outcome measures. With this investment opportunity, awards between $10,000 – $25,000 will be made in both Cumberland County and York County.

Applications will be open for submission from Wednesday, February 25, 2026 to Wednesday, March 25, 2026 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.  

Women United will have a closed investment process for 2026. 

EMERGING LEADERS UNITED INVESTMENT APPLICATIONS :

Applications must be submitted through our online portal, Blackbaud. We strongly suggest completing the application in the Word version of the application (provided below) and then copying and pasting the answers into Blackbaud when ready.  

Creating an Application in Blackbaud 
Please only click the Blackbaud application link once (for each application you intend to submit). Each time this link is clicked, it creates a new application. 

To Retrieve a Saved Application 
To login to your saved application, go in through the Application Portal.  Do not click the original link (unless you want to create a new application).  If you need Blackbaud support, reach out to Sarah Warren, swarren@uwsme.org.  

APPLICANT SUPPORT:

UWSM staff will host an optional applicant information session for each funding opportunity on Friday, March 6 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (Join here) 

Note: We have not changed our application from last year. We will provide a quick overview followed by plenty of time for questions.  

Staff are also available for one-on-one applicant support and questions during the open application period. We strongly encourage new applicants to attend the information session or connect with a staff member to answer any questions. 

eligibility

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 United Way of Southern Maine (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 

  • 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

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 below, as well as financial reviewers who review all financial documentation provided 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 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

Picture of Karen Stephenson

Karen Stephenson

Director, Community Investments
kstephenson@uwsme.org

Picture of Mackenzie Staropoli

Mackenzie Staropoli

Sr. Donor Engagement Manager, Giving Circles
mstaropoli@uwsme.org

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