Your local United Way operates an “open-door” policy regarding admitting not-for-profit organizations into the United Way family of agencies. There are three types of agency funding (member agency, affiliate agency, and special response agency funding).
Member agencies complete an 14-page funding application and are reviewed by the entire 40 to 50 member fund distribution committee of volunteers. If accepted, they compete with all of the United Way Member agencies (currently 15) for an annual allocation of funds. Member agencies are also restricted from seeking contributions from local businesses and corporations. Member agencies are also limited in their fund raising efforts during the annual nine week United Way Community Campaign.
Affiliate agencies complete a much shorter admission application and are reviewed by a six member group of volunteers. Affiliate agencies do not receive a “piece of the pie” or part of the available funds for disbursement to agencies. Affiliate agencies only receive those funds specifically designated by donors during the annual campaign. Affiliate agencies do not have the same fund raising restrictions as member agencies but do have other restrictions. For more details, please contact Christine Hess at United Way, 541-882-5558.
Special response fund applications are for small grants of $500 up to $5,000. These grants are not made annually but only as funds are available. There currently are no funds available.
Criteria (Standards) for Member and Affiliate Agencies
Agency must have a board of directors; must be in operation for about one year or more; must have an annual audit or financial review performed by an independent certified public accountant; must submit its 990 tax return and its current financial operating budget; agency must be providing health or human-care social services; and have a track record of sound financial and service delivery capacity. Applications are accepted each year between January 1st and February 1st.
Funding Priorities
The United Way of the board directors annually reviews a variety of indicators from local and state publications to determine trends in the community needs, demographics, and the financial support given to impact health and human care social services. Each Spring, the United Way member agencies seeking funds also provide a detailed outlook of its government funding based on actual and projected profiles.
Given this data the United Way board establishes funding priorities based on five categories of service and places a percentage of available funds to each category. For 2020-2021, the allocation of funds and funding percentages are as follows:
Youth Development & Drug Prevention programs 18.45%
Crisis Intervention & Emergency Services 21.60%
Senior Services & Basic Needs 25.03%
Health and Family Counseling 16.42%
Child Care & Development 18.50%