Our United Way partner agencies, and agencies looking to be partners, annually complete a detailed grant proposal form. The detailed grant proposal form allows our United Way to review the effectiveness of agencies in response to the needs of our community. The key elements of the grant review process are:

Community Matters

Our United Way will conduct periodic assessments of the critical human service needs of our community and award grants, in part, on the assessment. To read the latest report click here to be linked to our Community Needs page.

Working Together Matters

Collaboration among service providers at all levels is a key element of the grant review process. Our United Way strongly discourages the duplication of programs and/or services.

Results Matter

Agencies must be effective at meeting the priority needs of our community as outlined in our United Way’s Community Needs Report. Furthermore, our United Way subscribes to an Outcome Measurement and Logic Model approach in measuring the effectiveness of agency programs and services. The ability of agencies to illustrate the changed lives of people is a key component of the grant process.

Volunteers Matter

Recommendations for agency and/or program funding will be developed by grant review teams composed of volunteers from across the service area of our United Way. The grant review teams will be asked to function as “prudent buyers” of an agency’s proposed programs and/or services. Grant review teams will rely upon findings contained in our United Way’s Community Needs Report; the intended outcomes each program/service of a submitting agency; the agency’s financial need; the agency’s service to residents of Fort Atkinson, Helenville, Jefferson, Lake Mills, Palmyra, Sullivan and Whitewater; the quality of services provided by an agency; and other United Way criteria as outlined in the grant proposal package. Our United Way’s board of directors will take final action on our volunteer’s grant recommendations.

Stewardship Matters

Our donors highly value the attributes of integrity, trustworthiness, and transparency and so too does our United Way.

2008 Grant Review Process

Agencies wishing to apply for a United Way grant need to review the Community Needs Report and to determine if the agency’s programs and/or services will meet an identified community need. If the agency determines a United Way grant is appropriate, then the following documents will need to be completed and submitted to United Way in accordance to established guidelines.

• 2008 Grant Proposal Form – Overview
• 2008 Grant Proposal Form – Cover Sheet
• 2008 Grant Application Form – Narrative
• Outcome Measurement Tip Sheet
• Form A: Program Outcomes Logic Model Worksheet
• Form B: Program Outcomes Logic Model Worksheet – Report on Prior Year