Becoming a United Way Funded Agency

When will United Way consider adding new funded programs?
All of United Way’s funded programs receive three-year funding commitments based on performance and community need. The next time we will be considering new funding proposals will be the funding cycle that will begin in the Fall of 2013 and culminate in May, 2014. United Way no longer provides annual operating support for agencies. Since 2008 we have provided program support for programs that meet our stated priorities and strategic objectives.

What do you need to do to be considered for United Way funding?
Your organization must be a nonprofit health and/or human service organization in good standing with the Ohio Secretary of State and a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization with a current letter of exemption from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. You must also agree to participate in United Way’s Organizational Assessment program, conduct a United Way campaign at your workplace, and observe the regulations involving United Way funded agencies including a period of time each year (Labor Day to Thanksgiving) when you may not do community-wide fundraising or large scale benefits.

Can any nonprofit that meets these criteria be considered for United Way funding?
No. New organizations must be 1) invited to submit funding proposals to United Way, and 2) request support for programs that address United Way’s published strategies for making positive change in our community.

How does one get invited to submit a proposal?
The best way to get invited to submit a proposal is to receive funding from another public (county, state, or federal) agency or from a local foundation and do an excellent job with the resources you receive. United Way asks public agencies and local foundations to nominate organizations that have already established a good track record with their dollars. We use these recommendations to determine which agencies to invite to submit proposals.

United Way is not accepting new partner agencies at this time, however, we have broadened our network by extending funding to several non-partner agencies through this process. An organization no longer needs to be a United Way partner agency to have one of its programs supported by United Way.

How many agencies and programs does United Way of Greater Cleveland currently support?
We are currently funding 216 programs at 113 nonprofit organizations in Cuyahoga County as well as the work of three federated agencies: Catholic Charities, the Jewish Community Foundation, and the United Black Fund.

We hope this information is useful to you. Again, we will not be considering new proposals until the RFP is distributed in Fall, 2013 for funding in the Spring of 2014.