At United Way of Greater Cleveland, we understand that creating conditions that allow people to move out of crisis mode and onto a pathway toward economic equity and mobility is an ambitious goal for an organization. But we also believe the goal is imperative and achievable by continuing to invest in community partners who share the same sense of purpose.
During the past two years, I have seen up close the innovative and impactful work performed by our 16 2022-23 grantee partners. As we begin our next funding cycle, I am excited about the work being done in our community by numerous organizations as they develop and implement innovative ways to address these important issues, including:
- A transformative farm-to-school program designed to change how school children think about their food choices.
- A comprehensive employment program that connects job seekers to high-demand sectors offering quality jobs with strong career pathways.
- A strategic approach to bridging healthcare disparities, allowing autistic individuals to reach their unique potential.
- A multi-agency collaborative to facilitate a coordinated response for Geauga County residents to address their immediate needs and keep them on a path toward housing stability and economic mobility.
These are just a few examples of the extensive work being done across Cuyahoga and Geauga counties to bring about sustainable and meaningful change to the symptoms and root causes of economic inequality that impact far too many of our community members daily. They also align with United Way’s investments in solutions to systemic issues that no one organization can solve on its own.
I am pleased to share that we have selected 18 agencies within Cuyahoga and Geauga counties to receive a total of $2.24 million in 2024 with the option for United Way to renew the following year. Additionally, each organization will receive an annual stipend of $7,500 for representatives from the organization to attend United Way’s Center for Excellence programming for nonprofit capacity building. This brings our annual strategic grantmaking total to $2.375 million for 2024, which is part of our more than $18 million investment into the community.
The selected agencies, 44 percent of which are BIPOC-led, exhibit an exceptional commitment to change and an alignment with our broader community impact strategies focusing on Economic Mobility, Health Pathways, and Housing Stability.
Economic Mobility – Early Childhood Development
Research has shown that investments in early childhood programs have the greatest long-term return for a community. Investments in Economic Mobility – Early Childhood Development area seeks to ensure that children and their families have the necessary support from ages birth to 5 so they are prepared for kindergarten and have the necessary tools to succeed and thrive throughout their educational journeys. The following organizations were selected for this area:
- Black Child Development Institute – Ohio: $100,000
- Lexington-Bell Community Center: $150,000
- Milestones Autism Resources: $100,000
- YWCA Greater Cleveland: $100,000
Economic Mobility – Income Pathways
Investments in Economic Mobility – Income Pathways area seek to ensure that youth and adults are connected to jobs with career pathways. The long-term objective is to identify solutions that address the Social Determinants of Work and provide access to sustainable wages that provide a pathway to economic equity, mobility, and resiliency. The following organizations were selected for this area:
- Asian Services in Action: $150,000
- Legal Aid Society of Cleveland: $150,000
- New Bridge Cleveland: $100,000
- Passages: $125,000
- Ravenwood Mental Health Center (Geauga County): $150,000
- Towards Employment: $100,000
Health Pathways
An increase in calls to 211 regarding food assistance and mental health services highlights the need to address the social drivers of health. The Health Pathways area seeks to ensure that intergenerational populations are nourished with food, clean and healthy environments, and social connections along with expanded access to trauma-informed care for children, adolescents, and their families. The following organizations were selected for this area:
- Catholic Charities Group (Geauga County): $100,000
- Cleveland Rape Crisis Center: $125,000
- Food Strong: $100,000
- Hunger Network: $140,000
- Spanish American Committee: $100,000
Housing Stability
Growing calls for housing assistance to 211 shine a light on the challenges with housing in our community. Investments in the Housing Stability area seek to ensure Greater Clevelanders have – or are on a pathway to – safe, stable, and healthy housing, and are able to access resources to meet their basic needs. The following organizations were selected for this area:
- Enterprise Community Partners: $175,000
- Family & Community Services/Next Step (Geauga County): $100,000
- Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry: $175,000
Our investment strategy, reinvented in 2021, provides financial assistance to allow our partner agencies to focus their work on programs that impact the community, and solutions they believe will work due to their intimate experience working directly with clients in our community. I am proud that through June 30 of this year, our current partner agencies served more than 60,000 clients in a variety of ways, from connecting families to more than 10,300 days of emergency shelter to increasing food security to more than 24,391 individuals and helping more than 83 percent of workers retain their job for at least 90 days after participating in workforce programs. The complete results will be available in early 2024.
Congratulations to our new Community Hub for Basic Needs partners, who continue to develop innovative programs that address both the symptoms and root causes of poverty. We look forward to collaborating over the next two years as we work toward a new Greater Cleveland, one where economic equity and mobility are achievable for all members of our community.
Throughout the application process, the selected organizations exhibited measurable plans to address and alleviate the barriers to economic equity and mobility. Each plan was also evaluated through a Race, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion lens. Selected organizations receive funding for the first year with the option for United Way to renew in the subsequent year, based on organizational performance and workplace campaign totals.
