United Way of Cascade County has announced its grant funding for this year.
The nonprofit raised $1,306,514 last fall and is kicking off its next annual fundraising campaign at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4. outside Marsh McLennan Agency at 405 3rd St. N.W.
Most give through a workplace campaign and deduct small amounts from each paycheck, according to United Way.
Of those funds raised, United Way is dedicating $588,654 to community initiatives that support efforts addressing homelessness, preventing child abuse, improving education and managing the federally funded retired senior volunteer program.
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In addition to the workforce campaign, people may send contributions directly to United Way at P.O. Box 1343, Great Falls, MT, 59403 or donating online here.
Donors can designate their gifts to specific nonprofits and in last year’s campaign, donors designated $221,860 to 109 nonprofits.
For money that isn’t designated, a volunteer committee decides which programs best advance United Way’s goals of helping children achieve their potential and graduate on time, promoting financial stability and independence and improving people’s health.
A team of 40 volunteers spent hours reviewing written proposals and listening to presentations before allocating $485,000 to fund 31 nonprofit programs.
Many nonprofits requesting grants had increased costs and others looked for grants to replace state and federal funding.
United Way is also investing in new programs, including helping preschoolers with special needs get the extra support needed to succeed in kindergarten, providing substance abuse prevention education to children and giving Centerville children an opportunity for preschool education.
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“Each year, our volunteers face the challenge of being able to fund half of what is requested of United Way,” Gary Owen, United Way director, said in a release. “Our hope is to rise to meet that need with this year’s campaign.”
Here are the 31 programs that United Way is funding this year, broken into their focus areas of education, financial stability and health:
- education: $87,000
- Boys and Girls Club: $21,000
- Big Brothers Big Sisters: $4,900
- Centerville early childhood education: $6,200
- foster grandparents: $8,000
- Montana United Indian Association: $8,000
- Peace Place preschool: $21,000
- Young Parents Education Center: $20,000
- financial stability: $166,000
- Alliance for Youth (youth resource center): $23,000
- Cascade County Law Clinic: $12,000
- Family Promise: $10,500
- Great Falls Children’s Receiving Home: $13,000
- NeighborWorks Great Falls: $18,000
- Opportunities, Inc. (housing): $33,000
- St. Vincent de Paul (homeless outreach): $30,000
- Voices of Hope (2-1-1 information line): $12,000
- YWCA Mercy Home: $14,500
- health: $232,000
- Alliance for Youth (Sober Life): $33,000
- Adult Treatment Court: $15,000
- Boys and Girls Club (substance abuse education): $3,000
- CASA-CAN: $20,000
- Dandelion Foundation: $12,000
- Get Fit Great Falls (afterschool program and Park Pals): $13,000
- Kairos Youth Services: $24,000
- Meals on Wheels: $15,500
- Peace Place respite care: $16,000
- Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect task force: $7,000
- St. Vincent de Paul (food program and community kitchen): $57,500
- Toby’s House: $12,000
- Voices of Hope (crisis line): $5,250
