Women United Grant Funding

Grant Applications are due March 27, 2023, by 5:00 p.m.

What is Women United?

Women United is a program within the United Way of North Central Iowa. Women United is led by its members – women across Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Hancock, Worth, Franklin, Mitchell, Winnebago, and Kossuth counties. Women United’s mission is to reduce the impact of gender-based economic inequality on female-led households. We believe this can be accomplished when women target resources, build relationships, and exchange knowledge. Women United connects women with each other, and with the people impacted by their donations, volunteerism, and activism.

There are five components to Women United.

  • Membership
  • Fundraising
  • Grants
  • Monthly socials
  • Mentoring

What are Women United Grants?

Women United members collectively decide to invest in Women United grants to fund projects and initiatives that address under-resourced female-led homes. Women United recognizes the power of women to drive change in our community. As such, applications ought to focus on initiatives, projects, or programs that specifically seek to support, empower, or engage women and young women leading under-resourced households. There is $9,500 to allocate for grant requests. 

Funding Process

Women United Grants are allocated once a year in the spring. It takes approximately 6-8 weeks to review grant applications.  Applicants are encouraged to leave room for the review process while planning their initiatives.

How are funding decisions made?

Funding decisions are made by Women United membership and led by the Women United Steering committee. Funding recommendations are presented to the United Way of North Central Iowa Board of Directors for finalization.

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

Grantee must be a US 5.01(c)3 corporation or not-for-profit status.  We do not accept registration documents issued by any other country. Programs must serve residents in at least one or more of the following counties: Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Kossuth, Mitchell, Winnebago, or Worth. 

Applicants must be a registered tax-exempt nonprofit organization and maintain a volunteer board that meets regularly. 

Programs for which previous grant compliance issues have not been addressed.

What activities/initiatives are eligible for funding?

Women United Grants are intended to support under-resourced female-led households in UWNCI’s eight-county region, which includes the following: Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Kossuth, Winnebago, and Worth Counties. Eligible projects include (but are not restricted to) initiatives that will:

  • Encourage women in the community to be the driving force for change and leadership in addressing the economic disparity of female-led households.
  • Strengthen women’s voices to express community needs with service providers and decision-makers, such as peer leadership initiatives for info sharing, women taking the lead to be community ambassadors-expressing community needs, and advocating for under-resourced female-led households.
  • Projects related to addressing the economic disparity of female-led households.
  • Support outreach efforts to expand service delivery for under-resourced female-led households.
  • Engage under-resourced female-led households in projects that will benefit the community.
  • Community engagement that promotes social inclusion and interaction of under-resourced female-led households.
  • Creative projects that directly benefit under-resourced female-led households.

Ineligible activities

  • Activities that are not directly related to serving under-resourced female-led households.
  • Election campaign events
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Applications for political purposes, religious purposes, or programs requiring religious participation.
  • Applications for fundraising or debt reduction
  • Applications for funds to directly benefit a specific individual or family.
  • Projects that were completed prior to the grant application.
  • Private organizations whose sole purpose is to provide lobbying, environmental, religious, or fundraising activities.
  • Organizations that do not comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations; meet applicable state and local standards for licensing and certification within its specific discipline. 
  • Organizations with programs or activities that are contrary to the goals, aspirations, and policies of Woman United or which are incompatible with the mission of Women United.
  • Costs ineligible for funding
  • Retirement of debts or budget deficits

Applicants ineligible for funding:

  • Faith-based organizations that require adherence to or promotion of religious faith as a condition of receiving support or services.
  • Political parties
  • Fundraising events for organizations, service clubs, or foundations, that act primarily to raise funds for distribution to other organizations.
  • Programs funded through UWNCI's Community Impact Grant

To apply, log into your e-CImpact account and select the Women United Grant on your dashboard. To add a program, select add "new program" as shown below

Instructions

Questions? 

Please contact Jen at jen@unitedwaynci.org or call at 641-423-1774.

Click here to apply