ALICE: At the Heart of Our Work
ANNUAL GRANT PROCESS
Empowering our community through grant opportunities.
ANNUAL GRANT PROCESS
Empowering our community through grant opportunities.
2027-2028 Timeline
Community Investment Grants
Letter of Intent
Open January 4th-9th, 2027
Application
January 18th-29th, 2027
Community Investment Process
United Way of Southeastern Idaho’s Community Investment Process brings together generous donations from across our region into a single Community Fund. These funds are invested locally in our seven southeastern Idaho counties through annual grants awarded to nonprofit organizations providing critical human services.
Local nonprofits access Community Fund dollars through a competitive grant application process. Our donors place their trust in United Way to invest these resources wisely—in programs that address demonstrated community needs, achieve measurable results, and demonstrate strong fiscal responsibility.
To ensure funding decisions reflect community priorities and uphold high standards of quality, United Way of Southeastern Idaho engages local volunteers who are deeply invested in strengthening our communities to review and evaluate grant applications.
Funded programs are required to clearly identify the community need they address, describe their strategy for addressing that need, and outline the outcomes they expect to achieve.
The Community Investment Process is guided by three impact areas:
- Financial Security
- Healthy Community
- Youth Opportunity
Together, these focus areas drive investments that create lasting, positive change for individuals and families across Southeastern Idaho.
Financial Security
Financial Security empowers individuals and families to build economic security and long-term stability by providing education, tools, and opportunities to thrive financially.
Goals & Outcomes Under This Area:
- Increase financial literacy and asset development
- Improve employment outcomes through training and job readiness
- Expand access to career pathways and adult education
- Support housing stability and prevention of homelessness
- Help families achieve greater financial independence and peace of mind
Example Activities / Programs:
- Financial coaching, budgeting, credit-building education
- Job training, career development and placement services
- Small business support and entrepreneurship programs
- Housing assistance, rental support, and homeownership education
- Access to public benefits and resources
Healthy Community
Healthy Community focuses on improving health and well-being for everyone, expanding access to care, and removing barriers that keep people from living healthy lives.
Goals & Outcomes Under This Area:
- Increase access to health care and health education
- Reduce food insecurity and improve nutrition
- Support mental health and substance misuse recovery
- Promote family caregiving and wellness
- Foster safe, healthy environments and disease prevention
Example Activities / Programs:
- Health clinics and preventive care services
- Nutrition programs, food access initiatives, and food banks
- Mental health support, counseling, and peer support groups
- Substance misuse prevention and recovery programs
- Community health education & outreach
Youth Opportunity
United Way defines Youth Opportunity as supporting young people to realize their full potential by helping them succeed from early childhood through education and into adulthood.
Goals & Outcomes Under This Area:
- Strengthen early learning and school readiness
- Improve academic performance and literacy
- Increase high school graduation rates
- Expand access to out-of-school programs, mentoring, and youth development
- Support college and career readiness and family engagement in learning
Example Activities / Programs:
- Early childhood education and childcare
- After-school and summer learning programs
- Literacy and mentoring initiatives
- College/career exploration & workforce readiness support
- STEM, arts, and leadership development programs
Grant Eligibility
Through our Community Investment Process, United Way of Southeastern Idaho prioritizes programs that align with one or more of these impact areas and demonstrate collaboration, accountability, and measurable results. Together, these focus areas ensure Community Fund dollars are invested where they can make the greatest local impact across our seven southeastern Idaho counties.
To be eligible to apply, organizations must:
- Be a 501(c)(3) human services nonprofit in good standing
- Have been operational for at least two years
- Provide services within United Way of Southeastern Idaho’s service area
- Request funding for a program aligned with United Way’s impact areas
Funding requests must fall within the following guidelines:
- First-time applicants may request up to $5,000
- Returning applicants may request between $1,000 and $30,000
- Requests above $30,000 require prior approval from United Way staff
United Way of Southeastern Idaho prioritizes programs that:
- Address a clearly-defined community need
- Demonstrate measurable outcomes and results
- Use data to track progress and inform program improvement
All eligible applications are reviewed by local community volunteers who help ensure Community Fund dollars are invested responsibly and create meaningful, lasting impact across our communities.
For more information, please contact Molly Olson
MEDIA CONTACT:
Molly Whitworth, COO
United Way of Southeastern Idaho
molly@unitedwaysei.org
(208) 232-1389
Grant Application Alignment
Our grant process is designed to be a platform through which your organization’s initiatives can directly impact the lives of those in need. We’re seeking programs that align with our core Impact Areas:
Cradle to Career Opportunity Gaps
GOAL: All children in Eastern Idaho will enter school ready for kindergarten.
GOAL: Every person in Eastern Idaho will obtain a postsecondary credential or degree leading to economic empowerment.
Reducing Food Insecurity
GOAL: All individuals, especially vulnerable populations and rural communities, will have access to healthy food and nutrition.
GOAL: All individuals will have access to programs that support good nutrition.
Increasing Access to Mental Health/Primary Healthcare for the Uninsured/Underinsured
GOAL: All SE Idahoans will have affordable access to mental and behavioral healthcare.
GOAL: All SE Idahoans will have access to health insurance and basic healthcare.
GOAL: All individuals, especially survivors of abuse, will have access to a safe living environment.
Increasing Housing Stability
GOAL: All ALICE families will have access to permanent, supportive, and affordable housing in our region.
GOAL: All ALICE families will have access to resources to avoid evictions that result in homelessness.
GOAL: All individuals and families (including survivors of domestic violence) experiencing homelessness will have access to safe, reliable shelter and case management services in our region.
To ensure the alignment of our efforts
And to make a significant difference, we want to provide you with clear qualifications and all the resources for submitting a funding application:
- Program Outcomes and Data-Driven Approach: We are committed to programs that demonstrate measurable impact. Your application should show how your programs and services are improving a population-level outcome.
- For example, if your program is distributing food to children, you can tie your program outcomes to population-level outcomes. For instance: “Our program served 300 children this year. We know that 16.7% of children in Idaho are food insecure. Therefore, our program is directly contributing to improving this population-level outcome.”
- Focus on Community Needs: Our goal is to address the most pressing needs of our community. Your application should demonstrate a clear connection between your program’s outcomes and the community needs you’re addressing. We encourage a strategic approach that leads to meaningful change.
- 501(c)(3) Status: Eligible applicants must be a human service 501(c)(3) organization that has been operational for a minimum of two years. This ensures that our partnerships are with organizations that have a proven track record of service and impact.
- Funding Request Amount: Funding requests must be a minimum of $1,000 and must not exceed $30,000. If your program requires funding beyond $30,000, we kindly ask that you consult with UWSEI staff before submitting your request.
Apply and Make a Difference
We encourage organizations that meet these qualifications to submit their funding applications. By partnering with us, you become part of a network that is actively working to create positive change in Southeastern Idaho.
Volunteer Voices
Behind this process are dedicated volunteers who carefully review grant applications and conduct site visits. These volunteers, who share your passion for change, become the voice of our donors. Their commitment ensures that donor contributions are strategically channeled to create the greatest impact.
Our Focus on Impact
United Way of Southeastern Idaho is dedicated to moving the needle on our community’s most critical needs. Our approach emphasizes how program outcomes contribute to population-level outcomes, ensuring that our efforts have a far-reaching impact.
Links & Resources
To help with you application
United For ALICE
ALICE at the Heart
2026-2027 Funded Programs
Together, we are making a difference.
