The 2025-26 Community Investment Application provides 501(c)(3) organizations the opportunity to provide investment work through the United Way of Huntington County in one of the three issue areas: Youth Opportunity, Healthy Community, and Financial Opportunity. In June of 2016 the United Way of Huntington County developed the Community Investment Portfolio. This portfolio has led the way in identifying specific goals based on community conversations in Huntington County. This portfolio identifies specific goals and measurable outcomes based on the three issue areas.
Each applicant agrees to align the application in at least one of these areas. After submitting the application and meeting with a board of volunteers from the Huntington County Community, funded partners are notified of dollars awarded in May with the first distribution in July 2025.
The work our funded partners do is important. We appreciate and value the work of our funded partners, and know they make a difference in the lives of community members in Huntington County. Whether it is in the area of Youth Opportunity, Healthy Community, or Financial Opportunity, the work our funded partners do increases the quality of life for all and makes Huntington THE place to sink your roots to work, live, and play.
For further information, please contact Sarah Kemp at skemp@huntingtonunitedway.com or 260-356-6160.
Description:
Community Investment Grant Application Process **APPLICATION PROCESS IS CLOSED FOR 2025-26 GRANT CYCLE**
For the upcoming cycle, the United Way of Huntington County is accepting applications from all 501(c)(3) organizations that serve Huntington County who have a role to play in enhancing the life for all in Huntington County.
This is an annual, open, and competitive progress that funds work toward one or more of the areas (Youth Opportunity, Healthy Community, Financial Opportunity) in annual cycles. All organizations must be able to demonstrate how it plans to implement work, and provide results on at least a twice a year process. Data must be tracked and reported based minimally on the metrics outlined in the United Way of Huntington County Community Investment Portfolio. This document is available here.
The process includes five phases for the grant cycle.
Phase I: Letter of Intent and Memorandum of Understanding. Each organization that intends to apply for investment dollars must submit a Letter of Intent and sign the Memorandum of Understanding no earlier than December 6, 2024 and no later than January 10, 2025.
Phase II: Application. Organizations that have submitted a Letter of Intent successfully are notified to submit an application. The application process opens Monday, February 10, 2025 and closes Friday, March 14, 2025. All applications must be submitted by end of working day (5:00 pm) on the 14th. Any application submitted after 5:00 pm is not accepted.
Phase III: On-Site Interview. All applications are then scored by a team of volunteers with expertise in one of the applied for areas. Applicants receive scores and questions back after this process has been completed. Applicants prepare for the On-Site interview, on Saturday, April 26, 2025 beginning at 8:00am. Location to be determined. Applicants should be ready to present on the program, including answering questions addressed, explanation of how data is to be tracked, and intended outcomes.
Phase IV: Award notification. Successful organizations that receive funding are notified by May 30, 2025 with an Award Letter.
Phase V: Implementation. Grants dollars are awarded each quarter beginning in July 2025. Previous grantees must submit the prior year report by July 15, 2025. If an organization fails to submit a year-end report by this date, the signed Memorandum of Understanding is voided and no further dollars are distributed. Additionally, successful organizations that receive funding are expected to report data at least twice a year: January 15, 2026 (data from July 1-December 31, 2025) and July 15, 2026 (data from January 1, 2026-June 30, 2026).