The United Way of the River Cities has awarded $525,880 in grants to 26 nonprofits in its five-county service area for the 2022-23 funding cycle.
These grants target critical issues in the areas of health, education, financial stability and safety net services by investing in local programs managed by nonprofits that work to solve these issues in Cabell, Lincoln, Mason and Wayne counties in West Virginia, and Lawrence County, Ohio.
“We received more than 30 proposals from the community full of well-considered plans to improve the lives of many,” said Lara Lawson, UWRC’s director of community impact. “The process to review applications takes more than 700 volunteer hours to complete, and we are so very grateful to our Community Impact Council and the team of experts who take the time each year to review these plans. We are looking forward to working with our grant partners this year as they serve this community through a challenging time.”
This year, three types of grants were awarded totaling $528,880 in awards: impact grants, safety net grants and capacity-building grants. Impact grants are awarded to programs that address one of UWRC’s critical issues in the focus areas of health, education and financial stability. This year, $281,620 was awarded for impact grants.
Safety net grants are awarded to programs that provide short-term assistance with basic needs such as food, clothing, safe shelter, healthcare and more. Those grants totaled $221,260 this year.
“We’re thrilled and grateful to our entire community for their generous donations of time, talent, and treasure that make it possible to distribute more than one-half million dollars to local agencies and programs doing the essential work of assisting those in need across our region,” said Carol Bailey, UWRC executive director. “These awards are a great example of how we rally together to address critical issues and improve our community by Living United.”
New for this year, the Community Impact Council (CIC) also recommended to fund each grantee with an additional $1,000 for capacity building, for a total of $26,000.
“Because of the philanthropic spirit of our great UWRC donors of the Tri-State, we are delighted to grant these funds into the hands of those who are doing the work at ground zero to produce the greatest returns on investment,” said Charles Shaw, UWRC board member and CIC chair.
2022 Funded Partners List
IMPACT GRANTS
Education-based Impact Grants:
Positive People Association LLC — $13,000
Mason County Library KidsConnect — $10,000
MURC Prevention Empowerment Partnership — $21,120
Lincoln County Library Reading and Education Program — $7,500
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State — $35,000
John W. Hereford Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington — $30,000
Financial Stability-based Impact Grants:
Tri-State Literacy Council — $21,000
Dress for Success River Cities — $24,000
Catholic Charities West Virginia — $24,500
Health-based Impact Grants:
Lincoln County Library Self-Care Program — $7,500
MURC Prevention Empowerment Partnership — $15,000
Lily’s Place — $35,000
YMCA of Huntington — $13,000
Goodwill of KYOVA — $25,000
SAFETY NET GRANTS
SPECO Care Bag Program — $20,000
MURC Explorer Academy — $10,000
Harvest for the Hungry — $16,000
Wayne County Community Services — $4,000
Marshall Health Healthy Connections — $15,000
Children’s Home Society Nancy Tonkin Resource Center — $20,000
BRANCHES — $20,000
Cabell Huntington Coalition for the Homeless — $14,000
Community Mission Outreach — $12,000
Christian Associates Cridlin Food Pantry — $15,000
Facing Hunger Food Bank Backpack Program (Lincoln County) — $15,000
Backpack Buddies (Lawrence County) — $20,000
Gabriel Project — $5,160
Huntington City Mission Community Feeding Program — $35,000
