Citizens Review Panel
Citizens Review Panel
Citizens Review Panel
See how it works. Trained volunteers protect donor investment.
United Way of the CSRA Citizens Review panels are composed entirely of community volunteers and are responsible for visiting United Way's partner agencies annually to review the funded programs and services as well as make funding recommendations bi-yearly in our Community Investment Process. These panels are vital in maintaining United Way agency credibility and accountability to the community while ensuring the community outcomes are being effectively evaluated.
See how it works. Trained volunteers protect donor investment.
United Way of the CSRA Citizens Review panels are composed entirely of community volunteers and are responsible for visiting United Way's partner agencies annually to review the funded programs and services as well as make funding recommendations bi-yearly in our Community Investment Process. These panels are vital in maintaining United Way agency credibility and accountability to the community while ensuring the community outcomes are being effectively evaluated.
See how it works. Trained volunteers protect donor investment.
United Way of the CSRA Citizens Review panels are composed entirely of community volunteers and are responsible for visiting United Way's partner agencies annually to review the funded programs and services as well as make funding recommendations bi-yearly in our Community Investment Process. These panels are vital in maintaining United Way agency credibility and accountability to the community while ensuring the community outcomes are being effectively evaluated.
REQUEST FOR LETTERS OF INTENT MICRO CAPACITY GRANT
Program Year 2024-2025
United Way of the CSRA is requesting Letters of Intent (LOI) for $5,000 Micro Capacity Grants for the Program Year 2024-2025. Under the Leading Families Forward initiative, UWCSRA seeks to fund coordinated services specifically to families struggling to overcome barriers to success. Working in collaborative partnerships, agencies seeking funding should support a multi-generational service model that provides education to parents, encourages parental involvement in the education of their children, and invests in children becoming more productive adults in the future. Agencies should demonstrate how they work collectively on issues most strongly affecting under-resourced children and families, target specific issues in a holistic approach, and convene volunteers, community leaders, and key stakeholders in an effort to raise awareness and advocate for more economic mobility opportunities across the region. Our goal is to provide families living in poverty with the resources and services that allow them to move from poverty into self-sufficiency, crossing that poverty threshold for a more successful life.
In order to truly lead families out of the situation of being the “working poor” or living below the poverty line, we must break the cycle of poverty by working with young children to get them ready to learn, to work with youth to maintain that level of engagement that leads to self-sufficiency, and to support working parents by removing the barriers that keep them from gainful employment and further education.
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Childhood Success (ages 0-11)
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Youth Success (ages 12-24)
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Workforce Development
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Access to Resources (including healthcare, food, and other basic needs)
The Micro Capacity Grants are intended to strengthen agencies doing this work to expand the level of services provided within our key focus areas of:
Agencies receiving this funding will measure the impact of these funds on the capacity to serve our community.
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Agencies must be designated as a 501c(3) nonprofit by the IRS.
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Agencies must maintain an established and voluntary board of directors that meets regularly.
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Agencies must be established and functional for a minimum of one (1) year.
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Agencies must provide services that contribute to the health and welfare of individuals and families residing within at least one of the twelve (12) counties that are a part of United Way of the CSRA's service area. Those counties include: in Georgia, Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, and Wilkes; and in South Carolina, Aiken and Edgefield.
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Agencies must develop a process for capturing results data for program services.
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No funds may be used for capital projects. UWCSRA will only fund program expenses. This may include salaries directly related to the program and other operating expenses directly related to expanding the capacity of the program.
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Agencies who are awarded funding for a second year are required to submit an evaluation of Agreed
Upon Procedures conducted by an independent CPA. -
All programs in the request must contribute to the improvement in the lives of families under one or
more of the four key focus areas. -
Agencies who are invited to submit a full application must agree to host a panel of 6-8 volunteers at
their site as a part of the annual evaluation process.
Additional terms for awarded agencies will be available if invited to apply. Submission of this Letter of Intent does not constitute a binding agreement and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application.
Funding
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By submitting this LOI, you are asking for an invitation to apply for funding in our next application cycle.
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Available funding is based on the results of the current year’s campaign. For example, the dollars
raised through the 2023 Campaign are allocated to programs that start July 2024 and run through June
2025. Campaign results and funded partners from prior years may be on our website at
www.uwcsra.org. -
The Micro Grants are for a maximum of $5,000. The number of awards will vary based on the
Campaign outcomes. -
No agency will be awarded both a Community Grant and a Micro Grant.
Application and Selection Process for LOIs
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This solicitation form is available by registering at https://agency.e-cimpact.com/login.aspx?org=20495.
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Register your agency. Then, complete the Agency and Program information. Complete all forms
included in the process. Please be sure to click submit once complete. -
Each LOI will be reviewed for responsiveness based on the eligibility criteria above.
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The Community Investment Committee of our Board of Directors will review the LOIs for the detailed information about the program as outlined by the LOI template. The Committee will select the agencies who will be invited to submit a full application.
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Agencies that show close collaborative relationships will be looked upon favorably.
Timeline
The deadline for submission of the LOI is Monday, November 6, 2023, at 5 p.m. EST. All applicants will be notified of the Committee’s decision by December 1, 2023. The agencies who are invited to submit a full application will have specific instructions and a separate application timeline included in their letter.
Applications are expected to be released in January with a due date of early February.
Volunteer Panel site visits are generally conducted from late February through March. Agencies are notified of funding decisions in June 2024. All program activity should begin, if awarded, on July 1, 2024 and agencies will receive monthly payments through June 2025.
Letter of Intent Submission & Content Guidelines
Leading Families Forward Initiative Funding
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Agency Information
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Agency submitting the letter (should be the same agency that will be the primary applicant if invited to apply.)
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Primary Agency’s Address and Website
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Primary Contact Person for the Application Process (Full Name, Position Title, Mailing Address, Email, and Phone Number)
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Agencies collaborating on this program and the primary contact of each (Full Name, Position Title, Mailing Address, Email, and Phone Number for each contact)
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How this funding will be used and the amount required.
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The quantitative level of impact this will have on the agency’s ability to expand services within
UWCSRA’s focus areas. -
The amount requested up to $5,000.
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