In the middle of its most ambitious fundraising campaign ever, United Way Perth-Huron has officially opened up an application process for the critical funding it offers to old and new not-for-profit partners every three years.
In the middle of its most ambitious fundraising campaign ever, United Way Perth-Huron has officially opened up an application process for the critical funding it offers to old and new not-for-profit partners every three years.
“This is an exciting time,” Megan Partridge, the local United Way’s director of governance and community impact, said Tuesday. “I know it means a lot to many organizations that we’ve funded through the years but I also think it’s equally as important for new organizations to be able to reach out to us.”
The United Way is accepting expressions of interest for funding until April 15. Afterwards, a volunteer committee decides which organizations will be invited to submit a full application.
Funding recipients will be announced in the new year before their three-year grants are awarded next spring, Partridge said.
The Emily Murphy Centre, Family Services Perth Huron, One Care and the local YMCA are among the local organizations that offer programs supported by donations raised by the United Way during its annual campaigns.
After raising a record $1.9 million during its previous campaign, United Way Perth-Huron announced last fall its most ambitious fundraising target in history, just more than $2 million. A large portion of those funds will be used to address homelessness in Huron-Perth, an issue social service providers say has been exacerbated by the pandemic over the past two years.
“This year’s campaign is especially important … because we are going to try to end homelessness in partnership with a whole number of people,” Ryan Erb, United Way Perth-Huron’s executive director, said at the beginning of the campaign. “It’s a really significant challenge and many people, many partners, have been working on this issue for a long time.”
That focus will extend to the projects and organizations the United Way will fund over the next three years, Partridge said.
“We know there are so many in our community that are living in poverty or close to bring in poverty,” she said. “We’re also prioritizing equity-seeking groups or vulnerable populations. When we have all the organizations that we’re funding, we’re trying to make sure that we’re helping a broad spectrum of individuals.”
The United Way received around 40 applications the last time their multi-year funds were available, Partridge said.