Granite United Way announces second round of responsive grant funding

MANCHESTER, NH– Granite United Way volunteer-led Community Impact Committees across seven regions have completed the second round of responsive grant funding.

Aligning with its Strategic Plan, Granite United Way offers nonprofits an opportunity to access responsive funding three times per year with grants ranging from $1,000 – $10,000 each cycle.

“Granite United Way volunteers truly leverage our unique ability to adapt to the changing needs of our community. Their thoughtful review of applications during our second round of responsive grant funding provided a deep insight on the immediate issues our nonprofit partners are facing,” said Nichole Martin Reimer, President and CEO of Granite United Way. “This streamlined opportunity allows the nonprofits across our regions to request up to $10,000 for critical needs. In addition to strategic investments earlier this year, we were able to immediately distribute over $322,000 to address those needs.”

In February, certified 501(c)3 organizations, or organizations with a fiscal sponsor, had a second opportunity to apply for funding in all seven of the regions Granite United Way serves. General grant funding is intended to support programs that enable individuals and communities to ‘Learn, Earn and Be Healthy.’

Highlights of the new funding model during this second cycle:

• Local Community Impact Committee (CIC) members evaluated all applications and made funding recommendations to Granite United Way’s Board of Directors
• Over $322,000 to be distributed to local nonprofits
• Grant requests ranged from $1,000 – $10,000
• Nearly 29% of the organizations who applied received partial or full funding

Local Community Impact Committee volunteers are seeing critical needs across our community.

Central Region

“Our committee had a chance to review the proposals and see where the available funds could go the furthest. This round of applicants demonstrated increased need for youth services, and we knew that was an area our investment could make a significant impact. We are committed to evaluating this process to provide our community with what it needs,” said Justin Slattery, Granite United Way Board Member and CIC Member.

Merrimack County

“Our volunteer Community Impact Committee members worked together to review these requests. We found ourselves leaning toward tangible, immediate impact for our nonprofits. We wanted to address issues like housing, food insecurity and youth needs. By offering the opportunity to apply for funding multiple times a year our nonprofit partners have increased flexibility in their requests,” said Betsey Rhynhart, Vice President of Population Health at Concord Hospital and Granite United Way Board Member.

Northern Region

“Our team of volunteers asked ourselves how we could help the most people at this time. Having the opportunity to address immediate needs in our community has made a real impact, investing in services that help those who are unhoused, addressing food insecurity to those providing youth resources where the next generation are able to build critical leadership skills,” said Tamara Roberge, Northern Region CIC Member.

Southern Region

“We were impressed with the quality of the grant proposals from our nonprofit partners, including several who had never applied for United Way funding before. Our Community Impact Committee was able to support some key priority areas and vulnerable populations being impacted by the current environment,” said Tim Soucy, Granite United Way Board Member and Southern Region CIC Chair.

Upper Valley

“It is rewarding to be part of this committee with the opportunity to make an impact in our community. This is a productive and collaborative process where we were able to really define some of the most immediate needs about community is facing,” said Anne M. Goodrich, Executive Director, Maynard House and CIC Member.

North Country

“This second round of grant funding gave us a real-time assessment of some of the most critical needs across the North Country. Our Community Impact Committee volunteers had deep discussions about the impact our funding could have. There were applicants who were asking for very specific needs so we knew our funding would make a real impact,” said Rusty Talbot, Founder of North Country Climbing Center and CIC Member.

Greater Seacoast Region

“The move to providing nonprofits with immediate resources was the best way we could help address needs right now. Our region’s volunteers were able to focus on funding housing and food insecurity as well as an increased need in youth services. We saw that need and were able to put investments towards that,” said Colby Gamester, Granite United Way Board Member and CIC Member.

Granite United Way will announce upcoming funding cycles on their website, www.graniteuw.org.

Granite United Way

Granite United Way is an experienced and trusted organization dedicated to leveraging the resources of investors and volunteers to create lasting change by addressing the underlying causes of our community’s most pressing needs. United Way’s purpose is to convene public, private, and governmental leaders and resources to tackle the largest, most pressing issues facing our community. Granite United Way fights for the education, health and financial stability of everyone in every community.

Each year, 1 in 3 residents of New Hampshire and Windsor County, Vermont engages with Granite United Way as a donor, volunteer or beneficiary of a United Way-funded program. Granite United Way, the merger of 7 local United Ways, mobilizes the power of 22,000 donors and volunteers to provide more than $13 million in support to over 450,000 individuals and provides funding to more than 750 nonprofit programs. Granite United Way is rated a Platinum level participant by Candid (formerly GuideStar) and a Four-Star Rating by Charity Navigator.

Granite United Way serves the Central Region, Merrimack County, Greater Seacoast Region, North Country, Northern Region, Southern Region (Manchester / Derry / Salem) and Upper Valley Regions of New Hampshire as well as Windsor County, Vermont.  For more information, visit www.graniteuw.org.