United Way of the Coastal Empire
2028-30 Community Fund Grant FAQ
Last Updated: August 2025
I. Eligibility & Program Alignment
II. Funding Details
III. Application Process
IV. Evaluation & Selection
V. Grantee Orientation/Onboarding
VI. Grant Management & Reporting
VII.Contact Information
Eligibility & Program Alignment
1. Who is eligible to apply for this grant? Eligibility requirements are detailed in the grant guidelines
2. What types of programs will be funded? Programs must align with one of UWCE's strategic impact areas and subsequent impact metric.
• Safety Net: Helping individuals and families meet their basic needs creates a foundation for economic stability. When basic needs are met, people can focus on opportunities for upward mobility rather than crisis management. UWCE’s priorities are 1) Shelter, 2) Healthcare, 3) Legal/abuse intervention, and 4) Food.
o Required Safety Net Metric: # of individuals who received basic needs support and were also provided with or referred to resources for upward mobility (i.e. employment readiness, financial coaching, etc.)
• Upward Mobility: Including Safe & Stable Housing, Ready & Resilient Workforce, Child Care & Development, and Financial Skills for Empowerment.
o Required Upward Mobility metric (select at least 1):
• Workforce Participation: # of individuals who re-enter or advance in the workforce.
• Income Growth: # of individuals who increase income through higher earnings, better benefits, or reduced expenses.
• Academic or Skill Achievement: # of individuals demonstrating academic or skill improvement through industry-recognized assessments.
• Asset/Wealth Building: # of individuals/households acquiring or preserving assets.
3. What is a collaboration? How do I apply as a collaborator?
A collaboration is when two or more nonprofits jointly share funding and work together toward common outcomes within a strategic impact area. One organization must serve as the lead agency and submit the application on behalf of the group. Partner organizations will be named within the application.
Please note: if an agency applies as part of a collaboration, it may not also apply as an individual applicant in that same impact area.
Funding Details
1. Is there a grant minimum or maximum request?
Yes. The minimum grant request is $15,000 while the maximum is $100,000 per program. An agency may submit applications for multiple programs. Total agency-level funding is capped at $200,000.
2. Can an agency apply for more than one program?
Yes. Program-level funding is capped at $100,000, but an agency may submit applications for multiple programs. Total agency-level funding is capped at $200,000.
3. I plan to submit multiple program applications. Since agency-level funding is capped at $200,000, does that mean the total of all my grant requests cannot exceed $200,000?
No. Each program application will be evaluated independently. Funding decisions are based on several factors, including but not limited to, the program’s rank-order score and how the overall budget is allocated across impact areas and strategies. We encourage applicants to carefully assess which grant tier best aligns with each program’s scale, capacity, and anticipated impact.
4. What are the grant tiers available?
$15,000, $25,000, $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000.
5. Are the grant tiers ranges or set award amounts?
The grant tiers are set award amounts ($15,000, $25,000, $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000), not ranges. Applicants are unable to apply for amounts in-between the tiers.
6. How much should I apply for?
Grant tiers are designed to clarify the expectations, outcomes, and scope associated with each award level: $15,000, $25,000, $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000. Applicants are encouraged to make an honest assessment of which tier best aligns with their program’s scale, capacity, and anticipated impact.
7. If we apply for a specific funding tier, might we be awarded a lower tier of funding?
Yes. Grant awards will depend on the strength of your application relative to others, the number of applications received, and the total funds available. As a result, awards may be offered at a lower tier than what was requested.
8. Can we adjust our projected metrics if we are awarded a lower funding tier than requested?
Yes. Metrics must be revised to reflect the awarded funding level. Revised metrics will be reviewed and approved during grantee onboarding and will serve as the basis for reporting and evaluation.
9. How much total grant funding does UWCE have available for grantmaking in the FY 2026-28 grant cycle?
The amount available to be granted in the 2026-28 grant cycle is contingent upon the results of the 2025 and 2026 UWCE Campaigns, specifically the amount raised in undesignated Community Fund contributions.
10. What is the grant period?
UWCE’s fiscal year is July 1 – June 30 and grants will be two-year awards. Therefore, the FY 2026-28 grant will be July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2028, and consist of two fiscal years running consecutively.
11. What can funding be used for?
Eligible expenses include direct or indirect program costs, unless otherwise restricted in the grant agreement. Ineligible expenses include capital campaigns or projects, lobbying activities, and fundraising events.
12. How and when are payments disbursed?
Payments will be disbursed monthly via ACH (Automated Clearing House).
Application Process
1. When is the application deadline? TBD.
2. How do I submit a Letter of Intent (LOI)?
Eligibility permitting, LOIs can be submitted through WizeHive.
3. How do I submit an application?
Organizations with an accepted LOI will receive an invitation to submit a full application through WizeHive.
4. What is an application review meeting?
An application review meeting is a scheduled, structured conversation with applicants about their program’s operations, the people they serve, and the impact they create. These meetings foster mutual understanding and provide space for thoughtful dialogue.
5. What is a site visit?
A site visit is a scheduled tour where United Way staff and volunteers visit your agency to see the applicant program(s) in action and ask questions. Site visits have historically occurred during the application phase but will be implemented as a compliance feature during the second year of our two-year grants, if awarded.
6. What is the difference between an application review meeting and site visit?
Every applicant program is required to participate in an application review meeting, which takes place at UWCE’s office and provides a structured conversation about the program and its impact. Site visits are tours provided by the applicant agency which are scheduled on a limited basis at the discretion of UWCE staff. Because of logistical limitations, most applicants will not have a site visit during the application process. However, site visits will be implemented as a compliance feature during the second year of our two-year grants, if awarded.
7. Does submitting an LOI or full application guarantee funding? No.
8. What happens if my application is incomplete or not submitted by the deadline?
To keep the process fair for all applicants, only complete applications submitted by the deadline may be considered. We encourage you to plan ahead and double-check your materials. Incomplete or late applications are automatically declined.
9. What financial documentation is required?
• An independent financial audit from the most recently completed calendar or fiscal year. A third-party financial review will be accepted for organizations with an annual revenue below $500,000.
• An IRS Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N (e-postcard).
The audit and IRS Form 990 need to cover the same fiscal period.
Evaluation & Selection
1. Is there an appeals process at any stage of the grant process? No.
2. How are applications evaluated?
All applications are scored according to standardized rubrics which you can review:
• application rubric
• finance rubric
3. Does a high score guarantee funding?
No. Application scores are taken into consideration in the selection of programs for funding; however, scores and rankings are not binding. They are one element in a comprehensive decision-making process. UWCE reserves the right to evaluate applications in the broader context of the overall portfolio by considering geographic distribution, underserved populations, and more.
4. Who is responsible for evaluating applications?
United Way’s outcome-based grant evaluation process engages three stakeholder groups: (1) trained Community Investments volunteers, who serve as the primary grant evaluators; (2) finance subject matter experts from UWCE's Finance Committee, who review applicants’ financials; and (3) select UWCE staff, who provide input on partnership and collaboration. Oversight of the process is provided by a standing committee of UWCE's Board of Directors.
5. When will applicants be notified of decisions?
Following the May 2026 UWCE Board meeting. Board meetings are held the third Thursday of each month.
6. Will there be any follow-up for agencies that are not awarded grants?
Agencies not awarded grants may request feedback from Community Investments staff. UWCE does incorporate applicant and panel feedback into future training and FAQs when possible.
Grantee Orientation/Onboarding
1. What should funded agencies expect to provide?
Including but not limited to:
• Fully executed grant agreement
• Revised projected metrics, if applicable
• Digital file of the organization’s logo
• Updated contact information for anyone who should receive communications
• Banking information for direct deposit/ACH
• Information on standing or ongoing volunteer opportunities, including the number of volunteers you can accommodate and a brief description of each opportunity
2. What should funded agencies expect to receive?
Including but not limited to:
• Contact information for key UWCE staff
• Digital file of UWCE’s logo and brand guidelines
• Overview of the full range of benefits available to UWCE funded partner agencies
• Training on the Community Fund and how your agency can support it
• Calendar with important dates
Grant Management & Reporting
1. What type of reporting is required from funded programs?
Mid-year and final reports will be collected at 6-month intervals.
2. What information will be included in the reports?
Please refer back to your submitted application. Grantees will be evaluated on the data points originally collected in the application and measured against progress to date, along with a success story. Demographic data will only be required in the final report.
3. When are the reports due?
• FY 2026-27 mid-year report is due Friday, January 15th by 5:00 PM EST.
• FY 2026-27 final report is due Friday, July 16th by 5:00 PM EST.
• FY 2027-28 mid-year report is due Friday, January 14th by 5:00 PM EST.
• FY 2027-28 final report is due Friday, July 14th by 5:00 PM EST.
4. What period does the report cover?
The mid-year report covers the first 6 months of the grant: July 1 – December 31. The final report covers the last 6 months of the grant: January 1 – June 30.
5. What happens if my mid-year or final report is submitted late? Late reports will result in delayed or withheld payments and will negatively affect future funding evaluations.
6. What happens if we don’t meet our projected metrics? We understand that outputs and outcomes may vary due to circumstances outside of your control. Grantees are expected to provide an explanation in their reports if metrics are not met. Performance against projected metrics is reviewed as part of the grant evaluation process and may affect future funding decisions.
Contact Information
Whom do I contact if I have additional questions?
• Lauren Knight, Vice President of Community Investments o Lknight@uwce.org or 912-651-7722
• Nola Johnson, Director of Community Investments o Njohnson@uwce.org or 912-651-7729