United Way Of Southwest Minnesota

SEE SCHEDULE O.

COMMUNITY IMPACT: UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA IS A MINNESOTA NONPROFIT CORPORATION. IT IS A LOCAL AUTONOMOUS 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION WORKING TO CREATE LASTING CHANGES IN PEOPLE'S LIVES AND THE COMMUNITIES IN LINCOLN, LYON, MURRAY, YELLOW MEDICINE AND PORTIONS OF COTTONWOOD, LAC QUI PARLE, NOBLES AND REDWOOD COUNTIES OF MINNESOTA. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS BY PARTNERING WITH NON-PROFIT AGENCIES, SCHOOLS OR LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT THAT SERVE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND BY TARGETING GRANTS FOR SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT PRODUCE OUTCOMES WITHIN THE AREAS OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY, HUNGER, AND SAFETY & WELL-BEING. ANNUALLY, THE UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS DETERMINES THE OVERALL FUNDING LEVEL FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANTS BASED UPON RESOURCES GATHERED DURING THE PRECEDING FUND-RAISING CAMPAIGN. QUALIFYING ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE LOCAL PEOPLE ARE INVITED TO PREPARE GRANT PROPOSALS THAT ADDRESS STRATEGIES WITHIN THE ABOVE LISTED PRIORITY AREAS. GRANT APPLICATIONS UNDERGO REVIEW THOUGH AN ORGANIZED CITIZEN REVIEW PROCESS (OUTLINED IN PART IV, SCHEDULE I, PART 1, LINE 2). RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THEN PRESENTED TO THE UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR FINAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL. APPROVED GRANTS BECOME AVAILABLE JULY 1 OF EACH YEAR. ALL COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANTS ARE PAID OUT IN QUARTERLY INSTALLMENTS.

INTERNAL PROGRAMS: UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA FOCUSES ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY, HUNGER, AND SAFETY & WELL-BEING. THE UNITED WAY SUCCESS BY 6 INITIATIVE STRIVES TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE READY TO SUCCEED WHEN THEY ENTER KINDERGARTEN. CHILDREN WHO START BEHIND, STAY BEHIND. KEY STRATEGIES INCLUDE SPONSORSHOP OF THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM WHICH PUTS QUALITY, AGE APPROPRIATE BOOKS INTO THE HANDS OF CHILDREN (BIRTH - AGE 5) EACH MONTH AT NO COST TO THEIR FAMILIES; PREPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL READINESS KITS FOR ALL CHILDREN PRIOR TO ENTERING KINDERGARTEN; AND PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF LITERACY BUILDING AND ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS. OTHER INITIATIVES EXAMPLES: ANNUAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVES WHERE UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA PROVIDES STAFF SUPPORT, VOLUNTEERS, PUBLICITY, AND SERVES AS FISCAL AGENT; SUMMER PROGRAMS; AND UNITED WAY STAFF ORGANIZE AND RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS FOR TARGETED COMMUNITY PROJECTS, I.E. DAYS OF ACTION, FOOD COLLECTION, VOLUNTEER READING EFFORTS; DISTRIBUTION OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG DISCOUNT CARDS TO PHARMACIES AND PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE CARDS; ANNUAL PREPARATION, PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDES, A PRINTED SUPPLEMENT TO THE UNITED WAY 211 INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICE IS DONE BY UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. INITIATIVES ARE DEVELOPED OR SUPPORTED WHEN UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA IDENTIFIES A GAP OR A NEED THAT IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO TAKE ACTION.

SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM: IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS, PROGRAMS OR INITIATIVES IN NEED OF A SMALL, ONE-TIME GRANT FOR WORK THAT ALIGNS WITH UWSWMN GOALS FOR THE COMMON GOOD. UWSWMN SMALL GRANTS GRANTS CAN BE USED FOR PROJECTS SUCH AS: PROGRAM WORK INCLUDING PLANNING, TRAINING AND/OR DEVELOPMENT; ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING INCLUDING STRATEGIC PLANNING, GOVERNANCE AND OTHER TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL PLANNING AND/OR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES; COMMUNITY AND/OR HUMAN SERVICE WORK THAT INCLUDES VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION OR EMERGING OR UNMET NEEDS; AND/OR TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO LOCAL ISSUES. THERE WERE NO GRANTS PROVIDED OUT OF THE SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM IN THE CURRENT YEAR.