United Way funding available

Applications for Community Care Fund grants will be accepted through Sept. 30

COEUR d’ALENE — United Way of North Idaho has opened its Community Care Fund grant opportunity to social service organizations operating in the five northern counties.

Applications are being accepted now through Sept. 30, with awards announced in December.

“The Community Care Fund represents a core value of United Way’s work — individuals and businesses coming together to invest in the programs and services that improve lives in North Idaho,” executive director Mark Tucker said.

“Over the past decade, dozens of local companies have engaged in annual workplace campaigns, which have allowed us to grant over $1.5 million to local nonprofits,” he said. "All of the lives improved through this funding come from the simple opportunity for employees to contribute a few dollars from their paycheck.”

Grants support a variety of programs and agency operations. In 2018, Kaleidoscope Community Services purchased a work truck with a Care Fund grant to launch a nonprofit work placement program for homeless and displaced citizens.

The program connected 14 individuals from their target population to full-time employment with the use of the purchased truck. Funds have also been used to augment a literacy intervention program for preschool and kindergarten students, through which 82% of children served met grade-level benchmarks.

Nonprofit organizations, schools and health districts in North Idaho whose work aligns with United Way’s focus areas of education, financial stability and health are invited to apply. Applications are reviewed by teams of trained volunteers known as Community Impact Councils.

Application information can be found at www.UnitedWayofNorthIdaho.org/grantapp or by contacting community impact director Keri Cederquist at Keri@UWNorthIdaho.org or by calling 208-667-8112.