Community Investments

Greater Twin Cities United Way exists to fuel lasting change toward our vision of a community where all people thrive regardless of income, race, or place. Because a prosperous future belongs to everyone, our mission is to unite changemakers, advocate for social good, and develop solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone.

Impact Areas

Greater Twin Cities United Way seeks to disrupt the extent to which income, race, or place predicts a person’s ability to thrive. We do so by advancing household stability, educational success, and economic opportunity, toward outcomes where:

Housing

Homelessness is prevented whenever possible, and when not, is rare, brief, and nonrecurring.

Food Security

Residents have access to food that is nutritious, culturally relevant, and affordable, toward long-term food security.

Early Childhood Education

Families and caregivers are equipped to support children in becoming successful learners, and children enter kindergarten ready to learn and thrive.

Career & Future Readiness

All youth have the skills, mindsets, and relationships to choose and direct their own future success.

Economic Opportunity

All adults enter the workforce prepared for skilled employment and increased wealth.

Community Partnership

These outcomes reflect the voices and goals of our community, and we work in partnership to achieve them. Greater Twin Cities United Way is unique because toward each outcome, we meet urgent needs and make the lasting change necessary to address the root causes of disparity.

Request for Proposal

This Request for Proposal (RFP) seeks to fund organizations and partnerships advancing equity through direct services that align with GTCUW outcomes.

Specifically, the RFP will prioritize organizations which:

Are led by, with, and for communities that experience systemic inequities based on race, income, and place;
pursue work that is responsive to and powered by engagement with the community served;
and hold a clear vision for a more equitable and just future for their community.

Download the Full RFP Guidelines →Request Access to the Grants Portal →

These application templates are provided to help you prepare your application. Please note that applications must be submitted in the grants portal by October 15th at 4pm.

Partnership Application Word Template →Single Application Word Template →

Key Dates for Applicants

RFP Application Information Session Recording

Applications Open | Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 9am

Applications Due | Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 4pm

Applicants Notified of First Round Decisions | January 2025

Site Visits Held | January 2025 – March 2025

Applicants Notified of Final Grant Decisions | May 2025

Grant Term Begins | July 1, 2025

Organization Eligibility Requirements

In order to apply to this RFP, your organization must answer YES to all the following criteria. Please note that there are additional eligibility criteria specific to each impact area. Please review the full RFP guidelines to learn more about additional eligibility and priority criteria.

Criteria:

Your organization must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization OR a fiscally sponsored group by an organization that is classified as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
50% or more of the people served by your organization are living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
50% or more of the people served by your organization reside in the nine-county metro region.
Your organization or partnership provides direct services to individuals.
Your organization has been in operation for at least two years OR you are a fiscally sponsored group that has been in operation for at least two years.
Your organization’s current budget is at least $250,000 OR you are a fiscally sponsored group where both your group and the fiscal sponsor each have a budget of at least $250,000.
For organizations required to complete an audit (by law, nonprofits are only subject to audit if they have annual total revenue over $750,000), your most recent audit DOES NOT contain a Going Concern disclosure and your audit opinion is not qualified and free of material weaknesses.

For any special considerations related to these criteria, please contact us at rfp@gtcuw.org to determine your eligibility.

Download the Full RFP Guidelines →Request Access to the Grants Portal →

These application templates are provided to help you prepare your application. Please note that applications must be submitted in the grants portal by October 15th at 4pm.

Partnership Application Word Template →Single Application Word Template →

Application Resources and Other Questions

During the application period, Greater Twin Cities United Way staff are available to answer your questions and assist with your application.

Online Information Session

Our RFP Information Session was held on August 27, 2024 from 9-10:30am. If you missed the session, you can watch the recording here.

One-on-One Help

During the application period, Greater Twin Cities United Way staff are available to answer your questions and assist with your application. Please use this form to request a meeting, and we will respond within 2 business days to coordinate a time that works for you.

Andar Assistance

Frequently Asked Questions

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions. We update this document weekly.

Receive Funding Notices

A mother and her two children stand outside their single family home