United Way of Northwest Vermont announces $748,000 in partner funding to 30 community organizations

Nicole Haley • June 26, 2024 Posted in Uncategorized

South Burlington, VT:

United Way of Northwest Vermont (UWNWVT) will distribute $748,000 in 2024 to 30 local organizations that are meeting an array of interconnected needs in our community. These grants represent one piece of United Way’s community funding. Last year, United Way invested $2.7 million into our community thanks to the support of generous donors and volunteers.

The partner funding will support organizations that address our community’s highest priorities, including meeting basic needs (housing, food, transportation), supporting families, promoting mental health, reducing substance misuse and fostering financial stability. “United Way’s funded partners face many common challenges: Vermont’s housing and homelessness crisis, escalating mental health and substance misuse issues, and difficulty recruiting and retaining staff, to name a few. At the same time, there is so much incredible work happening as United Way and our partners work together to find creative solutions to address
immediate needs and to affect long-term change,” said United Way Director of Partner & Volunteer Engagement Megan Bridges. “I’m inspired every day by how our community continues to show up for each other to build a better tomorrow.”

These grants will help United Way’s funded partners respond to a wide variety of needs across our region. Some of the services this funding will support include:
• Emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness and people fleeing domestic violence; housing retention services to help people not lose their homes; and alternative housing options for older adults, people with disabilities, and people with limited financial means.
• Services and resources to help people gain financial stability and to meet their basic needs, including food security.
• Support for parents and families, including home visiting, early childhood services, parenting support and education.
• Accessible and appropriate mental health services and resources for people of all ages.
• Recovery and wellness support for individuals, parents, and families to reduce impacts of substance misuse.
• A wide range of services and supports for all members of our community, including older adults, people with intellectual disabilities and autism, immigrants and refugees, people living with chronic conditions, and more.

See below for a full list of funded organizations.
United Way’s work, including the partner funding process, is 100 percent community driven. Our Partner Funding Team – a group of citizen volunteers who live, work and play in Chittenden, Grand Isle and Franklin counties – reviews the funding portfolio and visits with funded partners each year to engage in deep learning about challenges and successes. Partner funding is one of the many ways United Way amplifies contributions from local donors and volunteers to make a greater impact in our community. For example, as a Lead Prevention Organization, United Way recently sub-granted $372,000 to 19 organizations to advance substance misuse prevention efforts throughout our region.