Frequently Asked Questions

United Way of Central Alabama invites nonprofit organizations in Central Alabama to submit applications for funding to provide immediate relief to agencies stressed by dwindling resources and increasing needs that are a direct result of current economic conditions. Funds will be distributed to supplement agencies’ abilities to continue feeding programs, shelters, emergency medical transport services, prescription assistance, utilities assistance, residential programs for people with disabilities who require assistance in order to live and other providers of services necessary to sustain life.

 

Why did United Way set up the Community Crisis Fund?

In 2009, the United Way of Central Alabama initiated a Community Crisis Fund to provide immediate relief to agencies stressed by dwindling resources and increasing needs that are a direct result of current economic conditions. Forty-seven nonprofit organizations received over $240,000 in cash grants or credit at the United Way Community Food Bank to supplement their ability to provide direct, basic need services. Thanks to a gift from a generous donor, the United Way of Central Alabama is pleased to offer the Community Crisis Fund again in 2010. We invite nonprofit organizations in Central Alabama to submit applications for funding.

Who will be eligible to apply?

United Way agencies, other health and human service agencies and incorporated faith organizations in Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby and Walker counties with a successful track record of providing direct, basic need services. Applicants must: 1) have capability and capacity to feed the hungry, provide clothing, prescription assistance, or any life sustaining activity to an overflow of individuals affected by the current recession and 2) provide documentation indicative of work. Anyindividual applying for direct assistance will be forwarded to an appropriate agency.

Funding applications will be considered using the following criteria:

• Applicants must either be a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization (501 c 3), OR an incorporated religious institution (i.e. a church, temple or mosque.)
• Agency currently provides basic needs goods or services, with eligibility requirements for its clientele.
• Agency has demonstrated capability to serve clients effectively and to collect unduplicated client data
• Agency must clearly describe the increased need for client services due to the economic downturn, and increasing numbers of NEW clients.
• Agency has capacity to serve an increased number of clients.
• Application includes an authorized signature.
• Special consideration will be given to vulnerable populations.
• Special consideration will be given to geographic locations and neighborhoods with limited access to services.

 

What can grant funds be used for?

• Credits to redeem for food for current member agencies in good standing with the United Way Community Food Bank (UWCFB)
• Cash to purchase food
• Utility assistance for clients who have exhausted other available resources, such as the JCCEO Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
• Housing assistance to clients facing imminent eviction or foreclosure
• Emergency medical transportation
• Prescription medication for clients who have exhausted their benefits from Medicaid, Medicare, All Kids or private insurance

Agencies seeking support for other services necessary to sustain life, as a direct result of the economic downturn should contact Marguerite Johnson, Vice President for Agency Allocations ( mjohnson@uwca.org or (205) 458-2065) before submitting an application.

 

Are any costs ineligible?

Yes. Grants from the Community Crisis Fund are intended for direct service costs to clients that are a result of the increased demand for basic, life-sustaining goods and services such as food, shelter, clothing, emergency medical transport, prescription drug assistance, utilities assistance for heat and cooling costs, etc. The fund will NOT support:

• Personnel
• Administrative and overhead costs, including an agency’s utility costs
• Capital projects or equipment
• New programs
• Program expansions (unless those expansions can be directly linked to an increased demand as a result of the recession.)
• Ongoing program costs for existing clients with chronic needs for basic goods and services.

 

  How is the 2010 Community Crisis Fund different from 2009?

• Applications will be reviewed by the Committee every other month (in 2009 they were reviewed every month.) As long as funds are available, there will be specific application deadlines in February, April, June, August and October.

 

• The maximum grant size is increased to $5,000, with the expectation that funds/Food Bank credits will generally be used over an 8 week period.

 

• The application and Follow-Up Report are in a new format. There is only one application; you use the same application each time you apply.

 

• If your agency receives a cash grant, a Follow-Up Report requires that you provide us with how much money was spent for each type of assistance you provided (for example, you received a $2,000 grant and spent $1,500 on utility assistance and $500 for emergency housing assistance.)

 

• All recipient agencies have to report how many unduplicated clients were served through the Community Crisis Fund grant, of these how many were NEW clients and how many unduplicated clients your agency served through Community Crisis Funds since January 1, 2010.

 

What are “unduplicated clients” and how do I count them?

Each individual or family served should be counted only once, regardless of how many times they received assistance from Community Crisis Fund resources during the grant period. For example, your agency receives a grant starting on May 1 - Mrs. Brown comes in the first week and receives a food box for her family, and the next week she comes back and receives assistance for a utility bill. Mrs. Brown is counted only once.

 

One way to keep track of unduplicated clients is to ask each client to fill out a form or a sign in sheet when they come in for services. You can compare the sheets to find out if clients received services only once or multiple times. The Follow-Up Report requires that you report on the number of unduplicated clients you served with that grant, how many NEW clients you saw during that period and how much money/Food Bank Credits were spent for each type of assistance you provide. Client forms can also be used to collect this information. (If you receive multiple grants from the Community Crisis Fund in 2010, a client can be re-counted if they are served within a different grant cycle.)

 

What size awards will be made?

Grants will be a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $5,000. It is the United Way’s expectation that funds/Food Bank credits will generally be used over an 8 week period. You can use your credits with the Community Food Bank all at one time (if you have adequate storage), or you can redeem credits in smaller amounts over the 8 week period. Agencies may be funded more than once as their documented need dictates and United Way’s resources allow.

 

How do agencies apply?

Complete a 2010 United Way Community Crisis Fund Application (can be found at www.uwca.org by clicking on the Community Crisis Fund link); typed applications are strongly preferred over handwritten.

 

Mail one hard copy of the completed application, with an original authorizing signature, and include the following attachments:

• IRS 501 (c ) (3) tax exemption letter (if applicable)
• Form 990 for the most recently completed tax year, including Schedule A (if applicable)
• Board of Directors list
• Most recent audit OR for agencies without an audit or budgets under $250,000, a Statement of Financial Position and/or current annual operating budget (revenues and expenses)
• Completed Counterterrorism Compliance form, with original signature (can be found at www.uwca.org by clicking on the Community Crisis Fund additional information link)

 

*Current United Way partner agencies with up-to-date documentation on file are NOT required to submit the attachments.

*Previous Community Crisis Fund recipients are asked to submit updated documents if applying again in 2010.

 

 When are applications due?

The Community Crisis Fund volunteer committee meets every other month to review applications. Applications approved by the Committee will generally receive funds by the beginning of the following month. As long as funds continue to be available, application deadlines are:

 

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Monday, April 12, 2010

Monday, June 7, 2010

Monday, August 9, 2010

Monday, October 11, 2010

Monday, December 6, 2010

 

 

What reports are required?

Organizations receiving grants from the Community Crisis Fund are required to complete a Follow-Up Report at the end of the grant period (usually 8 weeks); the form can be found at www.uwca.org by clicking on the Community Crisis Fund link. Report deadlines will be included in the grant award letter. The Follow Up report must be received and approved by United Way staff before new applications for funding will be considered.

 

Who can I contact if I have other questions?

 

If you have any questions, please call Marguerite Johnson 205-458-2065

or email: mjohnson@uwca.org

Completed proposals should be addressed to:

United Way of Central Alabama

Agency Impact Department

Attn: Marguerite Johnson

P. O. Box 320189

Birmingham, AL 35232-0189

Email: mjohnson@uwca.org

Fax: 205.458.2013

 

Applications and Counterterrorism Compliance forms must be submitted with original signatures; however, applications will be accepted via email or fax with hard copy to follow in order to meet the deadline.