Each year, United Way of Central Illinois invests millions of dollars in local services working to meet the needs of our community. Our focus is on protecting services vital to the immediate Basic Needs of the most vulnerable members of our community; while making long-term investments in Education, Financial Stability and Health, because these are the building blocks for a good quality of life.
Below you will find current investments made through United Way’s Community Fund. Additional programs and funding can be found at the links below.
Effective July 1, 2015, applications for community funds are no longer restricted to member agencies. Programs interested in applying for Community Funds should call the Director of Community Impact at 217-726-7000.
2020-2021 COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS
SUPPORTING A SAFETY NET OF FOOD AND SHELTER
BASIC NEEDS
United Way supports emergency services vital to the basic needs (food and shelter) of the most vulnerable members of our community. These services, which include services for victims of violence and disaster, stabilize families so that they may begin building a good quality of life.
You can learn more about Basic Needs priorities and strategies here.
2020-2021 Basic Needs Investments
Total Investment: $241,991
Funded Programs
- Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
St. John’s Breadline – $62,000 - Contact Ministries and Helping Hands of Springfield, Inc.
Emergency Shelter and Support for Men,Women, and Women with Children – $28,870 - Helping Hands of Springfield, Inc.
Emergency Shelter – $33,340 - Mini O’Beirne Crisis Nursery
Crisis Nursery Core Program – $25,716 - Senior Services of Central Illinois
Daily Bread Home Delivered Meals – $12,000 - Sojourn Shelter and Services
Adult and Children Shelter – $80,065
THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE.
Education, financial stability and health are the building blocks for a good life. Education is essential to getting and keeping a job with a livable wage and health benefits. An income adequate to pay for today’s necessities and save for the future provides families some sense of financial stability. Access to quality health care keeps children on track in school and adults productive at work. Remove any one of these building blocks and the other two topple.
EDUCATION
Helping children learn, achieve and succeed while engaging families and caregivers.
Priorities
- Children enter Kindergarten prepared with the skills needed to succeed
- Children reach academic milestones on time and successfully transition to middle school
- Children transition to high school and develop the skills needed to graduate on time with a plan for success after high school
You can learn more about Education priorities and strategies here.
2020-2021 Education Investments
Total Investment: $494,686
Funded Programs
- Big Brothers Big Sister of Illinois Capital Region
Comprehensive Mentoring – $97,000 - Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Illinois
Project Learn – $85,500 - Compass for Kids
Camp Compass – $110,000
Club Compass – $99,000 - Girl Scouts of Central Illinois, Inc.
Girl Scout Leadership Experience Outreach – $5,000 - One Hope United
Foster Grandparent Program – $15,000 - Springfield Public Schools
Camp Kindergarten: Ready, Set, Go! – $26,780 - Springfield Urban League, Inc.
Freedom School – $25,000
Brandon OutREACH – $30,000 - Community ACEs Training
(Adverse Childhood Experiences) – $1,406
FINANCIAL STABILITY
Providing individuals and families the education, skills and supports needed to lead financially stable lives.
Priorities
- Adults are equipped to support themselves and/or their families in a financially stable environment
- Seniors are supported to lead independent lives
- Unfunded Priority: Children are equipped with the skills needed to make financially smart decisions throughout their life
You can learn more about Financial Stability priorities and strategies here.
2019-2020 Financial Stability Investments
Total Investment: $165,323
Funded Programs
- Helping Hands of Springfield, Inc.
Helping Hands Representative Payee Program – $10,416 - Memorial Behavioral Health
Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness – $33,195 - MERCY Communities, Inc.
Permanent Supportive Housing – $23,000
Transitional Living Program – $35,332 - Senior Services of Central Illinois
Comprehensive Elder Assistance Services – $42,195 - Springfield Urban League, Inc.
The Empowerment Program – $21,185
HEALTH
Activating and inspiring our community to get healthy and stay healthy.
Priorities
- Individuals are supported, connected, and engaged to lead healthy lives
- Individuals will have access to needed mental health services
- Unfunded Priority: United Way will advocate on behalf of health issues aligned with selected priorities/strategies
You can learn more about Health priorities and strategies here.
2020-2021 Health Investments
Total Investment: $198,000
Funded Programs
- Lutheran Child and Family Services
Counseling – $35,000 - Senior Services of Central Illinois
Senior Connection and Transport Program – $30,000 - SIU Center for Family Medicine
CIRCLe 2-1-1 – $133,000
UNITED WAY RED FEATHER GRANT
Provides $20,000 of funding to the Homeless Management Information System administered by MERCY Communities.
Provides $24,000 of funding to Disaster Services provided by the South Central Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Provides $15,415 of funding to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provided by United Way of Central Illinois
Community Fund Total Funding: $1,159,415
UNITED WAY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Community Fund – United Way’s Community Fund is supported by they United Way Annual Campaign and is the primary way United Way invests in local programs aligned with community priorities and strategies in the issue areas of basic needs, education, financial stability and health.
Red Feather Grant – Red Feather Grants provide funding to programs which benefit multiple other programs and/or the community but do not qualify for funding under the current priorities and strategies set forth by United Way’s Vision Councils.
To learn more about Red Feather Grant funding opportunities, please contact the Director of Community Impact at 217.726.7000.
Venture Fund – United Way’s Venture Fund provides one-time funding for health and human service projects created to enhance the quality of life in Sangamon and Menard Counties. Eligible projects must be aligned with one or more of United Way’s issue areas of basic needs, education, financial stability, or health.
Emergency Fund – United Way of Central Illinois’ Emergency Fund provides additional funding to local nonprofit agencies during times of crisis. The fund was established to provide a safety net to community agencies to protect daily operations and vital services.
Emergency Food & Shelter Program – The Emergency Food and Shelter Program was created by Congress to help meet the needs of hungry and homeless people throughout the United States and its territories by allocating federal funds for the provision of food and shelter. United Way of Central Illinois serves as the convener of the local EFSP board.
UNITED WAY SPONSORED PROGRAMS
Familywize Free Prescription Drug Card – United Way partners with Familywize to provide a free prescription drug discount card to the community. Individuals can save up to 30% on their prescriptions, and since launching the program more than 8,000 residents in our region have signed up for the card.
MyFreeTaxes.com – The MyFreeTaxes Partnership provides free state and federal tax preparation and filing assistance for qualified individuals. It’s easy, safe, secure and 100 percent free.
My Smart Money – My Smart Money™ is a free and easy online tool that can help anyone get their financial house in order.
