2025-2026 IMPACT PHILANTHROPY GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut (UWCWC) will begin accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Impact Philanthropy Grant Program on March 17, with a total of $332,000 in competitive grant funding available to support nonprofit organizations that address critical community needs and drive systemic change. 

This funding complements an additional $400,000 in community investments UWCWC is making to strengthen local nonprofits and expand their impact. Additionally, $150,000 in direct cash assistance will be available to ALICE individuals through nonprofit partners serving as referral agencies, ensuring households in need receive immediate financial support.

Together, these investments reinforce UWCWC’s commitment to improving health, education, and financial stability across our region, empowering both organizations and individuals to build a more resilient and equitable community.

We have two distinct funding opportunities this year: 

• Basic Needs Grant ($232,000 available) – Supporting organizations that provide essential services to households at or below the ALICE Threshold, including food, housing, utilities, child care, and health care. Apply Online | Paper Application (Word Doc)

• Community Catalyst Grant ($100,000 available) – A new grant program that provides unrestricted funding to grassroots organizations and those working in civic engagement and community-building to support ALICE households. Apply Online | Paper Application (Word Doc)

KEY DATES

• Notice of Funding Availability Released: March 10, 2025 
• Applications Open: March 17, 2025
• Applications Due: April 22, 2025, by 11:59 PM 
• Information Sessions (highly recommended): 

  • Session 1: March 12, 2025, at 11:00 AM - Registration Link

  • Session 2: March 20, 2025, at 9:00 AM - Registration Link

  • Session 3: March 25, 2025, at 2:00 PM - Registration Link

• Decisions Announced: End of June 2025 

ELIGIBILITY

Organizations must: 

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or have a Fiscal Sponsor 

• Serve households at or below the ALICE Threshold 

• Operate within UWCWC’s 27-town service area (excluding Greenwich and Shelton) 

• Meet program-specific criteria for either Basic Needs or Community Catalyst funding 

HOW TO APPLY

• Step 1: Review the full NOFA and grant guidelines. 
• Step 2: Attend an information session to learn more about the application process. 
• Step 3: Register/Login to e-CImpact and submit your application by April 22, 2025. 

View Full NOFA  

Questions? Contact Us at communityimpact@unitedwaycwc.org 

CITY OF DANBURY GRANT PROCESS - CLOSED

Since 2009, United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut has partnered with the City of Danbury to administer Social Service Grants. Organizations in the Greater Danbury area serving Danbury residents that provide services in one of the following three areas will be eligible for funding and are invited to apply: 

• Housing/Shelter - Safe and affordable housing access and retention. Including shelter, rent/mortgage assistance, utility assistance, deposit assistance, etc.

• Education/Child Care - Helping children, youth, and their families achieve their potential. Including child care services, after-school activities, etc.

• Health/Food - Promoting health and wellness. Including healthcare programs, food pantries, mass feeding providers, mental health programs, etc.

HOW TO APPLY

1. Create/Sign into your e-CImpact account
   • The UWCWC uses the e-CImpact Grant Management system for organizations to submit grant applications and reports. 
   • All applicants must register online and create an account in order to submit their application. Please refer to the e-CImpact Registration Manual for specific steps on how to register for e-CImpact.
   • If an applicant already has an account in the system, they can continue to use that account for this application.  
2. Review the application and required attachments.  
   • Word version of the application
3. Application Submission Options:
   • Complete the application through our e-CImpact Grants Management Software (preferred method)  
   • Complete the Word version of the application and submit it to: communityimpact@unitedwaycwc.org. A member of the UWCWC Community Impact team will upload your application to the e-CImpact system.  

Application deadline: Friday, October 4th, 2024 at 11:59 pm. All 501(c)(3) organizations located in the Greater Danbury area and serve Danbury residents are eligible for funding.

For more information on the City of Danbury Grant Process, please review our City of Danbury Grants 24-25 Notice of Funds Availability.

Please contact Victoria Scofield at Victoria.scofield@unitedwaycwc.org or 203-883-6704 with any questions about the application process.

EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER PROGRAM (EFSP) GRANT PROCESS - CLOSED

For Greater Bridgeport, Greater Danbury, Greater Norwalk & City of Stamford Only

February 18, 2025

Subject: EFSP Phase 42 Update – Application Process on Hold

Last week, United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut announced that applications for Phase 42 of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) would open soon for Greater Danbury and the City of Stamford. At that point, preliminary awards were made, and we expected final awards to follow. Based on this expectation, we were advised to proceed with the application process.

However, due to uncertainty in Washington, D.C., final awards have not been made. In response, we are pausing the opening of applications until further notice.

We recognize this program's vital role in supporting our community’s most vulnerable members and will provide updates as soon as new guidance is available. We will communicate all updates via email and will also post on our website at https://www.unitedwaycwc.org/grant-opportunities.

For more information on Phase 42, you can review FEMA’s preliminary funding notification, visit the Emergency Food and Shelter Program page.

For questions related to EFSP Phase 42, please contact: Victoria Scofield, Community Investment Senior Coordinator at victoria.scofield@unitedwaycwc.org.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

More About the Emergency Food and Shelter Program
The EFSP was created in 1983 to supplement and expand the work of local social service agencies, both nonprofit and governmental, in an effort to help people with economic (not disaster-related) emergencies. EFSP funding is restricted Federal Funding awarded through the Department of Homeland Security and is open to all organizations helping hungry and homeless people.

LOCAL BOARD CONTACTS

UNITED WAY SOCIAL EQUITY COUNCIL GRANT PROCESS - CLOSED

United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut, will distribute $1.8 million in grant funding to support projects in Bridgeport and Stamford that uplift communities and strengthen families disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. $900,000 will be designated for each community. United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut (UWCWC) will serve as the third-party grant manager for the pilot Community Reinvestment Grant from Connecticut’s Social Equity Council, which aims to reinvest state cannabis revenues back into affected communities. Qualifying nonprofits can begin applying on July 5, 2023 https://bit.ly/e-cimpact.

Funds can be allocated for programs designed to uplift impacted communities and families focused on the two areas of (1) reentry and reintegration, and (2) youth education and recreation. This includes programs that support formerly incarcerated individuals and their families; civil legal aid; justice-involved youth; expungement/criminal record erasure; homelessness; family stability; enrichment programs for young people and their families that assist in preparing the future workforce; STEM/STEAM; financial literacy; promoting physical and mental health wellness; sports; mentoring; youth and parent leadership and empowerment; creative culture programs; community uplifting; and organizing and empowerment.

Source of the Funds:

Funding for all Social Equity Council programs and activities is sales tax revenue from Connecticut’s Adult-Use Cannabis Industry, which is not federally legal at this time. Applicants should check with their legal counsel, funders and/or governing body to determine eligibility to apply for and receive these funds. Verification of eligibility is the sole responsibility of interested applicants.

How to Apply:

1. Review the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)
2. Watch the Zoom Information Sessions: 
   • Session 1: July 10th, 2023 from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm. LINK TO VIDEO
   • Session 2: July 13th, 2023 from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. LINK TO VIDEO
3. Create/Sign into your e-CImpact account. The UWCWC uses the e-CImpact Grant Management system for organizations to submit grant applications and reports. All applicants must register online and create an account in order to submit their application. Please refer to the e-CImpact Registration Manual for specific steps on how to register for e-CImpact. If an applicant already has an account in the system, they can continue to use that account for this application.

Review the application and required attachments. Submit the application and supporting documents through the e-CImpact platform. Application deadline: August 3, 2023 at 5:00p.m.

A paper application has been made available and can be downloaded here for those who cannot access the e-CImpact grant portal. Please be sure to review the Notice of Funding Availability for details on all required documents. Word (.doc) | PDF (.pdf)

Need additional information?

Please review the Social Equity Council Glossary of Terms and FAQs

Contact the United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut team at Victoria.scofield@unitedwaycwc.org or Meghan.hadley@unitedwaycwc.org.