United Way of North Idaho announces grant recipients
United Way of North Idaho announced recipients of the 2023 Community Care Fund competitive grant awards in a Thursday news release.
Sixteen local nonprofits that positively impact lives in Idaho’s five northern counties were selected. Grantees demonstrate alignment with United Way’s education, health and financial stability goals; its focus on reaching the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population; and aiding community collaboration. Counties referenced in the grantee list refer to the agency’s primary office location, though most serve clients throughout the Idaho Panhandle.
The Community Care Fund has been a cornerstone of United Way’s impact work since 1957. The program is. funded by voluntary workplace payroll contributions from more than 60 local companies that provide charitable giving and volunteer opportunities to their employees throughout the year.
United Way of North Idaho received funding requests in the amount of $281,600 and was able to make $100,000 available to the 16 agencies. Grant applications were evaluated over a 12-week process this fall, which included site visits, financial reviews and consensus votes by panels of trained volunteers known as Community Impact Councils.
“I’m so proud to be part of United Way of North Idaho,” said United Way of North Idaho board member April Fortier, community impact chair and vice president/treasury support manager for Mountain West Bank. “This was a great grant season. We had some very worthy agencies in the local areas we serve who applied for Community Care Fund grants this year. These agencies do so much to make an impact on our ALICE population. Our Community Impact Council members who are made up of volunteers did an outstanding job helping to decide where grant funds would be allocated to have the most impact.”
The UWNI Community Care Fund fiscal year 2024 grantees as well as the top workplace campaign companies will be recognized at United Way’s annual awards luncheon March 21 at the Best Western Plus Coeur d'Alene Inn. A volunteer of the year and a nonprofit professional of the year will also be honored at the event. Nominations will open at uwnorthidaho.org in January. A contribution of $250 to each winner’s affiliated nonprofit will be made in each one’s name. Past winners include individuals from Safe Passage, Children’s Village, St. Vincent de Paul, Charity Reimagined, Heritage Health, AARP Tax Aide and the Inland Northwest SIDS Foundation. Award luncheon attendance tickets will be available in January on the website or by calling 208-667-8112.
2023 Community Care Fund grant recipients:
Education:
• Arts Alliance, Inc — Creative Hands Expand the Mind, Bonner County
• EMERGE CDA INC — Sustainable youth arts programming and internships, Kootenai County
• Growing the STEM — Program coordination for STEM afterschool programs, Kootenai County
• Project Uplift Kellogg — Silver Valley Innovation, Shoshone County
• Lutherhaven Ministries — Silver Valley Summer Day Camps, Shoshone County
• Selkirk Conservation Alliance — Outdoor environmental field trips, "Living Classroom," Bonner and Boundary counties
• St. Vincent de Paul Salvage Bureau — ICARE for Children - Nurturing Fathers, Kootenai, Shoshone, Bonner and Benewah counties
• Unique Center for Athletes of all Needs — UCAN Youth Adaptive Fitness and Physical Therapy equipment, Bonner County
Financial Stability:
• CDAIDE — Care Program’s Emergency Transportation Initiative, Kootenai County
• Post Falls Food Bank — Care Program /Emergency Transportation Initiative, Kootenai County
Health:
• Gem Community Citizens Project Group doing business as Hayden Senior Center — General operating support/occupancy support, Kootenai and Bonner counties
• Northwest Infant Survival and SIDS Alliance — Safe Start - injury prevention education classes, Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah and Shoshone counties
• Orchard Ridge Senior Living — Dining with Dignity program, Kootenai County
• Safe Passage — Children's Advocacy Center, Kootenai, Benewah, Shoshone, Boundary and Bonner counties
• Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc. — Operating funds for nutrition program, Bonner County
• Shoshone County Women's Resource Center doing business as the Shoshone County Crisis and Resource Center — Shoshone County Crisis and Resource Center/Idaho Women’s Recovery Home, Shoshone County