United Way board allocates last planned grants of its fiscal year

Recently, United Way of Miami-Dade’s board allocated its final two grants of the 2017 fiscal year, bringing United Way’s investment in community programs to $34.1 million, including: $23.8 million in support of local programs that move the community forward through education, financial stability and health; coupled with an additional $10.3 million directed by contributors to support nonprofit programs of their choice in Miami-Dade. The last two grants, which are being allocated before July 1, include $160,000 for United Way’s first Healthy Eating Active Living (H.E.A.L.) school site and $50,000 for an employment program.

“Investing in high quality programs is one of our key strategies for creating lasting impact that improve the odds for our children and families,” Harve A. Mogul, president and CEO, said. “These investments, coupled with our advocacy work, our research, planning and convening efforts, our collective impact focus and our public awareness outreach, align with our strategic goals to improve the education, financial stability and health of our community, today and for generations to come.”

The $23.8 million investment represents grants made to 117 outcome-driven programs at 56 local, non-profit health and human service agencies, as well as funds invested in strategic United Way-driven initiatives, including the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education, the United Way Center for Financial Stability and Mission United, among others. The funding for these grants comes largely from local individuals who make personal contributions to United Way, either through their workplace drives or via check or credit card. United Way also receives funding directly from corporations and foundations as well as from government and quasi-government sources. United Way leverages every $1 it receives into $2.16 worth of local help through matching grants, volunteer time, in-kind gifts and advocacy efforts.

United Way works with hundreds of local volunteers who assess needs and make recommendations through a strategic approach to ensure that young children get off to a good start in school and in life, youth receive academic and social support to graduate high school, residents have access to health care and lead healthy lifestyles, families in crisis get back on their feet and pave a path to financial stability and older adults remain healthy and independent.
Over the past year, United Way’s investment of $23.8 million includes:

• $13,748,584 in the area of education, to raise the quality of early education programs and expand access to more children; ensure that school-age children have safe and enriching activities after school; support youth to be academically prepared and know how to make good decisions; and help families better understand the needs of their children and programs available to help them succeed, among other initiatives;

• $2,355,452 in financial stability, to offer tools and resources that empower families to achieve financial stability by attaining better employment, increasing income, financial literacy, and savings and assets; help families in emergency situations meet basic needs and prevent homelessness; help local college students who have aged out of foster care graduate with little or no debt; offer young people a path to career, independence and self-sufficiency; and provide help to remove legal barriers that obstruct financial stability, among other programs;

• $3,575,194 in health programs that help individuals, families and older adults access quality health services, support healthy lifestyles and increase access to the healthcare system, including preventive health screenings and caregiver support; offer services to older adults, to help them remain independent and strong as long as possible; support respite services for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease; and promote healthy eating and cooking to children and families at 45 schools;

• $551,723 in programs that overlap key focus areas and/or are critical in our community, including a 24/7 community helpline, emergency services for victims of disasters in Miami-Dade, assistance to children in the foster care system and emergency shelter for adolescents in crisis;

• and $3,617,194 to help strengthen local nonprofits, so they can be more effective and outcome-focused, including: evaluation and measurement, capacity-building, subsidized conference and office space, technical training and program sponsorships, among other agency supports.