Press Release
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Trident United Way announced that it will offer grants to a total of 25 programs from 19 community agencies through its three-year grant cycle that runs from July 1, 2019 – June 20, 2022.
The latest round of funding continues to support TUW's shift towards the collective impact discipline, seeking to address complex social issues through collaboration with partners, organizations and companies to affect transformational community change.
Community investments for the 2019-2022 grant cycle are divided into categories of program investments and basic needs. Thirteen programs will be funded in the program investments pool, and 12 programs will be funded from the basic needs pool. Six agencies will receive funding from both pools.
“Trident United Way has focused its investments on education, financial stability and health efforts for a number of years,” TUW Vice President of Community Impact Amanda Lawrence said. “The program and basic needs investments in this grant cycle more closely align to our collective impact approach. Priority was given to applications focused on our stated network priorities in kindergarten readiness, workforce development and health. This will ensure our investments have a greater impact across the community.Given the expanding pool of applicants and finite resources, we have every confidence in the community benefits that will be derived from these investments.”
Trident United Way received a total of 57 applications from 43 agencies for the 2019-2022 community investments cycle. Health was the most popular of the three program investment impact categories, due largely to the growth of Healthy Tri-County, a regional health initiative led by MUSC Health, Roper St. Francis Healthcare and Trident United Way and boasting a total of 67 organizational members.
The basic needs funding pool addresses areas such as basic health services, emergency financial assistance, food, legal aid, shelter, prescriptions and transportation. The addition of legal aid into the basic needs funding pool results from its high cost contributing to the barriers that exist to attaining education, financial stability and health.
“We are absolutely thrilled to receive a community investment grant from Trident United Way to help fund our Legal Services for Home Stability initiative,” Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services Executive Director Alissa Lietzow said. “Our organization received community engagement grants in the past two years to train attorneys in landlord-tenant work and to advise the public on their housing rights and responsibilities. Now, thanks to this funding, we have increased capacity to provide free legal services essential to family and home stability, ultimately having a significant and long-term impact on people's lives.”
Funding recommendations for Trident United Way grants are made by members of the community who serve on investment review councils. A total of 55 individuals reviewed applications before making a funding recommendation to Trident United Way's board of directors for final approval.
“Trident United Way's grant process is open and competitive, and the review councils truly reflect the Tri-County community, both in professional experience and demographics,” TUW Community Impact Chair Brad Davis said. “I am proud to be part of a process that is comprehensive, rigorous and transparent in its review and consideration of applications.
Since 1944, Trident United Way has served as a public trust investing in a myriad of needs across our Tri-County region. The $1.2 million that will be offered to grantees as part of the 2019-2022 grant cycle represents just one component of Trident United Way community investments. TUW also invests in local agencies through its community engagement grants, smaller grants that are awarded to organizations bi-annually for the purpose of one-time or episodic events or activities. The next round of these grants will be announced in early July.
