Request for Proposals 

Proposals are accepted until Midnight, August 11th, 2023 

Apply Here 

What is Give Jefferson? 

Give Jefferson is the United Good Neighbors’ Annual Campaign. As Jefferson County’s United Way, UGN raises funds to support organizations in Jefferson County that provide for the basic needs of our community with direct-service resources like food, shelter, education, justice and medical care.  

Local organizations apply to participate and go through a review process implemented by an all-volunteer Community Outreach Team. UGN then raises funds for those organizations through broad promotion of the GiveJefferson.org online giving platform, workplace giving campaigns, a brochure mailing to every household in Jefferson County and an extensive media campaign.  

On the GiveJefferson.org site, donors can choose to give to specific organizations or to the UGN General Fund. In 2023, the UGN Give Jefferson Campaign will run from mid-November through the end of the year. 

Who is invited to apply to receive funding? 

All nonprofits and public-serving government agencies in Jefferson County that directly provide for basic needs are invited to apply. (Public-serving government agencies are those that interact directly with the public, such as schools, public health clinics, libraries, etc.) Priority is given to organizations whose sole mission is to meet basic needs. However, nonprofit organizations with a broader mission who offer a specific basic needs program will also be considered. 

We welcome proposals from all direct service basic needs organizations in our community. If this application form presents a barrier in any way, please reach out to UGN ( jen@jcfgives.org or 360.385.1792) so that UGN can work to remove barriers. This could mean a phone call or an audio or video submission in lieu of the traditional application.  

The Give Jefferson Community Outreach Team will review all proposals and include organizations that provide support, security, and safety. This includes – but is not limited to – removing barriers to food and shelter; supporting students and teachers; access to health care; overcoming the impacts of racial injustice and climate change; or other basic needs that make day-to-day survival a challenge.  

Each organization may submit one proposal for up to $10,000. Funding for basic needs organizations will be dedicated to general operations to allow for the greatest flexibility of use. Organizations seeking programmatic support will be required to use UGN funds for activities specifically related to basic needs. The amount of the request cannot be more than 100% of the organization’s current operating (or program) budget. Each organization may submit only one proposal.  

 

Who makes the decisions about funding? 

Each proposal will undergo a first review by UGN staff to ensure that it includes: 

  • community information, stories and/or data to make a case for the work proposed; 

  • an organizational budget that appropriately relates to the proposed services; 

  • a description of the unique value of the program; and  

  • for those applicants who received funding from UGN in the last year, an update. 

Proposals that move forward will then be reviewed by the Give Jefferson Community Outreach Team (made up of local volunteers) who will review the proposals and, in some cases, undertake site visits to the organization to assess: 

  • Overall organizational health, including leadership, staffing, facilities, etc. 

  • The level of community need/desire for the services for which funding is being requested. 

The Community Outreach Team will make the selection of organizations to participate in the Campaign. All applicants will be notified in October with the final status of their application. 


What can participating organizations expect? 

Participating organizations will be included in printed outreach materials (including ads) and on the Give Jefferson online catalog during the campaign. They will also be included or featured in stories in social and print media as opportunity allows. All participants are asked to actively promote and participate in the Give Jefferson campaign promotion and events (tools and trainings will be provided). 

UGN will cover credit card fees for online gifts made at GiveJefferson.org as needed to ensure that organizations can receive 100% of the gifts made through the site. Donations made to the UGN General Fund will be dedicated to the same basic service organizations and to UGN operations. 

How to Apply 

Click here, and create an account. Once you have created an account, log on. Then, hit the blue “apply” button. For more instructions, look here for step-by-step directions on creating an account and applying, or here for a video tutorial.   

Our grants management software lets you preview questions, save draft proposals, and view previous proposals. If you would like any guidance, a tutorial, or just have a few questions, email jen@jcfgives.org and Jen will happily help! 

If this online program is a barrier to application, please reach out to Jen at jen@jcfgives.org or 360.385.1729. 

Questions? 

If you have questions or would like to provide feedback on this application process, you may contact Jen Kingfisher: 360-385-3797 or jen@jcfgives.org.

 

Thank You!