Civic Engagement RFP
United Way of Olmsted County knows communities hold the solutions to the obstacles they face. As such, culturally specific organizations (CSOs) play a critical role in building power for their communities to participate in civic life. These organizations are ideally situated to understand the cultural norms, beliefs, and traditions of the people they serve; effectively engage community members; interpret and remove barriers that impede access to services; and bridge norms between communities and institutions.
United Way of Olmsted County’s Civic Engagement RFP is designed to build the capacity of Olmsted and Winona County’s CSO's to advocate for self-determined solutions to the challenges their communities face by supporting civic engagement.
For the purposes of this proposal, we are defining Culturally Specific Organizations (CSOs) as non-profit or community-based organizations that serve and are led by people from communities disproportionately impacted by barriers to civic engagement. We will prioritize proposals from agencies serving and led by Black, Indigenous, people of color, people with disabilities, immigrant, and refugee communities. Proposals from other communities disproportionately impacted by barriers to civic engagement are also eligible to apply.
To be considered a CSO eligible for a Civic Engagement grant, organizations must meet all three of the following criteria:
- Primarily serve a single target population that has been historically marginalized; at least 50% of total number of people you serve share a common identity which has been disproportionately impacted by barriers to civic engagement.
- That single target population's lived experience is central to the organization's mission as shown through program design and general organizational activities
- Organizational leadership is representative of the experience of the single target population; at least 50% of staff and 50% of the Board of Directors identify as the target population.
What We’re Funding:
We anticipate a total investment of $15,000 in Civic Engagement grants to organizations that serve and are led by people from communities disproportionately impacted by barriers to civic engagement. One $5,000 award is available in Olmsted County and two $5,000 awards are available in Winona County. Grants are intended to support programs and activities that have the goal of increasing civic participation in historically marginalized communities. All activities must be non-partisan.
For more examples of the types of programs we are looking to fund, please review our 2022 Civic Engagement Report to read about some of our past partners.
Activities may not include persuasion to support any particular candidate or party. Should an activity violate this non-partisanship requirement, funds must be returned, and your agency or fiscal host agency’s tax-exempt status may be in jeopardy.
For more information on what are appropriate non-partisan activities for non-profits, please review either of the following resources from the MN Council of Nonprofits: Staying Nonpartisan—Permissible Elections Activities Checklist and What Nonprofit Staff Can Say about the Elections.
Our Partners:
Lived Experience Leaders
Engage Winona serves Winona County and surrounding rural areas with programs and services in community engagement, capacity building, and storytelling. The Lived Experience Leaders program brings together a cohort of 12 individuals from the community who share an identity which has been historically disenfranchised for an eight-month immersive leadership experience. The program provides a facilitated space for these community members to share experiences, learn from each other, receive training in leadership tools, and lead changemaking projects for the community's benefit. Past participants have taken on community leadership roles on boards, councils, and have run for local office.
Partner: Engage Winona
Grassroots Advocacy Task Force
It is the mission of Home and Community Options, Inc. to provide support and residential services to people with developmental disabilities in order to enable individuals to live as full members of their communities. Through the Grassroots Advocacy Task Force, they support people with disabilities to enhance their participation in the legislative process. Educational workshops will provide comprehensive training on advocacy, civic responsibility, voter education and polling assistance, and an understanding of the legislative process. The program will also offer introductions to state and local legislators, as well as a tour of the Minnesota State Capitol. Together, these efforts aim to overcome physical, social, and systemic barriers that limit the full civic engagement of individuals with developmental disabilities.
Partner: Home and Community Options
Southeast Regional Member Committee
COPAL is a Hispanic and Latino serving organization which empowers its members to participate in civic life and to be educated about their rights. COPAL recently opened their Southeast regional office in Rochester, through which they operate the Southeast Regional Member Committee. This committee is made up of community members who are recruited through COPAL’s other programming: workers' rights education, door knocking, health and wellness education among other programs. The committee has a self-designed leadership structure, and members receive education about civic processes and rights as well as discuss the pertinent civic issues within their local communities. During these monthly hour-long meetings, a rotation of 60 members attend, creating a large network of community members who are involved in this leadership building work.
Partner: COPAL