United Way of Southeast Minnesota is a community change organization that responds to the greatest needs in our region by inspiring people to get involved, give back, and take action.  

We envision a resilient region defined by care and collective action, where residents are healthy, households are financially secure, and young people succeed in school and life.  

To fulfill our mission across the region, we fund programs that positively impact Southeast Minnesotan’s health, financial security, opportunities for young people, and resiliency in the face of crisis. We prioritize programs that serve populations disproportionately impacted by long-standing structural barriers with the goal of ensuring all people have what they need to thrive.  

Our grants are investments in your organization and the people you serve. Our funding can be used for all aspects of program operations, including direct costs related to program activities, program evaluation, and support, as well as staff and operations support at the program level. Our grant year begins in July and ends in June, with all multi-year commitments requiring a reaffirmation of approval by UW Board of Directors each year. 

We aim to be an engaged partner, which may look like:

• Attending your organization's events 

• Promoting your work within our networks 

• Doing the homework to learn about your work and understand your needs 

• Soliciting and acting on feedback 

In return, we look to invest in engaged grantees, which may look like: 

• Sharing stories of community impact with UW staff 

• Sharing stories of our partnership within your networks 

• Inviting UW staff to attend or volunteer at your community events 

• Inviting UW staff to speak at your events 

• Communicating challenges, concerns, or growth opportunities where UW may be able to support 

• Running a workplace campaign  

• Sending a staff member to speak about your work at our community events 

We currently do not have any funding opportunities available, but we encourage you to sign up for our listserv that will alert you when new opportunities open.