Become a Partner

As we work to drive collaborative change in our community, we recognize that we need time to reimagine how our grant processes amplify our systems work, gather and utilize community feedback, and present a variety of funding options with clear guidelines. As a result, our Outcomes Based Investment Committee has approved a plan to extend our RFI (Request for Investment) grants for another year at the same funding levels. This means that the traditional grant process that begins with applications in October will not be happening for the 2023-2024 funding cycle.   

What will UWGK be doing during this time?   

• Learning more about our partners’ experiences with our grantmaking processes. 
• Using community assessments to clarify our intended results/community goals and associating those with specific grant processes.  
• Refining our grant processes based on best practices, including easing the time burden on our partners.   

We will be sending out periodic emails to keep you updated on our process and what to expect next.   

Will other funding opportunities be available?   

Yes! The following grants are already in the works, and we anticipate that other opportunities may also arise:  

• Capacity Building and Innovation  
• Community Healing Fund for Black-led small to medium size organizations  
• One final round of City of Knoxville ARPA Funds  
• Several Hackathons  

Please fill out the form below or register on our grant portal to be notified about future grant opportunities.  

Outcome Based Investment Process

Throughout the year over 230 trained volunteers work toward informed funding decisions for those United Way donations that are not specifically designated to a particular agency.
These volunteers invest a generous amount of their time visiting each of the United Way-funded programs, examining detailed financial reports, and ensuring that service providers are accountable for their overall operations. 

After careful consideration, volunteers determine the most efficient use of available resources to meet local needs and responsibly invest donors’ contributions.