United Way of Mifflin-Juniata Grant Program

The United Way of Mifflin-Juniata (UWMJ) has issued its 2026–2027 Request for Program Funding, offering a vital opportunity for nonprofit organizations operating within Mifflin and Juniata counties to secure financial support for impactful programs. UWMJ is a regional branch of the national United Way network, and it is committed to improving lives by mobilizing community resources and fostering collaborative efforts across key impact areas. The mission of UWMJ is to improve people’s lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community, emphasizing strategic investments in programs that yield measurable results in the categories of Education, Income, Health, and Resiliency. The purpose of this RFP is to identify and support high-performing human service agencies that are addressing local needs across four specific community impact areas: Youth Opportunity, Healthy Community, Financial Security, and the newly introduced Community Resiliency category. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations delivering services within Mifflin and/or Juniata counties. Funding requests must fall between $5,000 and $40,000. Programs must align with one of the four impact areas and show clear, data-driven justification for their necessity, with services designed to improve community outcomes in measurable ways. Allowable use of funds is broad within the context of community impact but must clearly support human care program objectives. Funds may support direct service provision, volunteer support, administration, or collaborative activities, provided the use aligns with the stated program goals and community needs. The application requires comprehensive information on the scope of services, staff and volunteer structure, service unit definition, costs per unit, program publicity, collaborations, data-based community need, and sustainability plans. Agencies must also include details about fees charged, scholarship availability, and outreach strategies. UWMJ emphasizes performance measurement and expects partners to report on measurable outcomes tied to behavior, knowledge, or conditions, not merely activities delivered. To apply, organizations must submit a complete electronic application packet by noon on Monday, March 23, 2026. This includes the Agency Program Allocation Application, Program Financial Overview (PFO), Agency Financial Review form, and Partnership Eligibility Criteria form with all required attachments. Only electronic submissions are accepted; handwritten applications will be rejected. Applications may be submitted via mail, email, or in person, but once submitted, they are considered final. An optional Q&A session will be held via Zoom on March 9, 2026, to assist applicants. After submission, all applicants will be invited to an in-person presentation before the Community Investment Review Committee on May 4, 2026. The evaluation process is robust, involving 20–25 community volunteers organized into four groups who will use a formal Proposal Evaluation Form. This form assesses community need, program impact, outcome evaluation, readiness, and partnership commitment. After initial scoring, the Community Investment Review Committee will consolidate recommendations, adjust funding levels if needed, and submit final recommendations to the UWMJ Board of Directors for approval on May 21, 2026. Agencies will be notified promptly of decisions and may receive detailed feedback, especially if a proposal is declined. Programs selected for funding will need to complete a “Statement of Partnership” by the end of June 2026. Throughout the funding year, funded programs will be monitored for outcome tracking and may be subject to site visits. Agencies must also maintain up-to-date contact information with PA211 and participate in United Way campaign activities. Additionally, grantees must provide a story and photo highlighting program impact for use in campaign materials, and furnish specific examples of how donor contributions in set dollar amounts would be used. These transparency efforts are key to UWMJ’s donor engagement strategy.

Ensure all attachments are labeled and submitted together; avoid handwritten forms; outcomes must be measurable and not confused with outputs.