how to apply

Community Transformation Grants

Beginning January 28, 2026, United Way invites Letters of Inquiry from applicants whose goals are aligned with our vision of moving Lane County communities from surviving to thriving. Community Transformation Grants are intended to foster and support broader, long-term strategic approaches that find innovative solutions to, and/or prevent, big challenges that impact Lane County communities. Funding will be prioritized for cross-sector, multi-agency collaborative efforts that are operating with a common agenda, shared measurements, and a backbone organization. 

Page Overview: Eligibility | Funding Period & Amounts | Reporting | Priority Populations | Impact Areas | Questions | To Apply | FAQ 

Applicant Eligibility 

Applicants must provide services in Lane County, Oregon and have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, be classified as a public entity, or have a qualified fiscal sponsor (i.e. a sponsoring tax-exempt organization). Coalitions involving multiple partners are encouraged to apply and must designate a Lead Applicant. Organizations may only submit one Letter of Inquiry for the Community Transformation Grant as the Lead Applicant but can be named as a partner or coalition member on multiple applications.  

For this funding opportunity, United Way will accept applications from organizations who have not received funding from us before, and from organizations who have previously received United Way funding. Organizations who were funded in the most recent investment cycle (2023-2026) must have any outstanding reports submitted prior to applying to be considered eligible.  

Funding Period and Amounts

Individual requests between $50,000 and $75,000 per year will be considered. The funding period will be July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, subject to annual review each year.

Reporting Requirements

Grant recipients will provide a brief report within 30 days of the conclusion of each year of the grant period. 

Priority Populations

For this funding opportunity, United Way of Lane County will prioritize projects that intentionally serve one or more of the following communities: 

  • People of color and Native and Indigenous communities 

  • LGBTQIA2S+ populations 

  • People living with physical and / or cognitive disabilities  

  • People living in rural areas of Lane County 

  • ALICE households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), or people navigating poverty 

Impact Areas 

Due to the limited amount of funding available, United Way of Lane County – and the panel of community volunteers who will review and make decisions about funding requests – seek to carefully align successful grant applications with United Way’s priority areas of impact. Please review this section closely to learn more about these local impact areas and determine in advance if your proposal might be a good fit with United Way’s strategic objectives. 

For this round of grant funding, applicants will be asked to select one of the following Impact Areas to apply under – Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, or Community Resiliency. Funding will be prioritized for applicants and projects working toward one or more of the outcomes listed below within their selected Impact Area:  

Healthy Community: 

United Way of Lane County improves health and well-being for children and families in Lane County by connecting people to the resources they need to lead safe, healthy lives. From access to basic needs like food and health care to building greater financial stability, we work across sectors to ensure that everyone in Lane County can flourish 

Community Transformation Grant funding in this Impact Area will be prioritized for projects working toward one of the following outcomes: 

  • Lane County community members are more aware of and able to access the services they need through coordinated, cross-sector partnerships and resource navigation support. 

  • People in Lane County experience greater developmental, emotional, and educational outcomes as a result of living in healthier, more stable family environments. 

  • The prevalence of problems like food insecurity, houselessness, violence, and unemployment are decreased through robust preventative measures.

Youth Opportunity: 

United Way of Lane County creates pathways to success for young people to thrive. By investing in childcare, early learning and literacy, parenting education, and family engagement, we ensure that every child in Lane County has the opportunity to reach their full potential.  

Community Transformation Grant funding in this Impact Area will be prioritized for projects working toward one of the following outcomes: 

  • Lane County youth have increased access to career-connected learning, mentorship, and post-secondary planning that prepares them for college, career, and lifelong success. 

  • Lane County youth have opportunities to directly inform and implement local strategies that increase youth and student success.  

  • Educators, school-based professionals, and providers are equipped with tools and resources to support mental health and well-being for youth.

Community Resiliency: 

United Way of Lane County helps Lane County communities prepare for, prevent, and respond to big challenges, from emergency response to disaster relief. In times of crisis, we bring local leaders, neighbors, and resources together to raise funds and take action. And because we know that resilient communities recover from emergencies more quickly and effectively, we help build stronger local connections – before, during, and after disaster – to sustain momentum through long-term recovery. 

Community Transformation Grant funding in this Impact Area will be prioritized for projects working toward one of the following outcomes: 

  • Lane County communities affected by disaster experience stronger long-term recovery outcomes through sustained funding, trauma-informed support, and infrastructure investments that reduce future risk. 

  • Nonprofits and community leaders collaborate more effectively with each other and local emergency management resources to provide timely, equitable, and coordinated responses during emergencies and natural disasters. 

Questions

Two virtual information session / Q&As regarding this funding opportunity will be held on:  

  • Info Session #1: January 12 2026, 10am – 11:30am: Register here 

  • Info Session #2: January 21 2026, 1pm – 2:30pm: Register here 

Recordings will be posted on this page following each session.

You may also reference our Frequently Asked Questions section. To see a list of past Transformation Grant recipients, please click here. Please reach out to  community@unitedwaylane.org with any additional questions. 

To Apply

Our online grant application portal, e-cImpact, will open for submissions on Wednesday, January 28. All Letters of Inquiry must be submitted through e-cImpact by midnight on Monday, February 23.  

If you do not already have an Organization Profile in e-cImpact, you will need to create one and have it approved by United Way staff prior to completing your application. Please allow 3-5 days for your Organization Profile to be approved.  

If you would like to prepare responses prior to submitting them in e-cImpact, a PDF of the application questions and scoring rubric will be available to download here on Wednesday, January 28. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why does United Way invest in Community Support and Community Transformation Grants?

A: For almost 80 years, United Way has been uniquely positioned, and trusted, to see the bigger picture of what local communities need, then work to connect folks across our landscape, bringing people and resources together to move Lane County communities from surviving to thriving. One way we do this is by strategically investing grant awards into local Lane County agencies and organizations who serve our most vulnerable communities, from providing basic needs to creating long-term solutions to big, systemic challenges.

Q: Who is eligible to apply?

A: Applicants that meet our eligibility criteria, including 501c3 nonprofit organizations, school districts, and community-based organizations working with a fiscal sponsor are welcome to submit a Letter of Interest (LOI).

Q: When are Letters of Inquiry due?

A: Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) for both Community Support and Community Transformation Grants are due by 11:59pm on Monday, February 23. Organizations invited to submit a full proposal will receive a Request for Proposal (RFP) in March.

Q: When will grants be made?

A: Grant recipients will be announced in June 2026, and funding will begin on July 1, 2026.

Q: How much money are you investing in Community Support and Transformation Grants?  

A: As a community-led, and community-funded, nonprofit organization, United Way of Lane County raises dollars from donors across Lane County to invest in our local grantmaking efforts. This number fluctuates from year to year and is dependent on factors like donor commitments, economic conditions, new or emerging community investment strategies, and more.  

This page will be updated in early 2026 when the total amount of funds available for this next grant cycle is confirmed. 

Generous gifts made by United Way donors are combined with contributions from local friends, neighbors, workplaces, and partners across Lane County. To learn more and give today, please visit www.unitedwaylane.org/donate.

Q: May we apply for multiple United Way grants in this cycle, e.g. a Community Support Grant and a Community Transformation Grant? 

A: Yes – a single applicant may submit one Letter of Interest (LOI) for each grant program – Community Support and Community Transformation. An applicant may submit up to two LOIs for the Community Support Grant only if they are serving as the Lead Applicant for a collaborative project (one LOI for their independent project, and one LOI for the collaborative project). An applicant may only serve as the Lead Applicant for one Transformation Grant LOIs but may be listed as a collaborating partner on multiple Transformation Grant LOIs.

Q: How will proposals be evaluated?

A: Community volunteers lead our grant review and decision-making process. Specifically, volunteer reviewers will be assigned to a panel and will score Letters of Interest (LOIs) based on a rubric. They will then meet to discuss their scores and present a recommendation of who should be invited to submit a full proposal (RFP) to the United Way of Lane County Community Investment Steering Committee. This process will be repeated after the RFP with the same panels of reviewers. After reviewing all of the panel recommendations, the Community Investment Steering Committee will submit a recommendation of funded organizations to the Board of Directors for final approval.

Q: Can applicants access the scoring rubric?

A: Yes. Scoring rubrics will be available to applicants when the Letters of Interest (LOIs) and full proposals (RFPs) have been posted. 

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