2024-2025 Women United Fund Request for Proposals
United Way Peterborough & District is pleased to announce the second call for funding proposals through our Women United Fund. The 2024-2025 Women United Fund has been made possible by donors contributing to our campaign.
This request for proposals is for one-time funding up to $15,000 to support projects taking place between September 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025.
About Women United™ in Peterborough
WOMEN UNITED™ is an inclusive and vibrant global community of change makers bound together by a powerful sense of belonging — to one another, to our community and to the mission of transforming lives by tackling the most critical issues impacting their communities.
Last year, United Way Peterborough & District supported our partner agencies in delivering 21 different gender-based programs to 1,607 women, girls, and gender-diverse people in our community. Beyond these gender-specific programs, women, girls, and gender-diverse people make up a strong portion of the over 46,000 vulnerable people served by all 20 of our partner agencies through over 275 different programs.
Women United Fund Priorities
The Women United Fund prioritizes initiatives that support women, girls, and gender-diverse people in our community by providing equitable opportunities for personal growth, economic security, and leadership. Proposals must demonstrate how the project will support United Way Peterborough & District’s work in the areas of Poverty to Possibility and/or Strong Communities as they relate to gender-based issues. Additionally, United Way Peterborough & District is prioritizing projects related to advancing progress towards diversity, equity, inclusion and reconciliation.
Poverty to Possibility
Poverty is the result of multiple, complex, and often overlapping social issues. Women, girls, and gender-diverse people experiencing poverty may be challenged to meet their basic needs, live independently, and engage in community activities. Examples of project outcomes in this area may include improved economic security, increased financial literacy skills, decreased barriers to employment, and sustainable access to essential items.
Strong Communities
Strong communities provide the environment necessary for women, girls, and gender-diverse people to achieve their goals and create lasting change in their lives. Strong communities are built on individual and collective assets such as coping strategies and social connections. Examples of project outcomes in this area may include increased sense of belonging, improved mental health, increased number of meaningful social connections, and increased leadership opportunities for women, girls, and gender-diverse people.
Important Details
- Proposals are due by 5PM on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 via email to bfarrar@uwpeterborough.ca
- NEW* THIS YEAR – United Way Peterborough & District is now able to fund non-qualified donees (NDQs) in addition to registered charities. NDQs include non-profits without charitable status, collectives, Indigenous bands, grassroots organizations, and more.
Eligibility Requirements
- The lead agency for the application must:
o Operate, and/or provide direct service, within the City and/or County of Peterborough
o *NEW* this year: United Way Peterborough & District is now able to fund non-qualified donees (NDQs) in addition to registered charities. NDQs include non-profits without charitable status, collectives, Indigenous bands, grassroots organizations, and more.
o If you are applying on behalf of a NDQ, please contact bfarrar@uwpeterborough.ca for eligibility/application requirements before submitting an application.
o If you are applying on behalf of a registered charity, please provide your charitable number in your application. Additional information about charitable status may be requested at the discretion of United Way Peterborough & District if required during the review process.
- All eligible organizations may apply – organizations are not required to be currently funded by United Way Peterborough & District
- Projects may be enhancements/adaptations/expansions of existing programs, as long as the outcomes are related to the priorities of the Women United Fund and there is a justification of why this funding is needed to support the proposed outcomes
- Newly developed projects are also eligible
- Priority will be given to applications that demonstrate a strong connection to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or reconciliation progress in our community. Examples of this could include:
- Agencies self-identifying as being led by equity-deserving groups
- Demonstrating that input from people with lived experience has been/will be incorporated in the design and/or implementation of this project
- Outlining accessibility plans to reduce barriers to participation for the intended population
- Projects that advance progress and/or understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion and/or reconciliation within their organization or community
Coaching
Interested agencies are encouraged to contact Betsy Farrar at bfarrar@uwpeterborough.ca to discuss their interest in applying for this funding prior to submitting an application. Coaching and mentoring is available throughout the process.
Format
Applicants may choose any digital proposal format that allows them to best address the required application content (following page). Examples of digital proposal formats include:
- Written proposal, such as using headings, tables, bullet lists, and/or paragraph formats
- Video proposal (20-minute limit), such as recording yourself delivering a PowerPoint presentation
- Multimedia proposal, such as embedding media content throughout a written proposal
Creative formats and artistic expression are welcome!
Required Application Content
- Applicants are required to address the following four categories within their proposal: Project Rationale, Project Design, Outcomes, and Budget.
- Guiding questions/statements have been provided for each of the categories to help you communicate your project details with the reviewers.
1. Project Rationale
- What community need are you looking to address through this project?
- How does the project align with United Way Peterborough & District’s priorities for the Women United Fund? (e.g., gender-based issues; Poverty to Possibility; Strong Communities; diversity, equity, inclusion; reconciliation)
2. Project Design
- Describe the project.
- What are the timelines and/or milestones?
- What are the expected deliverables?
- Who would be involved in the development and implementation of the project?
3. Outcomes
- What are the intended outcomes for this project?
- What is the scope of the intended outcomes? (E.g., for individuals, for the agency, for the community, and/or for the sector)
- How will you measure progress towards the intended outcomes of this project?
4. Budget
- Provide a budget for the project that outlines a breakdown of the expenses that would be covered by this project.
- If there are additional funding sources supporting this project, please describe them and the expenses they are covering.
Evaluation Process
Funding applications are reviewed by United Way Peterborough & District’s Community Impact Committee and given final approval by the Board of Directors. Reviewers will be using a scoring rubric to evaluate each of the four above categories on a scale from 1-5. All four categories are equally weighed.
