Become a Partner – Our Grant Process is open!

We are currently accepting applications for our 2025-26 Community Impact Grants.

Please review the Do You Qualify section below to assess your eligibility. All submissions must be in alignment with our core focus of supporting financial stability for local ALICE households. Our grant process is highly competitive. Submitting an application does not guarantee funding.

The first phase of the application process is a Common Application, shared with the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County Health and Community Services. The second phase is a United Way-specific Addendum.

View the Common Application Here 

Applicants may request funding for a specific program or in support of general operating expenses. Note: The application may refer to “program” in some areas. Please respond with the appropriate program-specific information, or agency details if requesting general operating funding.

Applicants must submit the Common Application to United Way by Friday, January 16, 2025.

After a review of the common application, organizations will be notified if they are invited to phase two of the process, the United Way specific addendum.

Please submit the Common Application via email to hello@unitedwaywhatcom.org

 DO YOU QUALIFY?

If your nonprofit program helps families and individuals increase their financial stability, you may be eligible to apply for a grant from our Community Impact Fund.

To qualify for funding, you must be a 501c3 serving Whatcom County residents in one or more of the following areas:

Basic Needs

• Combating food insecurity
• Stable, attainable, affordable housing
• Health and mental health care access

Economic Mobility

• Financial literacy and training
• Vocational readiness training and support
• Adult education programs

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

• Affordable childcare and early learning programs
• Academic programs to increase student attendance and achievement
• Parenting support
• Addiction treatment and recovery
• Abuse prevention

Our funded programs are more than just grant recipients, they’re partners. 

In addition to working together to help clients and our community, we meet regularly to connect, collaborate, and advocate for each other in the name of positive community change. It’s our pleasure to highlight the amazing work we are helping to fund, and we’re forever grateful to these nonprofits for speaking out about what it means to be part of the United Way network.

We Live United. Together.

Emergency Food & Shelter Program