Community Leaders Impact Grants

Overview

Supporting and encouraging professional development fosters a learning and creative environment that leads to staff working together to address the needs of their organization. United Way of New York City's Community Leaders Impact Grants will enable emerging nonprofit leaders to obtain professional development training and peer learning opportunities to better address critical issues impacting their organizations.

In fiscal and program year 2012 (ending June 30, 2012), UWNYC will provide a limited number of professional development grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 to mid-level managers working at local community-based organizations. Grants will be awarded in the following areas: Data Collection and Management, Evaluation, Fiscal Management, Technology/Social Media, Marketing, and/or Fundraising.

These one-time grants will be awarded on a competitive basis according to the criteria stated below.

Minimum Qualification Criteria

In order to be considered for a Community Leaders Impact Grant, applicants must meet the following minimum criteria:

  • Applicant must be a mid-level manager working at a 501(c)(3) organization in New York City
  • The applicant must have at least 3-5 years of professional experience
  • The organization must have an annual budget of $2.5 million or less

Selection Criteria

Applications that meet the minimum qualification criteria will be reviewed and scored based on the following selection criteria:

  1. Applicant must demonstrate 1) the need for the specific professional development sought; 2) the alignment of the professional development with the mission of the employer organization; 3) the method, plan and cost for obtaining the professional development; and 4) the goals reflecting how the professional development acquired shall contribute to the overall mission of the organization.
  2. Applicant must demonstrate how he/she will incorporate, sustain and institutionalize the lessons and skills learned within the organization's operations.
  3. Applicant's organization must provide a letter signed by the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer that 1) supports the applicant's application, and 2) evidences the organization's commitment to utilize and incorporate the lessons and skills learned by the applicant into the organization's operations.
  4. Awardees must commit to initiating the professional development opportunity by no later than June 30, 2012.
  5. Awardees must participate in a maximum of four UWNYC-led group sessions, geared towards shared learning and best practices.
  6. Awardees will receive 80% of the grant total at award notice and 20% upon the submission of a 3-5 page grant report demonstrating lessons learned and skills formed, and how the awardee incorporated them into the organization's operations (guidelines on grant report will be provided to awardees).


Application Procedures

Community Leaders Impact Grant applications will be accepted from February 1 - 15, 2012.  Please submit your application, current resume and the Executive Director or Chief Executive Officer's support letter no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 15, 2012.

Once UWNYC receives a copy of your grant application, resume and support letter, you will receive a confirmation email indicating that your completed proposal has been received.

Grant decisions will be made by March 15, 2012. 

If you have additional questions, please visit our FAQs, or contact us at communitygrants@uwnyc.org.


General Instructions:

Step One: Click here to download the Community Leaders Impact Grant Application.

Step Two: Once you have completed your proposal and have your resume and support letter ready click here to complete your application and upload your documents.

  • Please submit electronically (application, resume and support letter only) - applications will not be accepted via fax
  • Please save documents in Windows 2003-07 Microsoft Word format