Jacksonville, Fla. (Oct. 17, 2024) – United Way of Northeast Florida is thrilled to announce the grant recipients of its $4.4 million investment in providing basic needs and improving the financial well-being of families across Northeast Florida. Nearly three dozen programs received funding for an 18-month grant cycle to support meaningful outcomes that will improve economic mobility across our region.

The grantees were selected following a request for proposals (RFP) process that launched in early July and closed in mid-August. The $4.4 million grant pool is made possible by contributions from thousands of donors, corporations and foundations who donate to United Way annually.

To submit a proposal, an organization was required to be a 501(c)3 nonprofit leading programs that fall within United Way’s focus areas of basic needs and/or financial well-being. Moreover, the applicants must serve residents in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and northern St. Johns counties.

The following programs and organizations were awarded funding:

• AMIkids Workforce Development, AMIkids Jacksonville
• Art Smarts, Cathedral Arts Project
• Academic Support through the Employment Process (A-STEP), Goodwill Industries of North Florida
• Beyond School Walls, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida
• Certified Teens, U-Turns Inc. (Teen Leaders of America)
• Emergency Financial Assistance, Downtown Ecumenical Services Council (DESC)
• Digital Literacy Integrated Education and Training, Literacy Alliance of Northeast Florida
• Emergency Financial Assistance to Prevent Homelessness, Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM)
• Emergency Shelter and Services Program, Hubbard House
• Employment Placement and Transition Services, The Arc Jacksonville
• EmpowerEd, Children’s Home Society
• Feeding Hungry Seniors, Nassau County Council on Aging
• Food Pantry, Feeding Northeast Florida
• Food Pantry, Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida
• Future Ready Clay, Clay Education Foundation
• Healthy Food = Healthy Nassau!, Barnabas
• Hope = Success, Communities in Schools of Jacksonville
• House of Hope, Youth Crisis Center
• Imminent Homelessness Intervention Program, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
• Journey Into Womanhood, Empowerment Resources Inc.
• Keeping Families Together, Family Support Services of Northeast Florida
• Lean In Girls, Girls Inc. of Jacksonville
• Max Block Food Pantry, The LJD Jewish Family & Community Services
• Project Learn, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida
• Project Prepare Program for Homeless Teens and Young Adults, Daniel
• Public Guardianship, North Florida Office of Public Guardian
• Sanctuary on 8th Street After-School Program, Sanctuary of Northeast Florida
• Sulzbacher Housing Access and Stabilization Program (SHASP), Sulzbacher
• Meals on Wheels, Baker County Council on Aging
• Meals on Wings, University of North Florida
• Tiger Academy – Attendance HERO Program, YMCA of Florida’s First Coast
• TnT (Tennis-n-Tutoring), MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation
• Towers Center of Hope, The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida
• Villages of Northeast Florida, Ability Housing
• Whole School Whole Child, City Year

“United Way envisions a community of opportunity where everyone has hope and can reach their full potential,” said Melanie Patz, president and CEO. “United Way’s latest ALICE Report reveals nearly 39% of households in Northeast Florida struggle to make ends meet. We are confident the programs funded by these grants will increase access to food and housing and improve the financial well-being of families living below the ALICE threshold to help them break the cycle of poverty and live a better life.”

The application opened for this RFP opportunity July 8 and closed Aug. 17. Following the end of the application period, all submitted proposals were carefully reviewed by more than 40 local evaluators who are knowledgeable, committed professionals and community members with expertise and experience in the grant focus areas of basic needs and financial well-being as well as in nonprofit financial management. Evaluators scored the applications via a rubric, which included review of each program’s strategy, history and expected outcomes in addition to the organization’s financials. Funding began Oct. 1 for the grant recipients and will continue through March 2026.

“At United Way, we uphold rigorous standards for community outcomes and thoroughness in our grant selection process,” said James Ellout, vice president of community impact for United Way. “We are grateful to our volunteer evaluators and the expertise and thoughtfulness they brought to this competitive and highly impactful RFP process.”

This summer, United Way also announced $180,000 in microgrants to 30 grassroots organizations supporting youth enrichment. A list of those organizations can be found at unitedwaynefl.org/blog. More information on United Way grant opportunities can be found at unitedwaynefl.org/community-partners, or you can email unitedwaygrants@nulluwnefl.org anytime.

“Our goal at United Way is to help families move out of poverty and achieve their full potential,” said Patz. “We are grateful for the donors, corporations and foundations who believe in this work and believe in United Way to get the job done. These grants are a noteworthy investment in our collective future, and we look forward to all the good that will come from the incredible programs these dollars support.” 

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