United Way of Rock River Valley (UWRRV) is thrilled to announce that it will invest $430,500 in the grantees of the second cohort of the United for Literacy Community Grants program. An additional $193,809 will be invested towards book distribution in the community for a total investment of $624,309 this fiscal year.
In February, UWRRV released a competitive Request for Proposals with the overarching goal of making more meaningful grants to organizations that strongly align with its strategy of ensuring every child enters kindergarten ready to read.
During the application period, UWRRV received an impressive 21 proposals, reflecting the demand for funding in our community. The total funding requests amounted to $1,095,726, also highlighting the urgent need for resources to support childhood literacy initiatives. The Allocation Team, a group of local literacy professionals, meticulously evaluated each proposal based on their high-impact practices, impact on childhood literacy, strategic alignment, and ability to achieve meaningful results.
“The combination of limited funds and many strong proposals made this an exceptionally competitive process,” said Jessica Iasparro, Director of Community Impact at UWRRV. “The Allocation’s Team narrowed funding to 18 grantees who distinguished themselves by demonstrating their capacity and expertise to make significant and measurable progress in our efforts to enhance youth literacy in Winnebago County.”
“The integrity of United Way’s United for Literacy Community Grant process assures donors that responsible stewardship is our top priority,” said Julie Bosma, president and CEO of UWRRV. “Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we are proud to be able to make these impactful investments to close literacy opportunity gaps. These grantees are enhancing out-of-school programs, creating reading spaces, increasing access to books, fostering family bonding with books, and empowering youth through literature.”
The new funding cycle begins July 1, 2024, and is renewable June 30, 2025, contingent on the availability of dollars and each organization’s effectiveness in achieving measurable, meaningful results