Grantmaking across the county has been heavily impacted by the challenges of the pandemic. In 2020, Peak Grantmaking reported that 97% of funders were considering changes to their grantmaking processes, much of which was focused on reducing barriers and burdens to organizations applying for funding. To streamline processes and reduce grantee burden for organizations serving Wapello County, the Legacy Foundation and United Way of Wapello County are excited to announce a new common grant application.

The new application will feature the same questions for grantees applying to either organization. Grantees will also submit applications using the same online portal, allowing applicants to auto-populate content between applications. “We believe that by streamlining the application process, we can make funding more accessible, and allow our partners to spend more time and energy on what matters most- meeting the needs of our community,” said Ali Wilson, United Way of Wapello County Executive Director.

The United Way of Wapello County awards around $230,000 in Community Impact Grant funding to programs serving Wapello County each year. Awards are approved by the United Way Board of Directors each June.  The Legacy Foundation awards up to $450,00 in Bright Ideas Community Enrichments Fund grants through three grant cycles per year.

“Many non-profits are applying for funding from these grant programs at both the Legacy Foundation and the United Way of Wapello County,” said Legacy Foundation Grant Program Manager Amy Nossaman. “By simplifying the application process, nonprofits can now spend more time doing their work and less time copying application materials from one application to the next. This whole process is a positive for both us as funding organizations and the grantees applying for funding.”