Grants to help you grow
We offer grants to help strengthen and grow your organization and encourage youth-led volunteer projects
Grants to help you grow
We offer grants to help strengthen and grow your organization and encourage youth-led volunteer projects
Organizational Development Grant Overview for 2023/2024
We believe we can create a better future for our city and everyone that lives here by investing in organizations and communities. We do this with sustained funding to a network of agencies that support people in need in many different ways.
We also invest in community organizations across Winnipeg through our Organizational Development Grant Program so they can offer effective, high-quality programs and services.
The Organizational Development Grant is a small grant offered through three different streams: United Way Winnipeg funded agencies, non-United Way Winnipeg funded agencies, and Indigenous-led agencies. Nonprofits can apply for up to $5,000.
For United Way Winnipeg, capacity building for organizational effectiveness means supporting organizations to strengthen the following six core capacities. These areas of effectiveness are listed in order of priority. Given the volume of requests in recent intakes, United Way Winnipeg will apply this weighted criterion when reviewing applications:
1. Governance and Leadership
Focusing on improvements to processes and structures used by the Board of Directors. (I.e., development or revision to board bylaws, policies, procedures documents, terms of reference, roles/responsibilities of the board, board review/assessment, research and assessment associated with applying for charitable status, accreditation through Imagine Canada).
2. Financial Management
Fostering an improved ability in agencies to effectively manage and deploy organizational revenues and assets. (I.e., development of process and procedures to ensure financial accountability and transparency, development of fundraising strategy/plan, development of fundraising policies).
3. Human Resources
Enhancing areas related to the systems, policies, and procedures to ensure effective functioning of an agency’s human resources that comply, at minimum, with employment, health and safety and other applicable legislation as well as good practice standards. (I.e., development of HR policies, succession planning, procedures, development of job descriptions, conflict resolution policy, volunteer management policies/procedures).
4. Research
Research focusing on effectively serving diverse communities, including indigenous, immigrant/refugee, LGBT2SQ+, disability, etc. (i.e., research to better understand how to serve diverse communities appropriately)
5. Strategic Alliances and Partnerships
Fostering strategic alliances and partnerships that significantly advance an organization’s goals and expand its influence. (I.e., fostering collaborations and partnerships in areas such as restructuring, mergers, fostering strategic alliances and partnerships to advance a common agenda).
6. Strategy and Business Planning
Enhancing agency capacity to results in stronger decision making, strategy development and planning processes. (I.e., development of strategic plans, needs assessment/plan development, communications and social media plan, environmental scan to gauge changing client need, information and technology planning or diversity, equity, and inclusion action planning).[MM1]
ELIGIBILITY
To apply for United Way Winnipeg’s Organizational Development Grant, your organization must meet all the following eligibility criteria:
Your organization must be:
- A registered nonprofit organization, and
- An organization working in the health and social service sector, and
- Based in Winnipeg, and
- Primarily providing programs and services for Winnipeg individuals, and
- An agency whose programs and services align with United Way Winnipeg focus areas:
- Education: All That Kids Can Be
- Income: From Poverty to Possibility
- Health: Healthy People, Strong Communities
In addition to the above eligibility criteria, the below points will be considered in the evaluation process:
- United Way Winnipeg recognizes the importance of agencies that provide front-line service delivery in meeting the needs of individuals and families in our community.
- Your organization demonstrates a clear alignment with United Way Winnipeg’s strategic investment priorities. United Way Winnipeg’s current strategic investment priorities include:
- Mental health and addiction supports
- Job readiness and training
- Family supports
The below organizations are not eligible for an Organizational Development Grant:
- Agencies whose primary mission is of a political or religious nature
- Organizations primarily involved in medical research
- Daycares
- Libraries
Note: Agencies are eligible for one project per fiscal year (April 1 – March 31). A project funded by an Organizational Development Grant must be completed and an invoice submitted to United Way Winnipeg before another application to the fund can be approved.
CRITERIA
Preference will be given to projects which demonstrate all of the following:
- Urgency or timeliness for the organization to minimize risks, address organizational challenges, enhance sustainability of the organization, etc.
- Evidence that it will contribute to building the overall capacity and effectiveness of the organization through one or more of the six core capacities noted above.
- Encouraged by Agency Liaison Volunteers Teams – this point is specific to United Way Winnipeg agency partners.
Grants will not be approved to support costs associated with:
- Staff costs or salaries
- Staff development and training
- Capital purchases
- Financial audits
- Transportation, space rental, or food
- Implementation of operating plans or strategic plans
- Conference registration, workshop registration and travel
- Projects/activities already completed before the application is reviewed and approved by the review committee
- Printing, distribution and promotion of materials developed as a result of the project
APPLICATION, PROCESS & DATES
United Way Winnipeg will accept applications for a window of four weeks during two intake periods. The review committee will review all applications against the criteria to make final funding decisions. Details of the next intake period will be listed when available.
Link to Online Application
Spring Intake 2025
Applications will be accepted starting March 31, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. to April 25, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in June.
Fall Intake 2025
Applications will be accepted starting October 6, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. to October 31, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in December.
IMPACT STORIES
Are you unsure about how this grant can help build the capacity of your organization?
Here are a few success stories that help to paint a picture of impact:
Thanks to an Organizational Development Grant from United Way Winnipeg, Learning Disabilities Association of Manitoba (LDAM) now has a robust fundraising strategy to sustain its programming and operations into the future. With the help of a consultant, LDAM has implemented techniques to engage with new and existing donors. One of the organization’s biggest success stories was attracting a significant donation of $25,000—its highest contribution from a single donor to date.
North Point Douglas Women’s Centre (NPDWC) has developed new language to express the importance of Indigenous traditional knowledge in its everyday practice. With support provided by United Way’s Organizational Development Grant, the staff and board of NPDWC gathered on the banks of the Assiniboine River, at Camp Manitou, to offer tobacco and seek knowledge about traditional ways of governance. Now, NPDWC’s guiding principles have been revised to align with the wisdom of community grandmothers and the Seven Sacred Teachings.
QUESTIONS?
For more information, please contact:
Matthew McCormick
Community Investment Manager
204-924-4221