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United Way Of Coastal And Western Connecticut Inc

Annual Giving
$0.3M
Grant Range
$3K - $0.1M
Decision Time
2mo
Success Rate
68%

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United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $332,000 (Impact Philanthropy competitive grants)
  • Success Rate: Approximately 68% (Social Equity Council programme)
  • Decision Time: Typically announced by mid-June
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $100,000+
  • Geographic Focus: Greater Bridgeport, Greater Danbury, Greater Norwalk, Southern Litchfield County, and Stamford, CT

Contact Details

Address: 301 Main Street, Suite 2-5, Danbury, CT 06810
Phone: 203-792-5330
Website: https://www.unitedwaycwc.org
Grant Inquiries: communityimpact@unitedwaycwc.org
ALICE Fund: archeline.youte@unitedwaycwc.org

Overview

United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut (UWCWC) has been serving communities across 27 municipalities in Fairfield and Southern Litchfield Counties since its founding. The organisation focuses on improving the lives of ALICE households—Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed families who earn above the federal poverty level but cannot afford basic necessities. With approximately 40% of Connecticut households falling below the ALICE Threshold in 2023, UWCWC mobilises community resources to create lasting change in health, education, and financial stability. The organisation serves more than 25% of the state's population and distributed funding to 126 nonprofits across multiple grant programmes. UWCWC has embraced trust-based philanthropy principles, offering unrestricted funding to support organisational flexibility and sustainability.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Impact Philanthropy Grant Programme: $332,000 available annually

  • Basic Needs Grant: $232,000 pool supporting organisations providing essential services (food, housing, utilities, childcare, healthcare) to ALICE households
  • Community Catalyst Grant: $100,000 pool providing unrestricted funding to grassroots organisations and civic engagement/community-building initiatives serving ALICE households
  • Mini-Grants: $2,500 - $10,000 unrestricted grants for organisations not currently funded by United Way

City of Danbury Social Service Grants: Approximately $204,000 annually

  • Administered since 2009 in partnership with the City of Danbury
  • Supports Greater Danbury area organisations serving Danbury residents
  • Application: Annual cycle with mid-year decisions

Social Equity Council Community Reinvestment Grant: $1.8 million (pilot programme)

  • UWCWC serves as third-party grant manager for Connecticut's Social Equity Council
  • Funds programmes uplifting communities impacted by the war on drugs
  • Focus areas: (1) reentry and reintegration, (2) youth education and recreation
  • Note: 84 organisations submitted requests totalling $7.5M for this highly competitive programme

Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP): Variable amounts

  • Federal programme administered locally by UWCWC
  • Supports emergency food and shelter services in Greater Danbury and Stamford

ALICE Fund: Direct cash assistance to individuals at or below ALICE Threshold

Priority Areas

Financial Stability: Programmes helping ALICE households achieve economic security, including rent/mortgage assistance, utility assistance, deposit assistance, and financial education

Education and Childcare: Early childhood education, childcare services, after-school activities, and educational programmes

Health and Wellness: Healthcare programmes, mental health services, food pantries, emergency feeding providers, and health promotion initiatives

Housing/Shelter: Safe and affordable housing access and retention, shelter services, and homelessness prevention

Community Building: Civic engagement, grassroots organising, and community-building initiatives that support ALICE households

ALICE Household Focus: All programmes must serve households at or below the ALICE Threshold—the minimum cost to live and work in Connecticut, which includes housing, childcare, food, transportation, healthcare, technology, taxes, and miscellaneous expenses

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not detailed in available materials, but eligible organisations must:

  • Serve communities within Greater Bridgeport, Greater Danbury, Greater Norwalk, Southern Litchfield County, or Stamford
  • Focus on ALICE households in areas of health, education, and financial stability
  • For Danbury Social Service Grants: must serve Danbury residents specifically

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO: Isabel Almeida

Chief Operating Officer: Ashley Barnett Gaudiano

Board of Directors (Selected Members):

  • Carolyn Kobsa (Chair), Principal at Kobsa Strategic in Wilton
  • Rowena Bergmans, Chief Value Officer at Nuvance Health (joined June 2025)
  • José Juan Casarrubias Adame, Chief Risk Officer – Investments at Genworth (joined June 2025)
  • Noel Anderson, Pitney Bowes Inc.
  • Christina Bodine Aysseh, Atlantic Community Bankers Bank
  • Paul Bruce, Union Savings Bank
  • Luis Diez, Northern Trust Asset Management
  • Carmen Hughes, City of Stamford
  • Aaron Meyer
  • Mark Ouellette
  • Giles Payne
  • Gerald Rosenberg
  • Michael Stern
  • Sam Tingley, M&T Bank Corporation
  • Katherine Webster-O'Keefe

Note: Doreen Bentson, Bob Trefry, and Tom McCarthy departed the board in 2025.

The board represents diverse sectors including banking, government, and corporate leadership, reflecting the organisation's commitment to collective impact across the region.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Impact Philanthropy Grant Programme:

  1. Review the full NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability) and grant guidelines at https://www.unitedwaycwc.org/grant-opportunities
  2. Attend a required information session (sessions typically held in March for spring application cycles)
  3. Register or log in to the e-CImpact grant management system at https://agency.e-cimpact.com/login.aspx?org=08090F
  4. Submit application by the deadline (typically late April for annual cycle)
  5. Paper applications available for those unable to access the e-CImpact portal

Danbury Social Service Grants:

  • Applications open annually
  • Apply through e-CImpact system
  • Deadlines typically in early October
  • Contact communityimpact@unitedwaycwc.org for specific deadlines and guidelines

Social Equity Council Grants:

  • UWCWC serves as grant administrator
  • Application process and deadlines vary by cycle
  • Contact for specific opportunities

ALICE Fund (Individual Assistance):

Decision Timeline

Impact Philanthropy Grants: Applications typically due late April; decisions announced by mid-June; grant period typically runs July 1 - June 30

Danbury Social Service Grants: Announced mid-year (typically February-March for following fiscal year funding)

Notification Method: Email notification to applicants; announcements posted on website and via press releases

Success Rates

For the Social Equity Council Community Reinvestment Grant programme, 84 organisations submitted requests totalling over $7.5 million for $1.8 million available—more than four times the available funding. Of these, 57 nonprofit projects received funding, representing approximately a 68% acceptance rate.

The organisation notes that "community needs far outpace the available funding, making it likely that we will receive more applications than we can fund," indicating competitive application processes across programmes.

Reapplication Policy

Organisations that did not receive funding in previous cycles are explicitly encouraged to apply. The Impact Philanthropy programme includes a mini-grants pool "for organisations that did not receive grants through either legacy United Way," demonstrating openness to new applicants and organisations that were previously unsuccessful.

No specific waiting periods or restrictions for reapplication were found in available materials.

Application Success Factors

Trust-Based Philanthropy Approach: UWCWC has committed to trust-based philanthropy principles, making Impact Philanthropy grants unrestricted. This reflects their belief in supporting organisational flexibility and sustainability. Committee members receive equity and trust-based philanthropy training to ensure decisions are made with equity at the forefront.

Strategic Focus on ALICE Households: All successful applications must demonstrate clear service to households at or below the ALICE Threshold. The 2023 ALICE Threshold in Connecticut represents a household survival budget of approximately $128,340 annually for a family of 2 adults, 1 infant, and 1 preschooler (or $64.17/hour wage). Understanding and articulating how your programme serves this specific population is critical.

Attend Information Sessions: UWCWC requires or strongly encourages attendance at information sessions before applying. These sessions provide crucial insights into application expectations, evaluation criteria, and programme priorities.

Systemic Change Focus: The organisation seeks to support nonprofits that "address critical community needs and drive systemic change." Applications should articulate both immediate impact and longer-term systems-level change.

Competitive Landscape: With application demand often exceeding available funding by 4:1 or more, applications must clearly demonstrate impact, organisational capacity, and alignment with UWCWC priorities.

Fewer, Larger Grants Strategy: UWCWC has made a strategic decision to "award fewer, larger grants with a targeted focus on serving low- to moderate-income households to achieve greater impact." This suggests they prefer funding organisations positioned for significant, sustained impact rather than spreading resources thinly.

Equity Lens: Grant decisions are made "with equity at the forefront." Applications should demonstrate cultural competency, equity-focused programming, and awareness of systemic barriers facing ALICE households.

e-CImpact Proficiency: The organisation uses the e-CImpact grant management system. Organisations should ensure they can navigate this system or request paper applications if needed. Having an existing account or being familiar with the platform is helpful.

Service Area Alignment: Organisations must serve communities within UWCWC's service area (Greater Bridgeport, Greater Danbury, Greater Norwalk, Southern Litchfield County, Stamford).

Focus Area Alignment: Programmes must align with at least one of UWCWC's three core areas: health, education, or financial stability.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Understand the ALICE framework: Successful applications must clearly articulate how they serve households earning above poverty level but below the basic cost of living. Use UWCWC's ALICE data and language in your application.

  • Unrestricted funding advantage: UWCWC now offers unrestricted grants through their trust-based philanthropy approach. Emphasise organisational capacity and fiscal responsibility rather than just programme-specific needs.

  • Consider mini-grants for new applicants: If you haven't received funding from either legacy United Way, the $2,500-$10,000 mini-grant pool provides a lower-barrier entry point to build a relationship with the funder.

  • Information sessions are essential: These required or strongly encouraged sessions provide critical insights into evaluation criteria and priorities. Attend and take detailed notes.

  • High competition requires strong differentiation: With 4:1 application-to-funding ratios in some programmes, your application must clearly demonstrate unique value, strong outcomes, and organisational capacity.

  • Equity must be central: UWCWC evaluates applications through an equity lens and trains reviewers in equity-focused decision-making. Demonstrate cultural competency, equity-focused programming, and understanding of systemic barriers.

  • Leverage multiple funding streams: UWCWC administers several different grant programmes. Consider which programme(s) best align with your work—Impact Philanthropy, Danbury Social Services, Social Equity Council, or EFSP.

  • Reapplication is welcomed: Previously unsuccessful applicants are explicitly encouraged to apply, with dedicated funding set aside for organisations new to United Way funding.

References

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