Greater Twin Cities United Way

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $25,074,002 (2023)
• Total Awards: 134 grants (2023)
• Geographic Focus: 9-county Twin Cities metro area (Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, and western Washington counties)
• Grant Range: Varies by program (individual grants up to $75,000 in some programs; major initiatives $30,000-$40,000)
• Founded: 2001 (merger of United Ways of Minneapolis and St. Paul)

Contact Details

Address: 404 South Eighth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55404-1084
Phone: (612) 340-7400
Website: https://www.gtcuw.org
EIN: 41-1973442
Nonprofit Portal: https://junction.gtcuw.org/Nonprofit/FundingOpportunities/Pages/default.aspx

For funding inquiries, nonprofits should register for a Grants Portal account through the Andar software system, with email confirmation typically within three business days.

Overview

Greater Twin Cities United Way was created in 2001 by the merger of the United Ways of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The organization operates with 216 full-time equivalents and is led by President & CEO John Wilgers, who joined in May 2019 after 35 years at Ernst & Young. With a Charity Navigator rating of 96% (Four Stars), Greater Twin Cities United Way serves as a strategic and intentional steward, distributing over $25 million annually to 100+ nonprofit partners across the nine-county metro area. Their mission is to create a community where all people thrive regardless of income, race, or place, focusing on housing, food, education, and jobs. The organization touches the lives of half a million people in the region each year through grant-making, operating the 211 resource helpline and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and advocating for systemic policy changes. Equity is at the center of their work, prioritizing Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, Pacific Islander and other Communities of Color, and those earning incomes below 200% of the poverty level.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Investments (2022-2025 RFP Cycle)

• Multi-year grants to nonprofits committed to racial equity
• Focus areas: Housing stability, food security, early childhood education, career and future readiness, and economic opportunity
• Competitive application process with evaluation by volunteers and staff

Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund

• $3.5 million distributed to over 100 nonprofits (August 2024)
• Individual grants up to $75,000
• Greater Twin Cities United Way serves as philanthropic intermediary partner
• Supports community asset building, basic needs, health and well-being, restorative and responsive services

Community Impact Accelerator Grants

• Partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
• Total funding: $100,000
• First place: $40,000 plus BCG support
• Two finalists: $30,000 each
• Focus on scalable projects with enduring social impact

Career Academies Building a Movement Fund

• Multiple rounds of funding opportunities
• Focused on organizations elevating Students of Color and students from low-income households
• Career pathways development across Minnesota

Mental Health Capacity Grants

• Recent distribution: $1.225 million (October 2025)
• Supports organizations receiving high volume of referrals from 211 helpline and 988 Crisis Lifeline

80x3: Resilient from the Start

• Early childhood education initiative
• Specific funding opportunities announced periodically

Priority Areas

Greater Twin Cities United Way unites community partners around four core impact areas:

1. Housing Stability - Largest percentage of funding; addresses deepening racial disparities in housing access and stability through initiatives like Pathways Home

2. Food Security - Full Lives initiative to create a thriving and equitable regional food system where all communities have physical and economic access to food that meets their cultural, dietary, and nutritional needs

3. Educational Success - Early childhood education (80x3), career and future readiness (Career Academies), and educational equity

4. Economic Opportunity - Jobs and prosperity-building, including new specific strategy to support entrepreneurship

Equity Focus: To advance equity and have the greatest impact, they prioritize Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, Pacific Islander and other Communities of Color, and those earning incomes below 200% of the poverty level.

What They Don't Fund

Based on available information:

• Organizations outside the 9-county metro area (Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, and western Washington counties)
• Programs not aligned with their four priority areas (housing, food, education, economic opportunity)
• Organizations serving primarily populations above 200% of federal poverty guidelines
• Non-501(c)(3) organizations without fiscal sponsorship
• Organizations that cannot comply with United States Patriot Act documentation requirements
• Donations of clothing and furniture (in-kind contributions)

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO: John Wilgers (joined May 2019)

• Former Managing Partner of Ernst & Young Minneapolis office (35 years)
• Previously served as GTCUW Board Chair (2012) and board member for six years
• Focuses on advancing pathways toward prosperity and equity for all

Board Leadership:

• Vice-Chair: Al McFarlane, CEO of McFarlane Media Interests, Inc.
• Treasurer: Troy Zierden
• Secretary: Miquel McMoore
• Board Size: 52 members total

Additional Board Members: Stacy Bogart, Erin Dady, Mike O'Leary, Lamar Anderson, Collin Brinkman, Erick Chi, Amy Dahl, Chris Dolan, Kiera Fernandez, Karen Himle, Kalyn Hove, Seitu Jones, Matt Kucharski, Darin Lynch, Matt Marsh, Erin Horne McKinney, Lisa Shannon, and others.

Organizational Structure: 216 full-time equivalents support grant-making, advocacy, 211 resource helpline, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline operations, and community convening.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Greater Twin Cities United Way uses a competitive application process for most grant programs:

1. Portal Registration: Register for a Grants Portal account through the Andar software system at https://junction.gtcuw.org/Nonprofit/FundingOpportunities/Pages/default.aspx

   • Email confirmation typically within three business days

2. RFP-Based Applications: Most funding opportunities operate on a Request for Proposals basis

   • Written applications are submitted through the online portal
   • Applications are scored by Greater Twin Cities United Way staff and community reviewers using evaluation rubrics
   • Top-scoring organizations are invited to participate in virtual conversations
   • Detailed agendas and discussion points provided to ensure transparency

3. Funding Opportunity Notices: Nonprofits can subscribe to funding notices at https://mailchi.mp/gtcuw.org/nonprofit-funding-notices to stay informed about new opportunities

4. Different Programs, Different Timelines:

   • Community Investments operate on multi-year cycles (current: 2022-2025)
   • Special initiatives like Career Academies have multiple rounds through the year
   • Some programs like Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund operate as one-time distributions

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines vary by program and are not consistently publicized. Based on available data:

• Applications are reviewed by teams of staff and community volunteers
• Final recommendations are approved by the volunteer Board of Directors
• Applicants should expect multiple stages: initial application review, scoring, finalist selection (for some programs), and board approval
• Grant announcements are typically made through press releases and posted to the website

Success Rates

Based on 2023 data, Greater Twin Cities United Way made 134 awards. Given they invest in 100+ nonprofit partners, competition is significant. Recent major initiatives show:

• 90 nonprofits received shares of $12.1 million in poverty-focused grants (2022)
• Over 100 nonprofits shared $3.5 million through Otto Bremer Trust fund (2024)
• 3 finalists selected for Community Impact Accelerator (highly competitive)

Success rates are not published, but the competitive nature of the process is emphasized throughout materials.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy or waiting period for unsuccessful applicants is documented in available materials. Given the multi-year grant cycles and RFP-based approach, organizations should monitor funding opportunity announcements for the next appropriate application window.

Application Success Factors

Based on Greater Twin Cities United Way's documented selection criteria and strategic approach:

Selection Criteria Used by Reviewers:

1. Geographic Location: Must serve the 9-county greater Twin Cities area (Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, and western Washington counties)

2. Alignment: Programs must align with organizational priorities of Economic Opportunity, Educational Success, and Household Stability (housing and food)

3. Demonstrated Impact: Programming must be effective as reflected by quantitative and qualitative evaluation efforts and outcomes. United Way values data-driven approaches.

4. Target Population: The majority of those served must be at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines and should encompass people of all backgrounds and abilities

5. Racial Equity Commitment: Applications must demonstrate commitment to racial equity. Equity is at the center of all funding decisions, prioritizing Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, Pacific Islander and other Communities of Color.

6. Scalability and Sustainability: Particularly for competitive programs like Community Impact Accelerator, projects should demonstrate potential to "impact more people in the community, region and beyond" with "enduring social impact"

Strategic Approaches That Stand Out:

• Holistic Approach: United Way values proposals that address interconnected aspects of issues rather than single-problem solutions
• Community-Led Change: Investments prioritize "nonprofit partners on the front lines of community-led change"
• Systems Change: Beyond meeting immediate needs, they seek partners working to "transform systems to create lasting change"
• Innovative and Scalable Solutions: They "amplify and scale promising strategies that drive results, impact change and significantly disrupt inequities by income, race or place"

From CEO John Wilgers: Focus on "building pathways toward prosperity and equity for all by increasing access to stable housing, healthy food, strong education, jobs and opportunities to build prosperity and wealth." Applications should demonstrate how they contribute to these pathways.

Application Quality Factors:

• Applications are scored using evaluation rubrics
• Transparency is valued (detailed agendas provided for finalist conversations)
• Community reviewers participate alongside staff, suggesting community connections and reputation matter
• Board approval is the final step, indicating organizational credibility is important

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Multi-Year Commitment: Greater Twin Cities United Way operates on multi-year grant cycles (currently 2022-2025 for Community Investments), so timing your application to align with major RFP releases is critical

• Equity Is Non-Negotiable: Every aspect of your proposal must demonstrate commitment to racial equity and centering Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, Pacific Islander and other Communities of Color. This is not a secondary consideration but the foundation of their work.

• Serve the Right Population: At least the majority of your clients must be at or below 200% of federal poverty level and within the 9-county service area—if your demographics don't match, don't apply

• Data Matters: Be prepared to demonstrate program effectiveness through both quantitative and qualitative evaluation. Vague claims won't pass the scoring rubric used by community reviewers.

• Think Systems, Not Just Services: United Way seeks partners who can articulate how their work transforms systems for lasting change, not just delivers services to meet immediate needs

• Scale and Sustainability: Particularly for competitive initiatives, show how your work can grow to impact more people and be sustained beyond grant funding

• Register Early: Create your Grants Portal account before funding opportunities open so you're ready when RFPs are released—check the funding notices mailing list regularly

References

1. Greater Twin Cities United Way Official Website - https://www.gtcuw.org/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
2. Greater Twin Cities United Way GuideStar Profile - https://www.guidestar.org/profile/41-1973442 (Accessed December 24, 2025)
3. Greater Twin Cities United Way Charity Navigator Rating - https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/411973442 (Accessed December 24, 2025)
4. Instrumentl 990 Report for Greater Twin Cities United Way - https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/greater-twin-cities-united-way (Accessed December 24, 2025)
5. "Greater Twin Cities United Way awards $12.1 million to nonprofits," Philanthropy News Digest - https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/greater-twin-cities-united-way-awards-12.1-million-to-nonprofits (Accessed December 24, 2025)
6. "Greater Twin Cities United Way Distributes $3.5 Million in Grants," GTCUW News - https://www.gtcuw.org/stories-and-news/greater-twin-cities-united-way-distributes-3-5-million-in-grants-to-local-nonprofits-through-the-otto-bremer-trusts-community-responsive-fund/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
7. Bush Foundation - Greater Twin Cities United Way Profile - https://www.bushfoundation.org/organizations/greater-twin-cities-united-way/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
8. Greater Twin Cities United Way Funding Opportunities Portal - https://junction.gtcuw.org/Nonprofit/FundingOpportunities/Pages/default.aspx (Accessed December 24, 2025)
9. "United Way Invites Local Nonprofits to Apply for Community Impact Accelerator Grants" - https://www.gtcuw.org/stories-and-news/united-way-invites-local-nonprofits-to-apply-for-community-impact-accelerator-grants/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
10. "United Way Career Academies Funding Opportunity: Building a Movement" - https://www.gtcuw.org/stories-and-news/united-way-career-academies-funding-opportunity-building-a-movement/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
11. John Wilgers LinkedIn Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-wilgers/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
12. "Greater Twin Cities United Way Welcomes New CEO" - https://www.gtcuw.org/united-way-welcomes-new-ceo/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
13. Greater Twin Cities United Way Board of Directors - https://www.gtcuw.org/about-us/our-team/board-of-directors/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
14. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Greater Twin Cities United Way - https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/411973442 (Accessed December 24, 2025)
15. Otto Bremer Trust Grant Profile - https://ottobremer.org/grants/25-64172-greater-twin-cities-united-way/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)