Over the course of our 100-year history in Greenville County, United Way has continuously evolved to meet the current needs of our community. Through community assessment, the most urgent need facing Greenville County today is fighting the persistence of poverty by eliminating the strongest barriers to higher earnings: housing, childcare, education and transportation.

Approved by the Board of Directors in December 2022, our 2023-2030 organizational strategy (How We Win) is designed to fight the persistence of poverty in Greenville County. We believe that to reduce barriers to higher earnings for low-income community members, we must increase access to affordable housing; high-quality, affordable childcare; postsecondary education and industry certifications; and transportation—all of which are achieved by applying systems change tools such as investing resources, influencing policy, and shaping public narratives.

We aim to make larger and more meaningful grants for organizations strongly aligned with this strategy.

Three key factors have led to this latest evolution:

1. It is time. We successfully completed our five-year strategic plan (2018-2022) and it was time to evaluate where we had been and where we needed to go to continue to be relevant and credible for our community.
2. Greenville County is changing. It’s no secret that our community is dramatically changing. According to the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, we have 20 people joining our community daily, and a projected increase of 240,000 people by 2040. We want to make sure that we continue to play an important role in meeting the needs of our growing community.
3. Our donors are changing both inside and outside of the workplace. While our workplace campaign continues to raise a lot of money for our community, the dollars are increasingly restricted, which leaves less money for us to invest in our nonprofit partners. Our new strategy reflects changes that will help us continue to diversify funding and raise as much as we can for our community. 

The Request for Proposals (RFP) and application will be released Monday, May 1, 2023, with the proposals due by Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 5 p.m.

The proposal review period, including applicant site visits, will be conducted June 2–Aug. 30.

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions beginning Sept. 1.

All information and process updates will be posted here.

United Way of Greenville County conducts an open, transparent, and competitive grantmaking process. All 501c3 and quasi-governmental organizations that align with United Way’s investment strategy and meet specific criteria are invited to apply.

Once proposals are received, a team of expert reviewers from United Way and the community review the applications, measuring the ability of the organizations to meet United Way’s strategic goals and deliver solutions that help move community members out of poverty.

Proposals that rise to the top are recommended to United Way’s Community Impact Committee, composed of board members and community members, who then recommend the investments to the Board of Directors.

Funding support begins Jan. 1, 2024, and will continue through Dec. 31, 2026.

Yes, additional informational sessions are scheduled for May:

• Funded Partners | Wednesday, May 3 | 9–10:30 a.m.
  • United Way of Greenville County, 105 Edinburgh Court, Greenville, SC 29607
• Prospective Partners | Wednesday, May 3 | 2–3:30 p.m.
  • United Way of Greenville County, 105 Edinburgh Court, Greenville, SC 29607
• Funded Partners | Monday, May 8 | 2–3:30 p.m.
  • United Way of Greenville County, 105 Edinburgh Court, Greenville, SC 29607
• Prospective Partners | Wednesday, May 10 | 9–10:30 a.m.
  • Zoom Meeting

It is important to us that we provide as much insight and opportunity to engage in this process as possible through the RFP concept paper, FAQ and accessibility of our staff.

No, grantees must apply for general operating support rather than program-specific funding.

• Capital projects and campaigns
• Organizations that do not address poverty and are not aligned with United Way’s organizational strategy
• Organizations that have been in existence less than two years
• Organizations that do not serve those living in Greenville County

We value the unique contributions of each agency in Greenville County to our larger nonprofit ecosystem. For current partners who are not awarded grants for the 2024–2026 investment cycle, United Way will continue to provide current funding levels through the end of 2023 and will work to continue partnerships in other ways. We are committed to maintaining strong ties to partner agencies regardless of funding decisions resulting from United Way’s evolved organizational strategy.

Yes. The awarded amount will be renewed annually for three years based on performance and availability of funds.

We currently provide grant funding to 67 local nonprofit organizations totaling $3 million in annual investments.

Yes, just make sure the people working on the application know which section each is working on as it is automatically saved.

Yes. Grant dollars can support general operating expenses, including personnel costs related to the grant proposal.

No. Please have any additional documents or supporting materials ready to be shared during your site visit.

June 12–July 14, 2023

Review teams will consist of three people, including United Way staff members and community evaluators. Site visits will last no longer than one hour. Organization leaders and key members will meet the United Way review team, a panel interview will be held, along with a brief tour of the organization.

Yes. All organizations, regardless of size, will be considered equally.

We are here to help you throughout the process. Email us at rfp2023@unitedwaygc.org for assistance. You’re also encouraged to connect with organizations that offer trainings such as Together SC and Greater Good Greenville.

We will be looking at the impact of the organization’s collective efforts and aim to invest in general operations expenses that support that impact.

Yes. We understand the importance of smaller organizations in supporting our community and the unique needs of our neighbors. As a result, we work to make sure our investment portfolio is equitable and representative of the sector. Rather than looking solely at revenue size, we assess the diversity of an organization’s revenue streams during our grantmaking process, as well as opportunities to help organizations strengthen their fundraising capacity.

Yes.

Yes, if your budget is less than $250,000.

Yes. Make sure you include which positions are filled by volunteers on the organizational chart.

No. You will provide information about the requested amount during your site visit.

No, United Way of Greenville County does not invest in capital projects or capital campaigns through our grant investments.

No, upload them together in one document.

Yes, we encourage collaborations and partnerships with other organizations.

Proposals must illustrate measurable impact and organizations must agree to measure and report on defined outcomes if funding is awarded.

The latest information on the grant investment process can be found here. There is also a contact form below where you can submit any questions you may have to the United Way team.