Community Investment Grants (Financial Security Impact Area)

Community Investment Grants (Financial Security Impact Area) is sponsored by United Way of West Florida. Supports local nonprofit programs that create meaningful, measurable impacts in the lives of individuals and families across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, with a focus on Financial Security, which includes initiatives that increase economic mobility, workforce readiness, or …

Community Investments | United Way of Northwest Florida United Way of Northwest Florida invests in our trusted local affiliated agencies each year through our Community Impact Fund because we know lasting change happens when strong organizations are equipped to meet real needs.

This annual investment supports the incredible work happening across our four focus areas, youth opportunity, healthy communities, financial stability, and community resilience, ensuring that families can access the services and supports that help them thrive. We do this because no single program or organization can solve our communities toughest challenges alone.

By strategically funding partners, aligning efforts, and strengthening the network of care across our region, UWNWFL helps create holistic solutions that address immediate needs while also building long term stability, opportunity, and resilience for the people we serve.

UWNWFL Community Impact Fund grant funding is reserved exclusively for United Way of Northwest Florida affiliated agencies, meaning only organizations that have already met our highest standards of accountability and community impact are eligible to apply.

To become and remain affiliated, agencies complete a rigorous annual process that includes submitting financial statements, audits, program outcomes and supporting documentation that demonstrate both responsible stewardship and measurable results.

These materials are carefully reviewed, discussed in depth, and ultimately voted on by the UWNWFL Board of Directors, ensuring that affiliated status is earned through thorough vetting and maintained through ongoing transparency. Once affiliated, agencies may apply for Community Impact Fund grants through another competitive process.

Grant requests are evaluated by a volunteer driven Funds Distribution Committee made up of community members from across our six county region who score applications, engage in detailed discussion, and make award recommendations to ensure funding decisions are fair, strategic, and centered on the needs of our communities. The Community Impact Fund is made possible entirely through the generosity of people in our region.

It is filled through donations from workplace campaigns as well as individual gifts from community members who choose to invest in local solutions. While UWNWFL works to advance our mission through our own direct grant awards, initiatives, and resources, the Community Impact Fund is powered purely by donors who believe in strengthening our six county communities.

Every gift increases what we can strategically grant to partner agencies, expanding the reach of critical programs and services. Simply put, the more our neighbors give, the more we can invest back into the organizations addressing our regions toughest challenges and building lasting opportunity, stability, health, and resilience. Want to join us?

Donate to the Community Impact Fund HERE . In 2025, United Way of Northwest Florida invested over $300,000 from our Community Impact Fund, including two $50,000 opportunities from our ALICE Mobility Grants, back into our region by awarding grants to affiliated partner agencies and the local programs that are meeting critical needs across our focus areas.

These investments help strengthen youth opportunity, healthy communities, financial stability, and community resilience by expanding access to services and supporting proven local solutions. For a comprehensive list of the agencies and programs that received 2025 Community Impact Fund support, click HERE .