The City of Danbury and United Way of Western Connecticut invite social service agencies that serve residents of Danbury to apply for funding through the City of Danbury social service grant program. Community services around Education, Health and Financial Stability will be targeted for funding. Funding is now allocated through a two-year allocation process, with the grant covering the fiscal years of July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019. Funding will be awarded for Year 1, July 1 2017 – June 30, 2018, in July 2017. Funding for Year 2 is contingent upon an agency mid-cycle review in the spring of 2018 and the results of the City of Danbury social service budget.
The City urges those applying to demonstrate both their mission and their service results comprehensively and with clarity. The fiscal realities of the last few years will come into play once again this budget year. Now more than ever than ever, it is important that city funds be delivered to programs that can most effectively provide services to Danbury’s neediest residents.
UWWC assumed responsibility of administering the funding review process at the City’s request since 2009. Over the years, Danbury residents have been recruited and trained to serve as volunteers to review the grant applications and make recommendations to the city on the appropriate distribution of the funds. Volunteer reviewers are only eligible if they are a Danbury resident and can attest to having no conflicts of interest with the agencies being reviewed. The volunteers spend several weeks reading agency proposals, listening to agency presentations and, through considerable discussion, arrive at final funding recommendations. Last year, 28 agencies were funded through the City’s program.
Agencies inquiring about the funding process or Danbury residents interested in volunteering for a funding review team can contact Caroline LaFleur at United Way of Western Connecticut at (203) 297-6307 or caroline.lafleur@uwwesternct.org.