GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
At United Way of Lancaster County, we are dedicated to strengthening our community by investing in innovative ideas and impactful projects. Through our Level Up & Launch initiative, we empower local organizations to maximize their impact by connecting with both current and new donors.
This program offers an exciting opportunity for grantees to amplify their grant awards. For every dollar donated by the community, United Way will match it dollar-for-dollar, up to the original grant amount. This means that your support can help organizations triple their funding, driving even greater positive change in Lancaster County.
Whether you’re an individual donor, a business, or a community partner, Level Up & Launch provides a powerful way to stretch your donation and invest in the future of our community. Join us in supporting local change-makers and innovative projects that are creating lasting impact across education, economic mobility, and health. Together, we can Level Up & Launch Lancaster County and build a stronger community for all.
2025-2026 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
United Way of Lancaster County seeks to invest in scalable and innovative projects that address service gaps and systemic challenges across our three priority areas:
Education:
- Improve outcomes for children and youth
- Increase access to extracurricular activities
- Support adults with incomplete education
- Address transportation barriers
Economic Mobility:
- Achieve economic stability
- Support employment attainment and career pathways
- Break the cycle of generational poverty
- Provide re-entry and recovery employment options
- Address transportation challenges
Health:
- Expand access to healthcare
- Promote mental health support
- Support aging with dignity
- Address transportation needs
In addition to grant funding, United Way of Lancaster County offers Capacity Building opportunities for selected grantees, including participation in Project Blueprint and access to various volunteer opportunities.
HOW TO APPLY
GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
Applications will open February 18, 2025 at 8AM and close March 28, 2025 at 5PM.
Completed submissions must include the following documents attached to the application form. Applications should be submitted online via the link provided on the United Way of Lancaster County webpage.
Applications must include:
- Grant Application Responses
- IRS Nonprofit Determination Letter
- Program Budget
- Organization Budget
- Board of Directors Roster
Grantee Expectations
The Level Up & Launch Fellows agree to:
- Ensure compliance with grant reporting requirements, including monthly updates, mid-year reports, and annual reports.
- Designate a staff member to serve as the primary liaison for all Level Up & Launch communications and coordination.
- Collaborate with United Way of Lancaster County’s marketing team to promote and highlight the initiative throughout the grant period.
- Be available for scheduled site visits with the United Way of Lancaster County team.
- Provide availability to present as a United Way of Lancaster County partner organization during UWLC’s campaign period
- Training and advance notice will be provided by UWLC Resource Development team for a 2–5-minute presentation
- Keep your organization profile up-to-date on PA 211 and Get Connected volunteer portal websites.
Additional Requirement:
Organizations with an annual budget exceeding $500,000 must also submit their most recent audit.
Please note: Previous grantees of United Way support (e.g. EFSP, EITC) are eligible to apply. Last year’s Level Up & Launch grantees may apply for a second year of funding but must apply with a new project or an expansion of their current project in collaboration with another organization.
To learn more about Level Up & Launch Grants:
- Click here to view the detailed information on Level Up & Launch Grant Request For Proposal
- Click here to for the Level Up & Launch Grant Application.
- Click here for Level Up & Launch Grant Program Matching Component Information
- Click here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions
- Click here for a fillable Program Budget Form
- Click here for the fillable Fundraising Declaration Form
- UWLC Commitment to Equity
- UWLC Inclusiveness Policy
2024-2025 Level Up & Launch Grant Fellows Info:
Economic Mobility
Lancaster County Food Hub: The LCFH Welcome Place Street Outreach Team provides access to the enhanced needs of street homeless individuals through a relational, human-centered approach. Logging 39,000 outreach hours in 2023 and a surge in demand for services, workers continue to partner with other Lancaster City Outreach Partners to promote equitable access to services.
Pennsylvania Furniture Mission: The Pennsylvania Furniture Mission (PFM) creates warm, welcoming and fully furnished homes for individuals experiencing economic hardship or transitioning out of homelessness. With the award, they will create additional job opportunities, focusing on those with barriers to employment, and create hands-on educational experiences for Columbia High School students.
ASSETS Lancaster: The Community Lending program promotes equitable access to capital for BIPOC, female and low-to-moderate income (LMI) entrepreneurs. Loan recipients receive long-term financial and educational support, offering businesses a way to fuel their growth while rewarding them for fueling the growth of their community.
Lancaster EMS: EMT academy is an intensive three-month program designed to train and certify aspiring Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). The program offers a unique “earning while learning” approach, where eligible candidates are paid from the onset, providing them with both education and employment opportunities simultaneously.
Ephrata Area Social Services: The grant award supports growth within Community Support Services at EASS to include workforce and employment services. Key components of these additions include education on one-on-one job searching, interview skills, developing plans to find permanent employment, and direct support throughout the application process.
Health
CASA of Lancaster & Lebanon Counties: The best-interest advocacy program serves youth who are in foster care because of abuse and neglect. CASA aims to recruit and train 30 new court-appointed special advocate volunteers, who play an important role in advancing the health and wellbeing of the children with the potential of expanding services to 45 additional youth.
Parish Resource Center: The Take-Home Totes program connects social workers with resources to sustain their clients between identifying a patient’s need for food and connecting them with a long-term service. Funds also support their Food Delivery Initiative, which provides food boxes to those unable to access long-term food resources.
Arch Street Center: The Healthy Eating Food Program provides restaurant quality meals to over 300 members daily. Membership is rising, reflecting the increasing numbers of individuals who lack access to healthy and nutritious food. Funds support hiring of additional staff, new kitchen equipment, and expansion of the program’s network of food suppliers.
Education
Homefields: The Agricultural Workforce Training Program is designed for high school students with direct support needs and provides hands-on learning experience to at least 40 youth across 4 school districts over the school year. Grant funds support staffing, curriculum development, and direct costs for farm safety, maintenance, and educational resources.
The Common Wheel: The purchase of a Sprinter Van brings the Earn-a-Bike program on the road, offering the enrichment program in a newly structured 5-hour class to youth outside of Lancaster City. The program teaches youth STEM skills through bike maintenance and safe riding skills, and upon completion, provides them with the bike they worked on, a helmet, lock, and light.
Bright Side Opportunities Center: Sismantle {Tech} is tailored for high school-aged girls, focused on building support and instilling a skillset to dismantle barriers women face in the tech industry. Through collaboration with Elizabethtown College, the 6-week summer intensive empowers scholars with the skills needed to get a job in computer science and includes the opportunity to earn a CompTIA Security+ certification.
