United Way accepting city nonprofit applications

The council voted to have the United Way handle the nonprofit funding process to move the discussion away from council. Last year, the council talked about nonprofit funding for several months after the city budget was approved, which left nonprofits without funding many relied on after the start of the fiscal year in July.

“In an effort to avoid political or personal bias and utilize tax dollars most efficiently and effectively, the city has contracted the United Way of Wayne County to provide the services and recommendations of their annual allocations,” said Sherry Archibald, United Way of Wayne County executive director.

As part of the agreement between the city and United Way, the United Way will receive an administration fee of 10% of the amount of nonprofit funding approved by council. The council voted May 15 to allocate $100,000 in nonprofit funding in the upcoming fiscal 2023-24 year.

Archibald asked council for input into priority areas in April that may play a role in the nonprofit funding decisions.

Council priority areas include basic needs, health and wellness, education, financial stability, animal welfare, recreation, arts and culture, Archibald told council during its May 1 meeting.

Other preferences of the council include funding programs, as opposed to agencies, to seek measurable outcomes, an interest to build capacity for nonprofit organizations and to serve all demographics, Archibald said.

The United Way has formed a volunteer city of Goldsboro impact committee that will review and make nonprofit funding decisions that will be recommended to council, she said.

The United Way opened the first step of the application process on May 10 that includes prequalification on its website, at www.unitedwayne.org.

Applications will be available alongside the city of Goldsboro’s NPO Notice of Fundung Opportunity.

The second step involves the application process, with both processes similar to what the council has asked for in previous years, Archibald said.

The United Way’s two-step process will close June 7, the committee will assess the applications and make recommendations to the council in July, Archibald said. The nonprofits will also make presentations to the committee as part of the process.

Questions involving the United Way’s management of city nonprofit applications, review and recommendations need to be directed to United Way staff.

The process has been set up in a similar way that the United Way manages its nonprofit funding decisions each year and will take place prior to the start of the annual United Way campaign, Archibald said.