Organizations working on the most pressing issues impacting the Eagle River Valley are often focused on day-to-day operations and sustaining existing programs, and may not have time, opportunities, or resources to take a step back and consider new approaches to addressing those challenging problems or new ways to do their work with greater efficiency or impact. United Way of Eagle River Valley is looking to change that reality with two $10,000 innovation grants.
The United Way of Eagle River Valley Innovation Fund is accepting letters of intent for projects that experiment, pilot or test new ideas and approaches that can lead to breakthroughs in the areas of health, education, and financial stability. United Way defines an “innovative” approach as a novel solution that is more effective, efficient, collaborative, and/or sustainable than current solutions.
“We are thrilled to announce the second year of the United Way of Eagle River Valley Innovation Fund,” Rebecca Kanaly, executive director of the local United Way, said in a news release. “We value breakthroughs that confront persistent community challenges with creative solutions that will ultimately make our community stronger.”
Projects may include but are not limited to, new programs, reimagining the design of a program or services, using or building technology to improve service delivery, testing new outreach and communication tools, or building innovative cross-sector collaborations. In 2018, the innovation grants were awarded to two local programs: Neighborhood Navigators of Eagle County, which is unrolling a new grassroots program by leveraging cross-sector collaborations, and also to Youth Entity, which implemented new technology to improve service delivery.
Individuals, 501c3 nonprofits, and also informal groups are eligible to start their application for the $10,000 grant using a letter of intent form available at UnitedWayEagle.org/Innovation-Grant.
