Letters of Intent for 2016/17 Funding Cycle for Programs Never Funded by UWCNVI LOI DUE JANUARY 18, 2016

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1 Letters of Intent for 2016/17 Funding Cycle for Programs Never Funded by UWCNVI LOI DUE JANUARY 18, 2016 FOCUS AREA 2016/17: FROM POVERTY TO POSSIBILITY Applying for funding for a program NOT previously funded by United Way If your agency has never been funded by UWNCVI, you must first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) before getting the green light to put in a funding application. We would like to save agencies spending time filling out the full grant application if they clearly do not meet our criteria or are unlikely to be considered for funding in this cycle. If UWCNVI has funded one or more programs at your organization in the past, but you are requesting funds for a different program never funded by UWCNVI, you still have to submit a Letter of Intent for the new program. For example, if UWCNVI has funded your caregiver support program and now you want to apply for funds for a financial literacy program, you must submit a Letter of Intent for the financial literacy program. Focus for New Programs is From Poverty to Possibility Impact Area For the 2016/17 grant cycle, our impact area of focus for new program funding is FROM POVERTY TO POSSIBILITY. The burden of poverty is profound, and those who are confronted with it face deeply entrenched social barriers to their success. Through this impact area, The United Way Central and Northern Vancouver Island s focus is on helping meet the basic needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities and building the capacity of individuals to become economically independent. Although interventions supported by UWCNVI will not be enough to overcome poverty completely, they are designed to help people experiencing poverty to develop plans and prepare for a better future to move from poverty to possibility. For more information on the types of specific programs we are looking for, please refer to Appendix A. Please note, that while many of the programs and services listed in the Appendix are focused on adults, we strongly encourage applications that are focused on tackling issues that impact child poverty. For example, in 2013, in British Columbia, more than half (50.3%) of children 0-17 years old in lone-parent families lived in poverty, compared with 13.0% of children in couple families. For more information on child poverty, please see the 2015 BC Child Poverty Report Card. What to Include in Your Letter of Intent/Deadline Letters of intent should be submitted to: impact@uwcnvi.ca by January 18, Please note that the funding limit for programs that have not received United Way funding in the past is $6,000. Requests over $6,000 will not be considered. Your Letter of Intent should contain the following information: Introduction to your organization, including your Registered Charitable Business Number Two or three sentences regarding the evidence of the need for this program in your community 1

2 Detailed description of the vulnerable population (refer to definitions below) you will serve in your community, and how your agency has previously engaged with this vulnerable sectors of the population Geographic area(s) where the program will take place Start up and completion dates Concise description of the program s activities. No more than a paragraph. A sentence on how the program differs from any other similar programs providing services in the same geographic area and/or list of other organizations with whom your agency will partner. The amount requested from UWCNVI and where it will be allocated in program expenditures maximum request limit is $6,000. The percentage of the total program budget that is being requested from UWCNVI. Sentence or two on the capacity to recognise United Way Grant Funding through social media (website, etc.). Letters of Intent should not be more than two pages long. An introductory and concluding paragraph and sub-headers with bullets to answer the above points is acceptable. Submit to: impact@uwcnvi.ca, Subject: Letter of Intent (Your agency name/program name) Questions: Please direct to Cinnamon Phillips, Impact Coordinator at impact@uwcnvi.ca OR Signy Madden, Executive Director at signy@uwcnvi.ca. Website: Next Steps After LOI Submitted The United Way Community Investment Committee will review your Letter of Intent for basic eligibility and fit with UWCNVI s mission, values and impact areas. You may be contacted for additional details. Once basic eligibility has been determined, you will receive communication of the result along with any next step instructions by January 25th, If your Letter of Intent is successful, you may be invited to participate in a mandatory grant application training session. Sessions will take place in February in Nanaimo, Courtenay and Campbell River. Defining Your Vulnerable Population Those groups most at risk of the various forms of poverty and resulting social exclusion are - families, children and youth, seniors, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and immigrants. However, as already noted, being from this group does not necessarily make one most vulnerable or at risk - it is a combination of factors that increases this vulnerability 1. The various factors for each group might include: Vulnerable families are families that experience chronic low-income and few social supports, teen parenting or lone parenting with low income, high household mobility, homelessness, parents with low personal capacity, family dysfunction, or have experienced or witnessed abuse. Vulnerable children & youth are children and youth who live alone or are homeless, live in families experiencing chronic low-income, live in dysfunctional families, experience or witness abuse or trauma, lack interpersonal and 2

3 social skills, have cognitive deficits or emotional or mental health issues, are not engaged in or succeeding at school, or experience low sense of belonging in school or community. Vulnerable seniors - are 65 or older, live alone (key risk factor for social isolation, along with 75+), have low income, are single or bereaved, are in poor health, experience language/cultural barriers, and/or have transportation difficulties. Vulnerable Aboriginal peoples are individuals and communities that have been affected by the multigenerational impacts of colonialism, especially the effects of residential schools. These effects may include systemic racism and discrimination, resulting in chronic low income, high mobility, loss of culture, and other negative social indicators. Aboriginal peoples include First Nations (status, non-status and Bill C-31 individuals), Métis, and Inuit people. Vulnerable people with disabilities are individuals that have physical, cognitive or other challenges that can hamper or reduce a person's ability to carry out day to day activities, have low income, are single, are in poor health, have addiction issues, have mental health issues, and/or experience transportation difficulties. 1 Source for some of the definitions of vulnerability is FCSS Calgary, Outline of Proposed areas for FCSS Investments in Programming and List of Relevant Definitions October 2014 Vulnerable immigrants are recent immigrants to Canada (generally defined as those who arrived in the last five years), are refugees, face language barriers, have low income, are unable to obtain employment commensurate with their credentials, are stay-at-home parents or seniors, and/or belong to ethno-cultural communities with few members in the Capital Region. United Way does not fund the following: 1. Organizations without Charitable Registration Numbers/BN Registration Numbers 2. Formal education universities, school districts, private schools 3. Hospitals 4. For-profit organizations 5. Political parties 6. Religious activities 7. Capital expenditures 8. General operating expenditures (not program specific) 8. Individuals 3

4 APPENDIX A The following list of programs and services fall within the scope of the United Way s mission and vision. Please note, that while many of the programs and services listed in this Appendix are focused on adults, we strongly encourage applications that are focused on tackling issues that impact child poverty. For example, in 2013, in British Columbia, more than half (50.3%) of children 0-17 years old in lone-parent families lived in poverty, compared with 13.0% of children in couple families. For more information on child poverty, please see the 2015 BC Child Poverty Report Card. Adult Education Banking Services Information and Support Benefits Assistance Programs, usually offered by community adult schools or evening classes at local high schools, that provide instruction in fundamental learning skills for adults who have never attended school or have interrupted formal schooling and need to raise their level of education to increase their self-confidence and/or prepare for an occupation. Emphasis is placed on basic reading, language and mathematics. Programs that provide information and/or support which helps people select a bank, open accounts, write cheques, balance their chequebook, use an ATM, make direct deposit arrangements, bank online (e.g., pay bills, review account balances, order cheques via the Internet), pay bills by telephone, change currency, conduct wire transfers or understand and manage other activities related to banking. Included are programs that help people who are homeless, people with little income and few resources and others with special problems to establish bank accounts and access other banking services. Programs that provide assistance for people who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining grants, payments, services or other benefits to which they are entitled by law. The programs may help people understand the eligibility criteria for benefits, the benefits provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits application forms; negotiate on their behalf with benefits administration staff; and/or represent them in administrative processes or judicial litigation. Included are benefits counselling organizations that offer a range of advocacy services and legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance. 4

5 Benefits Screening Certificates/Forms Assistance Employment Preparation Programs that provide benefits screening services which help individuals determine whether they are eligible for benefits through any of a wide variety of public and private federal, provincial and local programs. In addition to identifying the benefits that a person may be eligible to receive, the service also provides a detailed description of the programs, local contacts for additional information (typically the addresses and phone numbers of where to apply for the programs), and materials to help successfully apply for each program. Some benefits screening programs may focus on specific populations such as older adults and people with disabilities. Programs that help people obtain, complete and/or file official forms, certificates, documents, applications or other paperwork that is required to apply for benefits or services, initiate or respond to legal action or to officially handle or document the occurrence of a transaction; that help people acquire copies of official documents on file elsewhere; or that review legal documentation an individual has received to help explain its meaning. Programs that provide assistance for people who need information, guidance and/or training in specific job-related skills to make appropriate occupational choices and secure and retain positions that effectively utilize their abilities. Financial Assessment Tools Financial Management Workshops Food Production Programs that provide access to tools which help people make an assessment of their personal financial situation by recording their income and assets, essential living expenses, discretionary expenses, current debts and other figures to calculate their personal net worth; determine their cash flow situation; develop financial goals; and establish a personal financial plan including a household budget that will enable them to manage their money effectively. Personal financial assessments can also be used in the context of financial counselling to evaluate an individual's ability to pay creditors in situations where the person is in financial difficulty or as a step in determining whether bankruptcy is a viable option. Programs that provide educational workshops for individuals, families, business owners and others that deal with the essentials of money management, asset building and financial independence. The classes may address a wide variety of money management issues including banking services, consumer credit lending, debt consolidation/repayment, bankruptcy, small business development, retirement planning, investment management, savings, risk management, tax and estate law and other similar topics. Programs that provide assistance for people who want to grow their own food or maintain their own gardens on a private basis; or which offer information, technical assistance and support for individuals who have commercial establishments that are engaged in the production of crops, plants, vines or trees; raising livestock, poultry or other small farm animals; beekeeping; commercial fishing; aquaculture projects; or other similar food production ventures. 5

6 Household Goods Programs that pay for or provide new, reconditioned or secondhand furnishings for homes or apartments. Housing Counselling Programs that provide comprehensive assistance for people who want to rent or purchase housing including information and guidance about buying and rental costs; how to select affordable housing that meets individual needs; and how to provide for insurance, maintenance and other requirements related to acquiring and paying for housing. Job Finding Assistance Programs that help people identify and secure paid employment opportunities that match their aptitude, qualifications, experience and interests. Local Transportation Organizations that arrange for or provide transportation for individuals whose points of origin and destinations are within their community or other nearby communities. These organizations also provide information for the public about rates, schedules and routes for these services. Meals Programs that provide supplementary nutrition (which may include hot meals, snacks or milk) typically for homeless people, individuals with low or fixed incomes, older adults, children from low-income families and/or people with disabilities. Personal Financial Counselling Programs that help people who are having difficulty paying their monthly bills gain control of their finances. The process generally involves analysis of the individual's income, expenses, debts, taxes and other factors to create a personal financial assessment; development of a budget for basic living expenses; and agreement on a short-term plan for repayment of creditors which may include debt consolidation or other strategies and a longer term plan for realizing personal financial goals. 6

7 Resident Services Coordination Programs Street Outreach Programs Training and Employment Programs Transportation Expense Assistance Housing authorities, housing developers or nonprofit organizations operating rental housing communities that offer the assistance of resident services coordinators to the families, older adults or people with disabilities who live there. Resident services coordinators assess the needs of tenants within the project; determine their eligibility for community services; identify affordable resources; link them with appropriate providers; educate residents regarding service availability, application procedures and client rights; and provide advocacy as needed. These programs may also establish volunteer support relationships with service organizations in the community; help residents build informal support networks with other residents, family and friends; provide training for residents in the obligations of tenancy; and educate residents regarding issues that will assist them to live as independently as possible. Programs that are staffed by outreach workers who spend time with people who live on the street, build relationships with them, identify and address their immediate needs (e.g., crisis intervention, food, clean clothing, hygiene kits, blankets, someone to listen) and provide information about and linkage to longer-term forms of support such as shelter, counselling, drug and alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation, care/case management and, where applicable, family reunification services. Street outreach programs may be staffed by volunteers or peers who were formerly homeless; and may target special populations such as homeless youth at risk for sexual abuse or exploitation, veterans, or people with specific medical or mental health conditions, or be available to the larger homeless population. Programs that provide job development, job training, job search, job placement, specialized job situations and other supportive services for individuals and groups who are having difficulty finding paid employment. These programs especially target people who have minimal job skills, veterans, older workers, youth, ex-offenders, public assistance recipients, refugees/immigrants, members of minority groups and others who are vocationally disadvantaged. Included are government- subsidized programs and those offered through the private sector. Programs that provide immediate cash, bus tokens, loans, loan/insurance payment support or other forms of financial assistance for people who otherwise have no means of transportation. Transportation expense assistance programs may have age, income, disability, need or other eligibility requirements. Transportation Organizations Organizations that are responsible for operating and/or managing the public and/or private transportation services that are available in their communities, and/or for providing information and/or services that enable residents to make effective use the transportation system. 7

8 Transportation Passes Programs that issue identification cards or vouchers that people can use in lieu of cash to pay for transportation. Vocational Rehabilitation Programs that enable individuals with disabilities, people who abuse drugs or alcohol, or people who have emotional problems to obtain the training and employment experiences they need to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Services may include vocational evaluation, work adjustment, work experience, training in marketable skills and placement in competitive employment or a sheltered work environment. 8