United Way Invites Community Groups To Submit Plans By June 30

The United Way of Jamaica (UWJ) is inviting community groups to submit plans by June 30, under its Call for Proposals Grant Funding programme, where they can obtain up to $500,000.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the UWJ, Stephanie Coy, said the grants are open to civil society organisations and schools that are underserved, and that there is a focus on early-childhood education, health and income generation.

The applicants must describe how the proposed projects will create social value across the focal areas, and they need to be registered, and where they are not registered they can partner with a parish development committee (PDC) or a community development committee (CDC).

Miss Coy noted that over the years, the United Way has accommodated requests from various organisations that are working to strengthen early-childhood institutions and working with the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) to get schools certified, support for infrastructure, repairs, as well as upgrading of play areas.

“We have assisted in putting on health fairs, upgraded community health centres, and funded agricultural projects,” she told JIS News.

Under a partnership with the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), the UWJ is now providing support to 200 bee farmers across the island, to build the honey industry and to help farmers affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to recover.

The United Way was established in 1985 to fulfil the need for a sustained system for mobilising resources for the private voluntary sector.

It is an autonomous non-profit private voluntary organisation (PVO), and registered as a charitable organisation under Section 2 and Section 17 of the Charities Act and is also an affiliate of United Way Worldwide.