United Way of Lancaster County has awarded 50 grants to 38 nonprofits through seven funding opportunities. The grant programs and commitments are as follows.

Level Up & Launch is a grant program that invests in innovative projects that address service gaps and disparities in the community. United Way will initially allocate $250,000, to be matched by the community for $250,000, and then matched once more by United Way of Lancaster County for $250,000 for a total of $750,000. The grant recipients include Lancaster County Food Hub, Pennsylvania Furniture Mission, ASSETS Lancaster, Lancaster EMS, Ephrata Area Social Services, CASA of Lancaster & Lebanon Counties, Parish Resource Center, Arch Street Center, Homefields, The Common Wheel, and Bright Side Opportunities Center.

Homelessness Coalition Joint Funding United Way of Lancaster County contributes $250,000 annually, and this amount is increased by $20,000 this year thanks to a private donation designated for rental assistance. These dollars are leveraged at a 3-to-1 ratio by other funding sources, bringing $810,000 in 2024 for homelessness and housing services in Lancaster County. The grant recipients include Columbia Dream Center, YMCA of the Roses, Moravian Center, Valley Youth House, ECHOS, Factory Ministries, and Office for the Coalition.

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program is a direct pass-through from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is allocated to United Way of Lancaster County in partnership with the Lancaster Homelessness Coalition for emergency food and shelter needs. The grants total $183,173, and recipients include Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County, Columbia Dream Center, ECHOS, Good Samaritan Services, Lancaster County Food Hub, Tenfold, Clare House, CrossNet Ministries, Spanish American Civic Association, Solanco Neighborhood Ministries, The Factory Ministries, Anchor Lancaster, Parish Resource Center, REAL Life, and YWCA.

The Summer Youth Experience (SYE) addresses summer learning loss in the School District of Lancaster. SYE is offered in partnership with the Lancaster Rotary Club, for a total of $60,000. Half of this grant funding is provided by the Rotary Club. The grant recipients include The Mix, Bright Side Opportunities Center, Advantage Lancaster, and Scaling Walls a Note at a Time (SWAN).

Kellogg's Summer Food Program provides $25,000 of grants to be allocated to programs that address summer food insecurity in Lancaster County. The grant recipients include Loft Community Partnership, CrossNet Ministries, and The Factory Ministries.

Women United is a program funded through donor designations and the Women United endowment held by United Way of Lancaster County for a total commitment of $45,000. The grants rotate every year to benefit different focus areas, including education, economic mobility, and health. This grant cycle benefits women's education. The grant recipients include Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity, Patients R Waiting, and the YWCA.

The prekindergarten Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program provides scholarship assistance for prekindergarten programs to children whose families are in financial need. The EITC program awards tax credits to eligible businesses contributing to qualified organizations. Tax credits may be applied against the tax liability of a business for the tax year in which the contribution was made. This year totals more than $53,225. The grant recipients include Luthercare, YMCA of the Roses, Cocalico Care Center, Lititz Christian School & Early Learning Center, Elizabethtown Child Care Center, Diamond Street Early Childhood Center, and Elizabethtown Community Nursery School.

United Way will host United in Impact, a celebration event for all organizations receiving one of these grants, at Tellus 360 on Tuesday, July 16, from 5 to 7 p.m.

For more information, email grants@uwlanc.org.