SHARE Foundation opens 2023 grant cycle

Courtesy of the SHARE Foundation

SHARE Foundation recently spearheaded a county-wide reassessment of needs to determine real-time issues facing our families and communities.

This joint effort with over 170 stakeholders included nonprofits, clergy, teachers, teens, parents/grandparents, law enforcement, mental health professionals, Aldermen and the Parks and Playground Commission.

Union County needs assessments are nothing new. Since the 1980's local agencies, including SHARE, have taken the lead in assessing and reassessing its residents' needs, which happens every 4-5 years. Results are used to update the direction of current prevention and intervention efforts across the county and to grow collaborations in areas identified to serve our families better.

The areas ranked highest in 2022 are health, focusing on mental health and substance misuse, economy, education, social and community and neighborhoods. These are tied to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion's Healthy People 2030 and the Five Social Determinants of Health.

The results of these efforts are released in the Union County Impact Plan that is located on the SHARE Foundation website at sharefoundation.com/our-agencies/grants-impactplan.

2023 Grant Cycle

SHARE Foundation has given $8.5 million in grants and strategic initiatives to 92 nonprofit organizations in Union County since 1997. SHARE Foundation's grants continue with the vision to proactively address the issues in our community determined by residents and other credible sources such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Rankings and Roadmaps.

SHARE will continue in this direction by providing grants in 2023 to eligible Union County nonprofits that work in the areas outlined in the Union County Impact Plan. Grantees will use the needs assessment results to collaborate, adapt, develop and grow evidence-based programs and services in Union County.

A link to eligibility guidelines and the online application are at sharefoundation.com/our-agencies/grants-impactplan/grants-application.html.

SHARE grants are excellent opportunities for local nonprofits to collaborate with others to provide children, adults and families with the resources and community support they need to succeed and thrive. We encourage grant proposals for the upcoming cycle that ends October 15. Please review the Impact Plan and grant criteria to help write and submit your proposals.

Contact Debbie Watts, vice president of community impact at SHARE Foundation, at 870-881-9015 for more information and to get involved.

SHARE Foundation is a nonprofit in Union County whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of the community. The Union County Violence Intervention Plan (VIP) was developed in order to make available a network of area supports, opportunities, and activities focused on best practice strategies for a community committed to changing the odds for individuals and families in need. The VIP can be viewed at www.sharefoundation.com.

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