United is the Way. Stability is the Goal.

Instability Hurts. Stability Heals.


The Challenge

Nearly 4 in 10 households in the Northern Shenandoah Valley cannot afford the basics: housing, food, childcare, transportation, and healthcare.

And instability does not stop at one family’s doorstep. It ripples across classrooms, workplaces, clinics, and neighborhoods. We all feel the cost.


Impact-Driven Funding Opportunities. Hyper-Local Focus.

We live in the communities we serve, working alongside local leaders and residents. Together, we use local data and lived experience to design solutions tailor-made for the challenges right here in the Northern Shenandoah Valley.

It is all rooted in United Way values and proven strategies, but never a one-size-fits-all approach. Every dollar you give stays local, drives measurable results, and fuels change where it matters most — in your own community.


Our Response: Building Stability

United Way NSV invests in more than quick fixes. We create long-term stability:

  • $535,000 invested through Community Impact Grants, endowed funds, and supplemental awards, strengthening 50+ nonprofit partners across the region.

  • Nearly 1,000 volunteers at 80+ sites during 2024’s Day of Caring, completing painting, repairs, garden builds, and cleanups. This saved agencies thousands of dollars and strengthened community infrastructure, with even greater impact expected in 2025.

  • 211 and other community initiatives connecting families to critical resources before crisis becomes catastrophe.

  • $50,000 transferred annually to nonprofit partners through designated funds received during workplace giving campaigns.

Impact: Together, these efforts reached 11,000+ households and 27,628 individuals — nearly one in ten people in our region.


United is the way we create lasting change.

United Way brings communities together to turn instability into stability, to find strength, and to share hope. It is the way we rally in hard times, meet urgent needs, and give families the chance to rise, rebuild, and create a better future.

United is the way to fuel this work and expand what is possible. But we cannot do it alone. Contribute to increasing community stability today.

United is the Way. Funding Stability, Fueling change.

In 2025, thousands of families gained access to food, housing, and healthcare because United Way NSV invested $535,000 in Community Impact Grants, endowed funds, and supplemental awards. These investments improve lives, strengthen nonprofits, and expand stability across our region.


Our Priorities: Impact for People

We fund programs and partnerships that create lasting change:

  • Education → Children succeed in school and beyond.

  • Financial stability → Families avoid eviction, debt, and crisis.

  • Health access → Neighbors receive care regardless of income or ZIP code.

  • Community resilience → Families gain stability through food, housing, and other basic needs support.

  • Collaboration → Shared solutions emerge that no one sector could achieve alone.

 

United is the Way Community Giving Builds Stronger Futures.

Every dollar fuels trusted nonprofits, collaborative solutions, and volunteer energy — multiplying impact far beyond a single program.

  • 35% invested in Winchester, Frederick, Clarke, and multi-regional nonprofits → 3,800 households served

  • 25% invested in Shenandoah County → 2,700 households served

  • 25% invested in Page County → 2,800 households served

  • 15% invested in Warren County → 1,700 households served

 Impact: Together, these investments reached 11,000+ households and 27,628 individuals — nearly one in ten people in our region.

 

United is the way. Stability is the goal.

Your gift fuels food, shelter, education, health, financial stability, and resilience across Winchester, Frederick, Clarke, Shenandoah, Warren, and Page counties.

Instability has a cost for all of us. Your gift expands stability across our region. 

 

Our Grantmaking Values

At United Way NSV, every dollar entrusted to us is invested with care, transparency, and accountability. We ensure that community resources go where they will have the greatest impact by following a rigorous grantmaking process grounded in our values.

  • Community-Led Review
    More than 40 local volunteers, representing diverse backgrounds and expertise, dedicate over 600 hours annually to reviewing proposals, outcomes, and budgets. This ensures that funding decisions are shaped by the very community they serve. These volunteers make allocation recommendations that go to our Board of Directors for approval.

  • Fair and Objective Scoring
    Each application is assessed using a standardized rubric that measures program strength, alignment with community needs, and ability to deliver measurable outcomes. This objective process levels the playing field for nonprofits of all sizes.

  • Inclusion and Access
    We prioritize investments that remove barriers and close gaps, ensuring funding reaches families and communities most affected by instability.

  • Balancing Today’s Needs and Tomorrow’s Solutions
    Funding decisions weigh urgent basic needs, such as food, shelter, and healthcare, alongside long-term strategies that build education, financial stability, and resilience.

  • Regional Impact
    We evaluate not only the strength of individual applications but also how the entire portfolio of funded programs works together to meet needs across Winchester, Frederick, Clarke, Shenandoah, Warren, and Page counties.

The result: funding decisions that are fair, community-driven, and designed to create measurable, lasting impact.

Lifting Up 2025 Awardees 

This July, United Way NSV awarded 2025 Community Impact Grants to organizations across our region. Before going public, we worked closely with each awardee to ensure agreements were signed and first disbursements were received, setting the stage for a strong start.

Now, we are proud to share that awardees have been formally announced during Day of Caring on September 19, 2025. This public celebration not only lifts up the incredible work of our nonprofit partners, but also highlights the generosity of thousands of donors who make these investments possible.

The 2025 Funding Cycle

The 2025 funding cycle was about more than applications and awards. It was about what it takes to hold a community together.

This year, 50 organizations applied for more than $802,000 in funding requests, reflecting both the scale of need and the creativity of our nonprofit partners. After a deep community review, 43 organizations were awarded $435,000 in Community Impact Grants, while an additional $100,000 was invested with key awardees and new partners to strengthen health, housing, and crisis care, especially in rural areas where gaps persist.

In total, more than $535,000 was invested across the Northern Shenandoah Valley, reaching thousands of households and fueling the work of 50+ organizations united to spark change.


Regional Distribution

To ensure fairness across communities, investments were distributed regionally:

  • City of Winchester – Housing stability, food access, youth enrichment

  • Frederick County – Housing, crisis response, and family support

  • Clarke County – Food security and youth development

  • Warren County – Health clinics, shelter, and family resilience

  • Shenandoah County – Rural health, education, and crisis care

  • Page County – Domestic violence prevention, housing, and community care

United is the way we ensure that no community is left behind.


CCAP + 4 Partners

In addition to the 43 Community Impact Grant recipients, United Way NSV invested additional foundation funding into both established and new partnerships, including Love to NIC, Shenandoah Alliance for Shelter, AIDS Response Network, and Access Independence. These investments helped strengthen health, housing, and crisis care, particularly in rural areas where structural gaps persist.

It is also important to note that organizations such as CCAP and others are partnering with peers on joint grants. While not always listed individually, their work remains an essential part of this network. Taken together, these collaborations mean that well over 50 organizations are benefiting from the community’s investment.


Conclusion

The 2025 Community Impact cycle reflects a deliberate choice: to invest in impact, collaboration, and equity across geography.

These grants are not simply checks written. They are investments in resilience, compassion, and community strength — proof that United is the Way we Spark Change.


2025 Funded Partners (Alphabetical)

Access Independence
AIDS Response Network
American Red Cross of the Greater Shenandoah Valley
Blue Ridge CASA for Children
Blue Ridge Habitat for Humanity
Blue Ridge Legal Services, Inc.
Bright Futures
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, Inc.
CCAP Winchester
Christ Church Cares Food Pantry
Community Care and Learning Center
Concern Hotline
Council on Domestic Violence for Page County, Inc.
CSC
Discovery Museum
Faithworks, Inc.
Family Promise Northern Shenandoah County
Family Promise Northern Shenandoah Valley, Inc.
Froggy's Closet
Girls on the Run
Healthy Families Shenandoah County
Highland Food Pantry
I'm Just Me Movement
Just Neighbors
Laurel Ridge Community College Educational Foundation
Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area
Love to NIC
Mountain Vista Governor's School Foundation
Opportunity Scholars
Page One of Page County Inc.
Peter Bullough Foundation
Phoenix Project
Response, Inc.
Shenandoah Alliance for Shelter
Shenandoah Community Health Clinic
Shenandoah Dental Clinic
Shenandoah Valley Local Ministries
Special Love
Strength In Peers
The Laurel Center
The Salvation Army Front Royal
Winchester Area SPCA
Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter (WATTS)

Total: 46 funded partners, representing well over 50 organizations when joint collaborations are included.

Information for Current Grant Recipients

1. Use of Funds

Funds must be used only for the purposes described in your approved 2025 grant proposal. Any changes to program scope or expenditures require prior written approval from United Way NSV.

2. Grant Period

The grant period runs July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026.

3. Disbursement Schedule

  • Grants under $5,000 – Paid in full on or about July 1, 2025

  • $5,000–$10,000 – Two equal payments (July 1 and January 15)

  • Over $10,000 – Four quarterly payments (July 1, October 1, January 15, April 1)

4. Reporting Requirements

Mid-Year Report (due December 31, 2025):

  • Program summary and impact to date

  • Number served, demographics, and key outcomes

  • At least one beneficiary testimonial

  • Financial summary (awarded, spent, remaining funds)

  • Supporting documentation (receipts, invoices, etc.)

  • Expense spreadsheet

  • Confirmation that at least 40% of funds have been spent or committed

Final Report (required if reapplying for 2026 funding):

  • Follows the same format as the mid-year report including financial summary (awarded, spent, remaining funds) & supporting documentation (receipts, invoices, etc.)

  • Must confirm 90% of funds expended or allocated by May 15, 2026

  • Expense spreadsheet

  • Submitted with the 2026 application (when announced)

5. Participation & Recognition

  • Attend at least two HUB meetings during the grant year

  • Participation in Day of Caring and workplace giving campaigns is encouraged

  • Acknowledge UWNSV in all relevant promotional or public materials

6. Recordkeeping & Review

Grantees must maintain all relevant financial and program records and provide them to UWNSV upon request.

2024

In March 2024, community volunteers from Winchester, Frederick, Clarke, Shenandoah, Page, and Warren Counties reviewed 45 applications and recommended funding priorities for programs in education, healthcare, and financial stability. Thanks to the generosity of thousands of donors, 36 agencies received $400,000 in United Way funding. Agencies submit quarterly outcome reports to track results and impact. Nearly $40,000 in donor designations was distributed separately. 


2023

United Way NSV invested $525,000 in Community Impact Grants supporting 46 agencies. Twenty-six agencies in the northern region (Winchester, Frederick, Clarke) received $312,800, and 20 agencies in the southern region (Shenandoah, Page, Warren) received $212,200. Almost $40,000 in donor designations was distributed separately.


2022

United Way NSV awarded $540,000 to 36 programs across education, financial stability, and health. Northern region agencies received $379,050; southern region agencies received $160,950. Donor designations added nearly $150,000 in support.


2021

United Way NSV invested $505,047 in 36 programs, a 10% increase from the prior year. Northern region agencies received $346,422; southern region agencies received $158,625. Donor designations contributed nearly $174,000 in support. 


2020

United Way NSV supported 34 programs across the Valley, with requests totaling more than $780,000. Over 50 volunteers participated in the review process, ensuring funds focused on priority needs. More than $100,000 in donor designations was distributed separately.