Strategic Investment Grant Review Training

Thank you for your interest in our 2020 grant review process!  

Grant review timeline

·         February 24 – March 4: Attend one 2-hour in-person reviewer training, registration below. 

·         March 5: Reviewers will receive a link via email to the applications for review

·         March 30:  Reviewer scores due online

·         April 1, 2, 3, 6 & 7: Review panel in-person meetings. Invites will be sent once training has been completed. 

Frequently Asked Questions for Reviewers

What is a grant review panel?

A grant review panel reads and reviews grant applications, then rates them according to an established review rubric. Mile High United Way invites community members to review up to 10 grant applications during the month of March, discuss them at a meeting early April, and make recommendations to our board. The board makes the final decision on which organizations will receive funding.

What is expected of a grant review panelist?

·         Attend one 2-hour, in-person reviewer training

·         Have an interest in helping Mile High United Way make strategic investments in strong organizations working to address our community impact goals

·         Be able to read up to 10 grant applications. (Each application takes approximately an hour to read and score)

·         Attend one 90 minute review panel meeting in April and participate in discussions related to the applications that were read

Why is there an in-person training?

·         As a best practice, we would like for our reviewers to meet each other prior to the review panel meeting

·         We have much to share about the process and we’ve found that learning together is the most-effective way for all reviewers be on the same page.

Learn more about Mile High United Way's Strategic Investment Grants below. 

For the Strategic Investment Grant funding opportunity, we are placing a greater emphasis on under-resourced communities and a greater emphasis on supporting our youngest Coloradans and their parents. Our priorities will be on high-quality early care and education, parent/caregiver training and support, early learning and literacy, out-of-school time, and workforce development within the early childhood education field. We will also place a priority on emergency and basic needs, which are vital to so many individuals and families.

Successful organizations will be selected through a rigorous, community driven process. As a Mile High United Way stakeholder, we invite you to participate. 

Strategic Investment Grant Categories:
Applicants may apply in only one of these primary grant categories:

        Emergency and Basic Needs
Basic needs services are vital to individuals experiencing chronic conditions, and for individuals and families who have experienced a temporary setback or who face emergency situations. When individuals are unable to meet their immediate needs, it becomes more difficult to focus on long-term goals such as employment, housing, or education. To be considered for funding in our Emergency and Basic Needs grant category, organizations must provide those facing economic hardship with at least one of the following services:   food assistance, hygiene services, legal services, rental assistance, shelter, state identification assistance, transportation assistance, utility assistance

         Strategic Priorities

• High-Quality Early Care and Education: Providing comprehensive, high-quality (rated level of 3 or higher) early care and education programs, with a special focus on infants, toddlers, or children with special needs; programs engaging in quality improvement activities to support health and safety; professional development; supportive learning environments; parent engagement; and strong leadership and business practices.
• Parent/Caregiver Training and Support: Providing services to support children’s school readiness and healthy development. This may include home visitation and Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) programs focused on care for children in informal settings, including developing and strengthening the network of services and supports for immigrant children.
• Early Learning and Literacy: Providing services to improve early literacy outcomes focused on children birth to age eight.
• Out-of-School Time: Providing high-quality programs that engage children up to 12 years of age in activities that take place outside of the traditional school day.
• Workforce Development: Providing services and supports that focus on the recruitment, retention, and compensation of the early care and education childhood workforce.