I. INTRODUCTION In 2012, s (United Way) Women s Leadership Council (WLC) launched United for Women as a community investment to support women who are experiencing unexpected life events e.g., the death of a spouse, a divorce, a long-term illness, or becoming the primary caregiver for an aging family member or a loved one with intense physical, emotional, or psychological needs. Such events can trigger significant upheaval in the lives of women and their families, and put many in sudden financial jeopardy. The aim of United for Women is to support women and their families during these trying times. United for Women is an initiative within the Helping Financially Struggling Families Thrive impact area of United Way. During the first year of United for Women allocations, agencies assisted over 1,130 women. 613 women facing a financial crisis received financial assistance 156 women who were homeless or at risk for homelessness obtained stable housing 139 women obtained or maintained employment or secured a better job 250 women improved their financial wellness Over 500 WLC members volunteered to support women in need or donated items to help a woman get back on her feet As United for Women enters its third grant cycle, the focused has been refined to primarily address the need for short term and modest direct financial help. Proposals must also 1) identify strategies for linking women in need of longer term help with through connections with other programs or agencies (potentially such as those that may be funded through United Way s Helping Families Thrive RFP or referred through PA 2-1-1 Southwest), and 2) incorporate meaningful volunteer opportunities. In the first two funding cycles, United for Women allocated grants on a one-year cycle. For the 2015 process, United for Women will allocate grants for three-years. In addition to this RFP for United for Women, United Way is currently soliciting proposals for Helping Families Thrive for the same grant period. The target population for Helping Families Thrive includes low-income families, first-time financially struggling adults and families, and financially struggling veterans, active military and their families. Proposed projects must address areas in which the target population can increase income through gainful employment, maintain or obtain assets such as housing or transportation, and achieve longer term financial stability. Statement of Need: On average, women make more than 75% of the calls for help received by PA 2-1-1 Southwest. In addition to the most common requests for assistance with housing, utilities, and basic needs, women also seek shelter from domestic violence, help with hardship following military service, support with their responsibilities as the primary caregiver for a spouse, parent, or a child with a disability, and temporary financial assistance until they can return to work after a health, housing, or other crisis. Page 1 of 6
1. The following key indicators demonstrate why women are overrepresented among PA 2-1-1 Southwest callers, and why they are so vulnerable to unexpected, life-changing events that leave them financially unstable: Women experience poverty at 130% times the rate of men. Thirteen percent (13%) of women who were full-time workers lived in poverty in 2012. Fifty-two percent (52%) of all families in Allegheny County below 185% of the federal poverty level are headed by a single female householder. Poverty is increasing in women who have served in the military and those who are elderly. Only 43% of women report that they have savings to cover two months of expenses. Women are more likely to report more hunger, more difficult paying bills or affording health care, and more inability to meet their children s needs. Young female veterans, a growing segment of the population, have a 50% higher risk of unemployment than most any other population, including civilian women, and are twice as likely to be homeless. 2. Frequently, a small monetary investment can be all that a woman needs to stave off a debilitating financial crisis (e.g., the cost of a obtaining a hospital bed that will allow her husband to continue to receive care less expensively at home; the price of a few nights in a hotel away from an abusive partner so she can make more permanent living arrangements; payment of accumulated arrears that will restore her utility service now that she has a fulltime job, etc.). United Way Response: United Way has a long history of investing in the community s safety net, and United Way s Women s Leadership Council has a long tradition of supporting critical needs in Allegheny County. The WLC has over 1,900 members and raised over $8.2 million in the last year. In 2013-14, WLC raised just over $736,000 to support the United for Women initiative. As a human services leader and change agent, United Way must also ensure that the resources with which it has been entrusted by the community are spent efficiently and effectively. This funding cycle provides the opportunity to leverage United Way s investments across the financially struggling impact area and United for Women. This RFP addresses ways to close the short-term financial gap that can plunge a woman in transition into financial crisis, and creates processes by which she can receive longer term complementary financial supports, if she needs them, from agencies that specialize in providing those services. II. PROPOSAL PROCESS 2015 Request for Proposals (RFP) United for Women United Way s 2015-2018 United for Women RFP encourages exemplary agencies that help women in transition to submit proposals for providing modest short-term financial assistance to Page 2 of 6
women who are experiencing a sudden life event that has resulted in an immediate financial setback. This assistance should be sufficient to resolve the impending financial crisis which would otherwise occur. Successful proposals for short-term assistance will include ways to link women who may also benefit from longer term assistance (financial planning, access to information and resources, strategies for asset building and financial wellness, etc.) to other agencies or programs that address those needs. Referrals may be made within the same agency, through formal relationships with other agencies that may or may not be United Way partner agencies, and/or through the PA 2-1-1 Southwest referral network. The total expected to be available to invest in this RFP is approximately $ 700,000 per year. United Way is not placing a limit on the amount that may be requested, but agencies should consider award amounts between $75,000 and $100,000 per year, when developing proposals. Funding awards will be announced in June 2015, to be effective for the three-year period from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018, contingent upon availability of sufficient funds from annual campaigns. Agency Eligibility A single agency or collaborations of multiple agencies may submit a proposal. Agencies (or lead agencies, in the case of a collaboration) must be: 501(c)(3) organizations located and providing a health or human service in Allegheny County. Arts, cultural, religious, recreational, political programs, government agencies, and institutions providing formal education are not eligible for funding but may participate as unfunded partners. In full compliance with all federal, state, county, and local requirements and laws pertaining to non-profits, including the USA Patriot Act and other counterterrorism laws. In full compliance with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Solicitation of Funds for Charitable Purposes Act, Act 1990-202 (H.B. 365), 1, approved Dec. 19, 1990. Able to provide all documentation requested as noted in Step 1 and Step 2 of the RFP process Proposal Timeline Dates Nov 6 December 1 December 3 Jan 5 9 January 16 United for Women RFP Announcement Meeting RFP Materials Posted on United Way Website Logic Model and e-cimpact Training for Agency Applicants Proposal Feedback Sessions - by appointment Step 1 Applicants Submit Proposal Forms on-line by 5 P.M. Page 3 of 6
February 18 Providers Invited to Submit Step 2 Proposals; those not moving forward notified by phone March 3 6 March 9 Step 2 Proposal Feedback for Applicant Agencies by appointment Step 2 Applicants Submit Full Proposals on-line by 5 P.M. April 15 April 20 - May 5 June 3 June 11 UW Staff Notify Providers, Schedule Site Visits; those not moving forward notified by phone Step 3 Site Visits to Invited Agencies Executive Committee Review of Recommendations and Approval United Way Board Meeting III. INVESTMENT STRATEGY Successful proposals will present programs that will clearly convey the ability to reduce the number of women who, but for a small monetary investment, would endure more lasting financial crisis at great cost to them, their families, and to the community at large. Further, proposals must: Engage members of the community as volunteers, leaders, and partners in efforts that improve outcomes for the target populations Provide modest short-term assistance to avert financial crises Provide referrals for longer-term financial supports when necessary to address longer term financial health Page 4 of 6
IV. PROPOSAL SUMMARY QUESTIONS to be answered online in the Program Section: 1. Cover Sheet a. Primary Contact b. Email c. Phone Number d. Project Name e. Please indicate the application(s) you will be completing (United for Women, THRIVE (select all that apply)) f. Describe how this project will provide referrals for longer-term supports when necessary. [2000 characters] 2. Proposal Funding a. Total yearly cost of the program b. Dollar amount of this funding request Year 1 only c. Percent Request to Program Budget d. Cost per Participant (Based on Year 1 total Program Budget and Year 1 Participants) 3. Project Information a. Target population (drop down list, select all that apply, Low-income working individuals or families, Newly struggling individuals or families, Veterans or active military and their families). b. # of unduplicated participants over the 3 year grant period i. Year 1 ii. Year 2 iii. Year 3 iv. Total over 3 years c. Total Number of people from this target population served overall by your agency last year. [500 characters] d. Select the category(ies) of service for this proposal (dropdown list, select all that apply, New Project, Expansion of Existing Project, Enhancement of Existing Project, Existing Project) An expansion is an increase in the number of people served, enhancement is an increase in the services provided. e. Choose which United Way Outcome this project is designed to address (drop down list) It will be helpful to review the Step 2 logic model before answering this question f. Describe the problem to be addressed and the needs to be met by the project. Please provide data points to substantiate the problem [2000 characters] Page 5 of 6
g. Please provide a brief description of the project. [1000 characters] h. What program outcomes do you plan to achieve? [2000 characters] i. Describe measureable results that have been achieved to date relevant to this proposal. For new programs, describe the measurable results that you hope to achieve and what you base this assumption on. [2000 characters] j. How will this project engage corporate, business, and community members in meaningful volunteer opportunities? [2000 characters] Please give specific one-time events and/or ongoing volunteer opportunities that will be available to United Way Volunteers 4. Collaborating/Partnering agencies a. Describe the role of the lead agency in implementing this project and why this agency is uniquely positioned to lead the effort. [1000 characters] b. Collaborating agency 1 i. Name ii. Website iii. Provide a brief description of the role this partner will have in implementing the proposed project [500 characters] c. Collaborating agency 2 i. Name ii. Website iii. Provide a brief description of the role this partner will have in implementing the proposed project [500 characters] d. Collaborating agency 3 i. Name ii. Website iii. Provide a brief description of the role this partner will have in implementing the proposed project [500 characters] Page 6 of 6