Grant and Funding Programs Offered by United Way of Newfoundland and Labrador (UWNL)

United Way Newfoundland and Labrador (UWNL) is a provincial non-profit charity dedicated to improving lives and building stronger communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Since 2005, it reports having invested more than $8.3 million into 856 local programs, becoming what it describes as a “charity’s charity” that channels donor dollars to frontline community organizations that cannot fully fund their projects on their own.

The organization’s primary grantmaking vehicle is its Community Fund. UWNL partners with workplaces, government departments and individual donors to run fundraising campaigns, then pools these contributions into the Fund. Each year, the Community Fund is used to finance a broad range of initiatives delivered by registered charities and other qualified donees operating in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Funding is aligned with three impact pillars that mirror United Way’s national focus areas: helping people move From Poverty to Possibility (basic needs such as food, shelter, employment supports), building Healthy People, Strong Communities (social and health-related services, neighbourhood revitalization and community engagement), and enabling All That Kids Can Be (early literacy, child and youth development, recreation and mentoring opportunities).

The Community Fund runs on an annual cycle, with a defined application window early in the calendar year. UWNL explicitly invites applications from registered charitable organizations and other qualified donees, as defined by the Canada Revenue Agency, that operate in the province. Organizations that are not qualified donees may still access funding by partnering with an eligible charity that assumes fiduciary responsibility and signs the funding agreement.

Applications that meet published eligibility and requirement criteria are screened and then reviewed by a volunteer Community Investment Committee composed of independent community members with experience in the charitable sector. Funding decisions are typically made after this review stage, and successful applicants must sign a funding agreement before any grant is disbursed.

UWNL requires funded organizations to submit interim and final reports, usually within 30 days of program completion or once funding is fully allocated. Standardized report templates are posted online for each funding year. The organization links continued eligibility for future grants to the timely submission and approval of these reports, reinforcing accountability for outcomes and use of funds.

To demonstrate transparency, UWNL publishes annual community reports, financial statements and detailed lists of Community Fund recipients by year. These documents highlight which organizations were funded, the types of programs supported across the province—from shelters and food security projects to youth recreation and inclusive community initiatives—and the overall scale of investment in Newfoundland and Labrador communities.

Operating from St. John’s to Nain and other regions of the province, UWNL’s mission is to improve lives and build community by engaging individuals and mobilizing collective action. Its values emphasize trust, integrity, inclusivity, transparency, volunteer leadership, innovation and non-partisan collaboration. Through its Community Fund grants and related community investments, UWNL aims to reduce poverty, support healthy and vibrant neighbourhoods and ensure children and youth have the opportunities they need to thrive.