Grant and Funding Programs Offered by United Way Pembina Valley

United Way Pembina Valley is a community-based non-profit organization that mobilizes individual and corporate donations in the Pembina Valley region of Manitoba and reinvests them locally. Through its annual campaign, it raises funds to support a broad range of charitable agencies that deliver programs and services for children, families, seniors, and vulnerable individuals. A grant from the Government of Manitoba covers the organization’s operating expenses, allowing every donated dollar to be redirected back into the community.

Each year, the organization accepts funding applications from local non-profits and distributes grants to selected agencies. Recent campaigns have enabled it to allocate over $100,000 in grant funding to nearly 20 organizations, alongside additional targeted commitments to priority projects such as transitional housing for victims of domestic violence.

United Way Pembina Valley’s core funding focuses on community-based initiatives in areas such as mental health, housing supports, food security, seniors’ services, child and youth programming, arts and culture, health foundations, and animal welfare. Agencies supported in recent years include community centres, counselling services, shelters, child care centres, seniors’ centres, food banks, health and hospital foundations, and humane societies.

In addition to agency grants, the organization administers the United Way Pembina Valley Youth Scholarship. These annual scholarships, typically valued at $1,000 each, are awarded to graduating students from local high schools who demonstrate leadership, social awareness, community involvement, and financial need as they pursue post-secondary education.

Non-profit agencies seeking support submit a funding application that is typically due by mid-December each year. Application forms are made available on the organization’s website. Funding requests are reviewed by the volunteer board of directors, which considers alignment with community needs, the impact on local residents, and the organization’s capacity and track record. Grants may support program costs, specific projects, capital improvements, or operational needs, depending on community priorities.

For scholarships, students apply via an online form and must provide reference letters using a standard template. Selection is based on documented volunteerism, leadership, social engagement, and financial need, with one recipient chosen from each participating high school in the region.

United Way Pembina Valley is overseen by a volunteer board of directors drawn from across the region. The board leads the annual fundraising campaign, organizes community events, and makes decisions on grant allocations and special commitments. The organization reports regularly to the community through annual general meetings and published financial statements, outlining how campaign revenues are distributed among partner agencies and scholarship recipients.

By channelling local generosity into structured grant programs and scholarships, United Way Pembina Valley plays a central role in sustaining non-profit services and enhancing quality of life throughout the Pembina Valley.