Community Investment Grants
2027–2029 Funding Cycle
United Way of the Lakeshore is opening its next Community Investment Grant cycle to support programs that create meaningful, measurable impact across Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana Counties.
This three-year funding cycle will run from January 2027 through December 2029 and will focus on three priority areas:
Childcare
Expanding access to safe, reliable, affordable childcare that supports working families and healthy child development.
Early Literacy
Helping children build strong reading foundations so they are ready to learn, grow, and succeed.
Housing
Supporting programs that help individuals and families access or maintain safe, stable housing.
Important Dates for Agencies
June 5, 2026 Letter of Intent Opens
June 26, 2026 Deadline to Submit Letter of Intent
July 20–24, 2026 Agency Notifications Sent for Advancement to Full Application Process
August 3, 2026 Agency Training on Grant Portal & Application Process
August 7, 2026 Full Grant Application Portal Opens
August 21, 2026 Full Grant Applications Due / Portal Closes
September 29, 2026 Childcare Program Presentations to Volunteer Review Panels
October 1, 2026 Housing Program Presentations to Volunteer Review Panels
October 13, 2026 Early Literacy Program Presentations to Volunteer Review Panels
Early December 2026 Grant Award Notifications Released
January 1, 2027 Funding Cycle Begins
Who Can Apply?
Eligible applicants may include:
501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
Educational institutions
Government entities
Faith-based organizations providing community programs without requiring religious participation
Organizations serving residents in Muskegon, Newaygo, and/or Oceana Counties
Programs must align with one of United Way of the Lakeshore’s 2027–2029 focus areas: childcare, early literacy, or housing.
Priority Areas & Required Outcomes
United Way of the Lakeshore’s 2027–2029 Community Investment Cycle is focused on measurable community impact across Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana Counties through three priority areas:
Early Literacy
Housing
Childcare
Programs applying for funding must clearly align with at least one priority area and demonstrate how their work contributes to meaningful, measurable outcomes within that area.
Priority Area Guidance
The program examples listed within each priority area are intended to provide general guidance and inspiration for applicants. These examples are not exhaustive and are not intended to limit eligible program models or approaches.
United Way of the Lakeshore welcomes innovative, collaborative, and community-informed strategies that align with the goals and outcomes of each focus area.
Programs that demonstrate strong alignment with community need, measurable impact, and the identified priority areas are encouraged to apply, even if their specific model is not explicitly listed.
Outcome Measurement Expectations
All funded programs will be required to report measurable outcomes throughout the funding cycle.
Each funded program must commit to tracking and reporting on at least ONE required outcome measurement tied to their selected impact area. Programs may choose to report additional outcomes if applicable.
Organizations should be prepared to explain:
How data will be collected
How outcomes will be measured
What tools or assessments will be used
How the program will track participant progress over time
Collaborative Approach to Outcomes
United Way of the Lakeshore understands that meaningful community change takes time and that community impact work is complex. Outcome measurements are intended to support learning, accountability, and shared impact — not create unnecessary barriers for organizations doing important work in our communities.
Our goal is to partner with agencies throughout the funding cycle to strengthen data collection, improve community outcomes, and better understand the collective impact we are creating together.
Early Literacy
United Way seeks to support programs that help children ages 0–8 build strong literacy and developmental foundations that contribute to long-term educational success.
Programs may include, but are not limited to:
Early childhood literacy initiatives
Reading readiness programs
Parent engagement programs
Tutoring or mentoring
Book access initiatives
Family literacy programming
Developmental learning supports
Required Outcome Measurements
Programs must track at least one of the following:
XX% of children ages 0–8 demonstrate significant improvement in developmental or early literacy skills, including age-appropriate developmental milestones, letter identification, phonemic awareness, or reading fluency between baseline and follow-up assessments.
XX% of parents/caregivers report reading with their child at least 15 minutes per day by the end of the program.
XX% of families engage in three or more literacy-building activities per week, including reading, storytelling, letter games, or library visits.
Examples of Potential Measurement Tools
Examples of potential measurement tools may include, but are not limited to:
Pre/post literacy assessments
Kindergarten readiness screenings
Parent surveys
Attendance and engagement tracking
Reading fluency benchmarks
Developmental milestone tools
Organizations may propose alternative tools, assessments, surveys, or tracking systems that appropriately demonstrate program impact and outcome achievement.
Housing
United Way seeks to support programs that help individuals and families obtain, maintain, or stabilize safe and sustainable housing.
Programs may include, but are not limited to:
Homelessness prevention
Housing navigation
Rapid rehousing
Financial literacy
Eviction prevention
Tenant advocacy
Housing stabilization services
Supportive housing services
Required Outcome Measurements
Programs must track at least one of the following:
XX% of individuals participating in housing and financial literacy programs increase disposable income by accessing benefits, tax credits, or reducing household costs.
XX% of individuals participating in housing programs secure or maintain stable housing for more than six months following program support.
XX% reduction in evictions through legal representation, mediation, and other innovative eviction prevention or housing stabilization strategies.
Examples of Potential Measurement Tools
Examples of potential measurement tools may include, but are not limited to:
HMIS data
Follow-up housing status checks
Financial coaching assessments
Income and benefit tracking
Eviction filing data
Participant self-reporting surveys
Organizations may propose alternative tools, assessments, surveys, or tracking systems that appropriately demonstrate program impact and outcome achievement.
Childcare
United Way seeks to support programs that improve access to affordable, high-quality childcare that meets the needs of working families and supports healthy early childhood development.
Programs may include, but are not limited to:
Licensed childcare expansion
Infant and toddler care
Non-traditional hour childcare
Childcare workforce development
Family childcare supports
Subsidy navigation
Quality improvement initiatives
Required Outcome Measurements
Programs must track at least one of the following:
XX% increase in the availability of licensed childcare slots, including expanded infant and toddler capacity, convenient locations, or non-traditional operating hours.
XX% increase in the number of families accessing affordable childcare through subsidies or financial assistance.
XX% of participating childcare programs demonstrate strengthened early learning environments through improved staff credentials and strong performance on recognized quality rating tools.
Examples of Potential Measurement Tools
Examples of potential measurement tools may include, but are not limited to:
Licensing and enrollment data
Provider capacity tracking
QRIS/quality rating assessments
Staff credential records
Parent affordability surveys
Subsidy enrollment data
Organizations may propose alternative tools, assessments, surveys, or tracking systems that appropriately demonstrate program impact and outcome achievement.