Apply for a YAR grant

Please read the following information carefully and completely. 

• Important Dates

• Grant Request Guidelines

• Funding Process

• Accessing and Completing the Grant Application

Important Dates

All applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a Grantwriting Workshop.

Completed grant applications are due on the first of the month, regardless of the day of the week and/or holidays. Applications submitted after the first of the month will be held until the next month. Applications submitted after May 1, 2013 will be held until the fall. Spring 2013 deadlines are

• Tuesday, January 1, 2013
• Friday, February 1, 2013
• Friday, March 1, 2013
• Monday, April 1, 2013
• Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Project presentations take place during the YAR board meeting, scheduled for the third Monday of every month. Spring 2013 project presentation days are

• January 21, 2013
• February 18, 2013
• March 18, 2013
• April 15, 2013
• May 20, 2013

Grant Request Guidelines

• Are planned, led, and implemented by youth with adults serving as advisors
• Address a community need or problem clearly and creatively 
• Can be started and finished by the same group of youth in a reasonable amount of time
• Have solid, well-organized plans and a realistic, cost effective budget
• Create and utilize networks within the community through the donation of services, talents, and materials
• Publicize the positive work being done by youth to improve Racine County
• Include reflection activities that help youth gain insight into how they can make the world a better place

• Assume all liability associated with the project
• Demonstrate proof of IRS determination of non-profit status 
• Complete and submit the Counterterrorism Compliance document
• Receive and disburse the grant award funds on behalf of the youth group

1. Project costs such as supplies, materials, rental, transportation, etc.
2. Reflection costs such as photo developing, stickers, embellishments, etc. Each group is provided a blank reflection book to complete and submit. 
3. Recognition costs such as certificates, end-of-project celebrations, project t-shirts, etc. Recognition costs may total no more than 20% of total project cost.

• Overhead costs (rent, electric bills, etc.)
• Salaries, wages, stipends, or honorariums
• Direct donations to other organizations
• Capital items (computers, power tools, etc.)
• Items that have already been purchased

Funding Process

Application Process

• Prior to applying for funding, youth groups are encouraged to attend a grantwriting workshop. 
• The YAR grant application is available online through United Way of Racine County’s Community Investment Website.
• Submitted applications are screened by the Education Specialist and reviewed by the YAR board. 
• YAR board members may submit questions about the application to be answered by the group at their project presentation. 
• Applicants are notified in writing of the status of their application.
  • Youth groups that submit eligible grant applications are invited to present their project ideas to the YAR board.
  • Groups that are not invited to present are given specific reasons and are invited to participate in a grantwriting workshop before reapplying. 
• The YAR board makes funding recommendations based on the project’s adherence to the funding guidelines and the potential impact of the project.
  • Funding recommendations may contain specific stipulations.
  • Submission of a proposal that meets all requirements does not guarantee funding. 
  • Groups that do not receive funding are given specific reasons and are invited to participate in a grant writing workshop before reapplying.

Award Process

• The Education Specialist notifies the group of the award amount, the award terms, conditions, and stipulations, and the reporting requirements. 
• The Vice Chair – Community Investment notifies the Sponsoring Organization of the group’s award amount and distribution of funds. 

Reporting Requirements

• An online report through United Way of Racine County’s Community Investment Website that
  • Documents the implementation and completion of the project
  • Evaluates the effectiveness of the project, including number of people served
  • Reports and documents how the YAR funds were spent
• A project reflection book that includes uses photos, illustrations, narratives, personal stories, etc. and allows the youth to
  • Document the project from start to finish
  • Reflect upon
    • What they learned about the community 
    • How they grew personally 
• All unused or inappropriately used funds in the form of a check made out to United Way of Racine County. 

Accessing and Completing the Grant Application

Completing the Youth As Resources online grant application can be accomplished in multiple sittings. Prior to submitting your application, you are strongly encouraged to have someone outside your group read your application.

1. Go to www.unitedwayracine.org.
2. Click on “Agency Login.” It is on the very top; white letters on a black bar.
3. Click on “Create an e-CImpact account.”
4. Fill out the fields to create a new agency login.
   • The fields marked with * are required. YAR grant applicants do NOT need to fill out the optional fields. 
   • The agency name should be unique to your individual group. (Example: Family Literacy of Racine Youth, Girl Scout Troop 425, Helping Hands Club, Horlick High School Student Govenrment)
   • The preferred username and password is up to you. Please follow the directions on the page to create a user name and password.
   • When everything on this screen is completed, click next.
5. Answer the classification questions and click next.
6. Select YAR and click next.
7. Scroll all the way to the bottom and click complete registration.
8. The Registration Confirmation Summary screen has a green box that confirms your progress! Simply scroll down to the very bottom and click next.
9. Ta-da! You are now on the application main page.
10. Each section of the application is a different item. Click on each section to reveal the application questions.
11. Frequently scroll to the bottom and click “Save My Work.”
12. Use the links on the screen (not the browser’s navigation buttons) to move through the application.
13. The blue square with a question mark inside indicates a hint or tip. Click on the question mark to learn more about the question or to get a tip about how to best answer the question.
14. The application can be completed in many sittings. “Save My Work and Return to Previous Page” will go back AND save. “Return to Previous Page” does NOT save the work!
15. For the budget section:
    • Click on “Youth As Resources Grant Section 2: Budget”
    • Project Costs, Reflection Costs, Recognition Costs are all links.
    • Click on one of the links to add a budget item.
    • Click on “Add New Item” (right side) to add a new item.
    • The first box (under project costs) is the item. The second box (under 0.00) is the cost.
    • Click “Add New Item” again to save the first item and add a second item.
    • Repeat as needed to complete all budget sections.
16. As each section is completed to your group’s satisfaction, clicking “Save My Work and Mark as Complete” will prepare it to for submission.
17. When all 3 sections are complete, the red “Submit this application now!” button will appear. Click that button and you will get a confirmation page!