2024 Pillar Grant Opportunity!
We introduced our Pillar Grant funding opportunity in 2014, as a way to expand the community impact of our allocation dollars throughout our communities. Pillar Grants focus on community enhancement projects, community events, and/or support for specific community programs. Any interested applicants can review a copy of our 2024 Pillar Grant Application and our 2024 Pillar Grant Guidelines.
In an effort to focus more support on our strategic impact areas, ALL pillar grant applications MUST focus their program and/or project on support for one or more of the following:
- Early Intervention Care
- Mental Health and/or AODA Treatment
- Barriers to Self-Sufficiency
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
The timeline for the 2024 Pillar Grants is listed below. All applications must be completed and submitted online. Please contact our office for log-in access to the site.
April 11th – application site opens at 9am
May 21st- application site closes at 5pm
June 11th – United Way board of directors determines grant allocations
June 14th – Letters are mailed to all applicants
Past Pillar Grant Recipients
2024 – $10,000 allocated: Bread & Roses (Meal Project), Fort Schools (Fort Family Connections), Tri-County Unity Club (Introduction to Recovery), Jefferson County Head Start (Head Start), Jefferson County Literacy Council (Workplace Literacy), Jefferson Food Pantry (Nourish Unity), Ready Kids for school (Back to school supplies), St Coletta (Golden Options)
2023 – $7,100 allocated: Dakota -Eagle Scout Project (ADA Kayak Launch), Bethel House (Eviction Prevention), Jefferson County Human Services (On My Own), Community Connections (Community Connections), Immanuel United Methodist Church (Little Free Pantry)
2022 – $21,151 allocated: Safe Families For Children WI (Strengthening Families), Liberty Through Literacy (Dolly Parton Imagination Library), Easterseals Southeast Wisconsin (Be Safe!), Jefferson County Health Department (Family Foundations), Opportunities (A-Team Angling Adventure Event), School District of Fort Atkinson (Community Connections), Bethel House (Mobile Home Community Needs Assessment & 4Wheels4Families), Whitewater Audit ESL (Program Expansion), Jefferson County Humane Services (On My Own & Welcome Kits for Diversion Youth), Haus of Peace (Mental Health Workshops)
2021 – $10,500 allocated: Friends of the Johnson Creek Library (Dolly Parton Imagination Library), UW-Whitewater Young Auditorium (Soaring Sensory Saturdays), Jefferson County Head Start (Family & Community Connections program), Jefferson County Human Services (Healthy Me, Happy Me program), The Unity Project (Humane Society bilingual signage), Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club (All-inclusive playground)
2020 – We suspended our pillar grant funding in 2020 and instead allocated those dollars to our COVID Relief Fund, in which we distributed $64,530 to five area school districts and two emergency financial assistance programs.
2019 – $18,225 allocated: Jefferson County Literacy Council (Literary Tea Party), Fort Atkinson Preschool and Childcare (Zen Den), W3: Working for Whitewater’s Wellness, Inc. (Fit Kid Shuffle), Women Who Care (School nurse training), Opportunities, Inc. (OI Closet expansion), Whitewater Unified School District (Adult ESL curriculum materials), Jefferson County Human Services (CST community outreach program), Jefferson County Drug Free Coalition (Opiate awareness toolkit), Jefferson County Head Start (Tiered mental health services), Jefferson County Human Services (Early truancy diversion program)
2018- $20,703 allocated: First Congregational Church Choose Love Speaker & Social/Emotional Learning Workshop; Jefferson County Literacy Council Communication Skills for Employment program; Bethel House Financial Literacy program; The Fort Atkinson Club Crossroads to Cuisine program; Whitewater LEADS Dolly Parton Imagination Library; Recovery Support Center Recovery Coach Training; St. Coletta of Wisconsin Genesis Employment program; Fort Health Haumerson’s Pond Nature Trail Education Signage; Jefferson County Human Services Community Outreach program
2017- $21,000 allocated: Fort Healthcare Therapy & Sport Center Therapeutic Neuroscience Education; Women Who Care Behavioral Health Pilot Project; Jefferson County Head Start Family & Connections Program; Whitewater LEADS Dolly Parton Imagination Library; Working for Whitewater’s Wellness Fit Kid Shuffle scholarships; The Unity Project Parks & Recreation Sports Festival & Outreach; Friends of Haumerson’s Pond Goal for Goals; Whitewater Little Free Pantry Project updates & expansion to little free pantry; Hoard Curtis Scout Camp tent structure repairs and replacement
2016 – $17,500 allocated: River’s Edge Nature Preserve handicapped accessible fishing pier; Rock River Community Garden; Heroin: Perspectives of Destruction education & resource booklet; Humane Society of Jefferson County KIND News Publication; Working for Whitewater’s Wellness Fit Kid Shuffle scholarships; LINCS Elementary school & community garden; Downtown Whitewater City Market Public Power project; Rainbow Hospice & Fort Healthcare Honoring Choices Cohort training; Fort Atkinson School District emergency safety bags
2015 – $14,085 allocated: Studio 84 Community Connections Program; Big Brothers Big Sister Foster Care Program; Coordinated Services Team Community Outreach Program; Head Start Parent Cafes; Jefferson County Connections Youth Leadership Conference; Jefferson County Master Gardeners community garden; St. Coletta of Wisconsin community garden; Working for Whitewater’s Wellness Fit Kid Shuffle scholarship
2014 – $10,000 allocated: Blackhawk Running Club race equipment; Working for Whitewater’s Wellness Fit Kid Shuffle scholarships; Fort Atkinson Junior Women’s Club ‘This Ride Is On Us’ program; Fort Healthcare mobile railyard playset; Jefferson West Elementary school garden; Jefferson County Connections Youth Leadership Conference
