United Way of Bemidji Area

United Way of Bemidji Area strategically invests dollars in reputable, knowledgeable agencies that build a solid network of support around our community in the areas of education, income and health. The community investment process ensures that United Way's investments in nonprofit programs and initiatives address the root cause of the most serious human needs in the community and create real, lasting change in people's lives in the areas of education, income and health. The community investment cabinet is the hallmark of United Way's accountability to the community. Prior to making funding recommendations to the United Way's board of directors, the community investment cabinet spends countless hours thoroughly reviewing applications for funding, including interviewing the agencies applying for funding, reviewing the agency's financials, the program's outcomes, the agency's collaborative efforts, the agency's ability to effectively meet community and client needs, and the alignment to United Way's focus on advancing the common good. The board of directors is responsible for final investment decisions when they approve the total investments to partner agencies each year. Additional investments are approved by the board of directors to implement community impact initiatives and programs that address gaps in responding to critical, new and emerging community needs around the areas of education, income and health.

Community impact initiatives - United Way identifies a limited number of critical issues (gaps in services or emerging needs) where action is required and develops impact strategies and programs in response. The United Way of Bemidji Area backpack buddies program is a food pack program that ensures Bemidji Area children experiencing food insecurity and hunger have access to nutritional, easy-to-prepare and non-perishable food on weekends and during school holidays and breaks. The United Way of Bemidji Area's holiday gifts for kids program collects chirstmas gifts and distributes them to Area children in need. Other initiatives include: coats for the community, the earned income and child tax credit outreach and awareness campaign, familywize, a free prescription discount card for the uninsured, and the venture grant program which provides one-time funding to agencies and programs for the development of new or expansion of existing programs.