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Grant Investments

We specialize in helping our community through the administration of many different types of grants.

Investing in You

We provide grants to local nonprofits that are dedicated to serving Story County in our focus areas of health, education, and financial security. These grants aim to empower organizations that are making a difference in our community, helping them to enhance their programs and reach more individuals in need.

Children playing on a swing together.

2026 Financial Empowerment Major Grant

United Way of Story County is proud to announce Friendship Ark and Mustard Seed Community Farm as our 2026 Financial Empowerment Major Grant Awardees!

Selected by our Allocations Committee for their innovative approaches to tackling the root causes of financial instability, these two outstanding organizations are building sustainable pathways to long-term security for our neighbors.

Read the Press Release
Friendship Ark

$18,000

Representative Pay Program Equipment

Community farm logo with plant

$50,000

Community Kitchen & Micro-Enterprise Incubator

Funding Opportunities

Recent Grant awards

Golf Fore Kids Legacy

Funding Opportunities

Community Impact Grants

These grants support unanticipated, emerging, or other distinct under-funded needs that further the mission of UWSC. Priority will be given to those programs that reach underserved populations and/or are focused on United Way of Story County 2025-2030 Community Impact Goals. Any non-profit organization with a 501(c)3 designation serving Story County is eligible to apply. 

The Community Impact grant cycle is currently closed. For questions, please contact our office at (515) 268-5142.

ASSET funding

The ASSET (Analysis of Social Services Evaluation Team) process has existed in Story County since 1985.  It brings together four major funders of human services programs in a collaborative, volunteer-led effort to coordinate local planning, assess needs, evaluate the capabilities of agencies to provide programs, and recommend funding for programs.

The bulk of United Way of Story County’s annual funding for health and human service programs is distributed through the ASSET process, with applications due at the end of September for the following fiscal year.

ASSET Funding information

Recent Grant Awards

Investing in local solutions

By funding targeted solutions in our core impact areas—Bright Futures, Financial Empowerment, and Collective Well-Being—these investments provide local families with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Browse the list below to learn more about our partner agencies and the vital projects funded over the last few years.

Community Impact Grants

  • Blast Back to School – $2,500
    • This investment is helping Blast Back to School provide essential supplies to students across our community. This funding ensures local students head into the classroom with the tools they need to feel confident, prepared, and ready to thrive from day one.
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Story County – $2,500
    • We are thrilled to invest in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Story County to help launch their brand-new Garden Club. This program will give local youth the chance to get their hands in the dirt, learn about healthy food, and watch their hard work bloom into something amazing.
  • HIRTA – $7,500
    • HIRTA funding for their Health Connector Program, ensuring that transportation is never a barrier to well-being. This funding provides a reliable link for our neighbors to reach vital healthcare appointments, making a healthier Story County possible for everyone.
  • The Nevada Community Cupboard – $7,500
    • This investment is helping the Nevada Community Cupboard provide reliable nutrition to families through the Filling the Gaps initiative. This funding ensures that local families have a dependable source of nutritious food, turning empty cupboards into consistent plates and a stronger community safety net.
  • Raising Readers in Story County – $3,890
    • This grant is bringing the Parenting In Flow Labs to families across Story County. This program helps caregivers lead with calm and connection, ensuring Story County children have the steady foundation they need to succeed in school and life.
  • Reiman Gardens – $6,310
    • Reiman Gardens received a grant to scale up its Grow & Give initiative. This expansion means more garden-fresh produce reaching the tables of Story County families who need it most.
  • Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Ames Chapter – $2,250
    • This investment is helping Sleep in Heavenly Peace ensure no kid sleeps on the floor in our community. This funding fuels their mission to build and deliver 200 beds this year, providing the rest and stability every child needs to thrive.
  • Story Time Childcare Center – $4,550
    • Play is the foundation of learning! This grant is helping Story Time Childcare Center level up their outdoor play space. By investing in quality playground equipment, we’re supporting the physical development and well-being of our youngest neighbors.
  • Vision to Learn – $3,000 
    • This investment is helping Vision to Learn bring critical eye care directly to our students. By removing barriers to vision screenings and glasses, we are ensuring that every child in Story County has the “clear view” required to reach their full potential.

Golf Fore Kids Grants

  • Bethany Lutheran Daycare – $300
    • Creating a native pollinator garden
  • Team Neutrino (4-H) FLL Blastoff! Summer Camp – $650
    • Support to provide scholarships for underserved students in grades 4-8 to attend their summer STEM camp, which offers hands-on experiences in programming, robot design, and teamwork through FIRST LEGO League challenges.
  • Ames Public Library Friends Foundation – $1,200
    • Spanish language books for the Books for Babies to expand services to Spanish speaking households.
  • Adventures Preschool- $2,260
    • Purchase equipment and supplies for a resource room to advance in the Iowa Quality for Kids quality rating system.
  • Prairie Flower Children’s Center- $2,280
    • Expansion of their nature playscape.
  • Camp Fire Heart of Iowa – $2,500
    • Expand impact of after-school enrichment experiences through field trips, guest speakers, and hands-on learning activities.
  • Ames Education Foundation – $2,750
    • Transportation for field trips, site visits and job-exposure opportunities for preschool through high school.
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Story County – $2,790
    • Climbing For Success, a unique recreational program nurtures physical, emotional and social development in their members.
  • ChildServe – $3,000
    • Functional furniture that creates a safe and supportive classroom setting and enhance participants’ experiences for their Autism Day Program. 
  • Raising Readers in Story County – $3,000
    • Little Literacy Lounge community space.
Community Impact Grants
  • Iowa State University & United Way of Story County -$850
    • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) training 
  • YSS – $960
    • Language Translation Device
  • Huxley Public Library – $2,500
    • Expand Project Space
  • Prairie Flower Children’s Center – $2,970
    • Nature Playscape
  • ChildServe – $5,000
    • Kitchen Improvements
  • The Salvation Army of Ames & Story County – $7,500
    • Unhoused Community Members Initiative – Basic Needs & Employment Support
Golf Fore Kids Grants
  • Team Neutrino (4-H) FLL Blastoff! Summer Camp – $650
    • Program Scholarships
  • Ames Public Library Friends Foundation – $1,000
    • After-School Deposit Collection
  • Blast Back to School – $1,500
    • Support to Cover School Supplies and Backpacks for area youth
  • The Salvation Army Angel Tree – $3,000
    • Holiday gifts
  • Nevada Community Cupboard – $3,000
    • Holiday food distribution
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Story County – $3,000
    • Meals for out-of-school programs
  • ChildServe – $3,000
    • Inclusive and adaptive equipment
  • Raising Readers in Story County – $5,000
    • Parent education program
  • MICA – $3,500
    • Child and adult food program
Community Impact Grants
  • Friendship Ark -$2,500
    • Walk-In Tub
  • Primary Health Care – $3,000
    • Farm to Clinic
  • Colo Community Food Pantry – $500
    • Kitchen Equipment/Meal Prep
Golf Fore Kids Grants
  • Nevada Community School District -$2,500
    • It Takes a Village: 2024-25 Nevada Community Series
  • Colo Public Library – $2,800
    • Royal Readers Program
  • Campfire Heart of Iowa – $2,000
    • Camp Canwita
Community Impact Grants
  • Story County Extension & Outreach – $2,000
    • Small Talk Program
  • Maxwell Area Renewal Committee – $2,000
    • Inclusive Swing
  • Mainstream Living – $2,000
    • Home & Community Based Services
  • City of Collins – $4,700
    • Wellness Center
Golf Fore Kids Grants
  • School Food Pantries – $3,000
    • Five Local Pantries
  • Threshold Learning Center – $1,800
    • TLC Kids Club
  • Nevada Community Cupboard – $3,000
    • Holiday Food Distribution
  • Martha’s House of Hope – $1,500
    • Healthy Moms and Babies
  • Iowa 4H – $300
    • First Team Neutrino
  • Campfire Heart of Iowa – $2,000
    • Camp Canwita
  • Blast Back to School – $1,000
    • School Supplies

Grant Application resources

program overview

These grants allow UWSC to support programs and initiatives that are not currently funded by UWSC or through the Story County ASSET process – giving flexibility to invest in new, innovative, or expanded services for children and youth in Story County. Current ASSET agencies are eligible, but cannot apply for additional funding for ASSET services.

Detailed instructions and Information
Budget Template

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Can Apply?

  • Nonprofit human service organizations/agencies in Story County
  • Organizations/agencies must have non-profit status (or have a fiscal agent who has non-profit status) and be able to provides its federal employer ID/EIN and an IRD determination letter

How Will I Know if I'm Eligible?

Please complete the eligibility form and a member from the UWSC team will reach out to you on or before January 30, 2026 (Community Impact Grant) or on or before October 10 (Golf Fore Kids grant) to let you know if you are approved to move to the application phase.

What Makes a Strong Application?

  • Alignment with the UWSC Financial Empowerment and Collective Well-Being goals
  • Service to low- to moderate-income populations
  • Matching funds or community resources – demonstrates commitment and multiplies impact
  • New or expanded programs not currently funded through UWSC or ASSET

What Kinds of Things Aren't Eligible for Funding?

  • Capital expenditures (equipment, technology, infrastructure)
  • Programs already funded by UWSC or through ASSET process
  • Year-over-year operational funding or ongoing staff salaries
  • Non-essential program expenses (t-shirts, prizes, etc.)
  • Endowments
  • Fundraising events or organizational parties
  • Political campaigns, events, or lobbying activities
  • Standalone travel or conference costs
  • Programs with inherently religious activities (worship, prayer, proselytizing, religious instruction)

Golf fore kids legacy

After a quarter-century of swinging for a cause, the Golf Fore Kids tournament was officially retired in 2026. The event reached its peak in 2025 by celebrating its milestone 25th anniversary. For 25 years, the 18-hole, four-person best-shot tournament served as a powerful gathering point for local businesses and community leaders dedicated to supporting the next generation.

The true legacy of Golf Fore Kids lies in its community impact: over its brilliant history, the tournament raised vital funds that sustained dozens of local human service programs and transformed the lives of thousands of Story County children and families.

Thank you to every golfer, sponsor, and volunteer who helped drive this event’s success for twenty-five wonderful years.

Story County agencies received funding
0
grants were distributed
0
invested in youth programming over 25 years
$ 0
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