Community Impact Grants

United Way of Chatham-Kent (UWOCK) funds programs and projects that create real, lasting change to improve quality of life for the most vulnerable and build strong, healthy communities across Chatham-Kent. UWOCK strives to identify and understand the root causes of social issues. We build on deep local knowledge to support community improvement and increase capacity in the non-profit sector. Our goal is: No one left behind.

We believe in community engagement, and decision-making best practices based on the unique needs and expectations of the community. We believe it is critical to measure and communicate the impact of the programs and organizations we support. We believe in treating people with dignity, fairness, and through a lens of justice and equity.

One way that UWOCK achieves impact is through providing grants that support programs and projects to organizations doing work in Chatham-Kent. Our goal is to invest resources in Focus Areas that will make a measurable difference in our community and reflect its current needs. UWOCK’s Focus Areas are:

• Inclusion and representation – “coming together”
• Build strong communities across ALL of Chatham-Kent
• Address fundamental social issues including basic needs (food, housing, transportation); mental health and substance use supports; youth and senior programs
• Reconciliation lens and learning
• Action focus with ability to effect system or culture change