Carson City, Lyon County agencies make United Way grant list

Carson City and Lyon County nonprofit agencies have partnered with the United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra for a second round of funding.

The Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, Friends in Service Helping (FISH) Community Chest, Healthy Communities Coalition, Central Lyon Youth Connections, Lyon County Human Services were named as grant recipients through various partnerships, for the 2012-13 fiscal year.

In all, more than $1.3 million will be distributed to Northern Nevada agencies, said United Way spokesman Scott Walquist.

The total distributions are comprised of funds allocated through its rigorous Standards of Excellence and application process and funds earmarked by donors to specific organizations. These funds further UWNNS’ key focus areas of education, financial stability and health.

United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra also announced that during the 2012-13 fiscal year, it was also able to bring additional programs and services to the community valued at more than $4 for every $1 donated.

These services and programs included: FamilyWize, a prescription drug discount card; Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, a program that provides free tax preparation services to low-to-moderate income families in northern Nevada who earn $50,000 or less annually; Nevada 2-1-1, a health and human services help line that connects individuals with essential services and referrals; and its early education initiative to help increase reading scores of struggling students not meeting grade level proficiency.

United Way's latest allocations to partner agencies came in June and further demonstrate a strategic and community-based approach to funding organizations and partnerships. This is the second series of allocations by UWNNS during the 2012-13 fiscal year and was made possible because of its “cash in hand” financial philosophy (allocations and designations determinations are issued after the donation is received rather than when the donation is pledged).

As with all United Way allocation processes, the agency researched critical needs within its three areas of focus: education, financial stability and health. The organization then established regional needs with area volunteer experts to review research and determine focused priorities to guide decisions. These same volunteers reviewed each of the partner agencies to ensure adherence to United Way's Standards of Excellence.

UWNNS’ second round of allocations equaled $100,000, in addition to the $429,000 of allocations that were released in the first round of funding in April of this year.

Round two grantees are as follows:

— Partnership between Friends in Service Helping (FISH) and area health/dental providers - $15,000 to enable non-insured, low-income and no-income patients to receive free medicine and medical supplies and care at FISH’s Ross Clinic. The clinic will be able to increase the number of patients seen weekly through assisting with medical malpractice insurance costs, expansion of the dental extraction program and funding for diabetic supplies.

— Boys and Girls Club Partnership comprised of Boys and Girls Club of the Truckee Meadows, comprised of Boys and Girls Club of Mason Valley, Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, Boys and Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe, and Boys and Girls Club of Elko – an additional $12,500 to $60,000 it received in the first round of allocations in order to teach youths aged 10 to 18 essential workforce skills, increased civic engagement and ensure progress to next grade level.

— Partnership between Community Chest, Healthy Communities Coalition, Central Lyon Youth Connections, Lyon County Human Services - $20,000 to stabilize the region’s food and economic instability through access to food, coordination of food bank volunteers and working to employ and/or stabilize food bank clients after basic needs are met.

Elsewhere in Northern Nevada:

— Child Assault Prevention - $17,500 to continue to provide Elementary Abuse Prevention Workshops in Washoe County schools that will serve approximately 1,375 students throughout the school year.

— Partnership between Citicare, Regional Transportation Commission, CARE Chest of Sierra Nevada, Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, People First of Nevada, and Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities - $25,000 to provide rides on RTC ACCESS.

— Partnership of Wells Family Resource Center, Elko County School District, Great Basin College - $10,000 to provide quality state-licensed child care to struggling families. The funds will help establish scholarships for children with special needs and low-income and non-English speaking households.

This year, United Way volunteers also looked closely at the applications and coalitions that crossed county borders because of the recently expanded United Way service area in 2011.

At that time, United Way assumed responsibility for the territory of the former United Way of the Great Basin that serves Elko, Eureka, White Pine, Lander and Humboldt counties. With the absorption of the additional counties, United Way of Northern Nevada and Sierra now serves 139 zip codes in 13 Nevada counties and portions of California. The agency service area now represents more than 800,000 people.