Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 15, 1990 TAG: 9003152532
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE HUDSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Any charitable organization - whether it is a United Way member or not - can apply for the "venture grants."
"It's a brand-new thing for us," Executive Director Robert Kulinski said. "It's not necessarily new for United Ways across the country."
Kulinski said the grants give United Way the flexibility to quickly jump-start new programs that respond to emerging community needs. They allow the agency to give money without going through a drawn-out application process or committing itself to a long-term relationship with an organization that is not a United Way member.
This year, the United Way will look at these areas in distributing the grants:
Programs for disadvantaged youngsters, especially programs aimed at preventing drug and alcohol abuse and teen pregnancy and reducing school dropouts.
Programs to strengthen poor or single-parent families.
Programs that help the frail elderly live on their own.
Kulinski said a grant for the whole $50,000 could be awarded to a single program, but he'd prefer to see the money spread around to several programs.
United Way's plan for the program says the grants will allow it to test new agencies and programs that might later join United Way. If a program proves ineffective, then support could be withdrawn at the end of the grant period, the plan said.
United Way is sending out mailings about the venture grants to about 100 community organizations that may be interested. Kulinski said, though, that there's no way for the United Way to contact all the programs that might qualify. He said he hopes those that aren't contacted will apply also.
The United Way plans to select the grant recipients by June 5, he said.
by CNB