(Stark County, OH) December 16, 2025 – United Way of Greater Stark County (UWGSC) will open its funding application for small grants for Black-led nonprofits from January 6 to 30, 2026. This process is an annual funding opportunity for small, Black-led organizations that are uniquely positioned to address programs supporting Black communities in Stark and Carroll Counties. Launched in 2023, this process is administered by members of the Black-Led Nonprofit Committee.
To be eligible for funding, organizations must:
- Attend an in-person application training on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
- Be a nonprofit led by either a Black CEO/President or board of directors comprised of 51%+ black members.
- Be a nonprofit with a two-year history of primarily serving the black community in Stark and/or Carroll County.
- As an organization, have less than a combined total of $500,000 in annual revenue or assets.
- Be a 501 c3.
- To prevent or lessen the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) during early childhood among those who lived under the federal poverty level,
- To improve the household stability of their parents/caregivers,
- For families with young children (ages 0-8) living in poverty.
Applications using the following strategies will be considered: Strong Start (i.e After school, early childhood education, home visiting, mentoring, parent/caregiver skills, and violence prevention) or Household Stability (i.e. Food, health care, homeless/domestic violence shelter, legal support, material goods, rent/utility assistance, safety crisis/trauma intervention, and transportation).
Programs can apply for up to $10,000. The funding period is April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027, and will be distributed monthly throughout the funding period. Funds may be used to support personnel, program materials, staff training, space rental or other facility costs, program evaluation, or other resources. Funds cannot be used for capital expenses or other-than-nominal participant incentives. Only one program per agency can be funded.
Other requirements include:
- Participate in a volunteer-led review of their agency’s health and well-being,
- Participate in Project Blueprint, a four-session board development series operated by Goodwill Industries, Inc.
- Participate in check-ins with committee members and other grantees every 90 days,
- Submit an impact summary at the end of the funding year.
For more information and the link to the application, visit our webpage by clicking this link.
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About: United Way of Greater Stark County (UWGSC) exists to improve the lives of children and families in Stark and Carroll counties by providing access to resources they need to lessen the burdens of poverty, helping to build a stronger community in the process.