thanks to the generosity of donors like you, united way of the midlands raised more than
$30 million
to invest in our community!
investing in our community
community impact fund
The Community Impact Fund (formerly the Community Care Fund) is our traditional process of investing contributions from donors into metro-area community programs. Through the Community Impact Fund (CIF), one donation invests dollars in dozens of organizations at once that they are able to use flexibly where they are essential, making a difference in lives across our community. Teams of community volunteers review program applications and direct dollars where they are needed most – creating a circle of support and strengthening the human services network in our community.
stable family partnerships
Our partnership with the Siemer Institute brings national thought leadership and additional funding to the metro-area in support of local two-generation programs. 2Gen programs support parents and children at the same time. With Siemer Institute and metro area agency partners, UWM invests in local programming to prevent family homelessness and reduce school instability among low-income families.
Emergency Food and Shelter Program and State Set Aside
United Way of the Midlands effectively administers the Emergency Food and Shelter Program and State Set-Aside programs, leveraging financial support from United Way Worldwide to benefit local programs and communities. Through strategic investment and collaboration with regional partners, we ensure that these funds directly address urgent needs, providing crucial assistance to individuals and families in our area.
United Way of the Midlands is proud to partner with the Omaha World-Herald to administer the Goodfellows program that provides help to those in our community who have fallen on hard times. This includes people between jobs, the elderly, those who have experienced abuse and those facing a personal crisis with nowhere else to turn.
Impact Report Coming Soon
Built upon a mutual desire to create a better, stronger and more vibrant community, United Way of the Midlands has had a longstanding partnership with the Omaha Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO). Through this partnership, we host an annual Blue Collar Boxing event that benefits the Nebraska Center for Workforce Development and Education and UWM’s Community Impact Fund. NCWDE is focused on increasing the qualified workforce in Nebraska by creating opportunities for Omaha’s young people to gain exposure to and pursue careers in the trades, while also developing the skills to support the infrastructure of Nebraska.
karnett trust
The Karnett Trust Grant Program is administered by United Way of the Midlands. Karnett Trust Funds are available to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Douglas, Sarpy and Pottawattamie counties with programs that are focused on the care, education and training of children with intellectual disabilities in the Omaha metropolitan area. Ellen C. Karnett left the trust funds to United Way to administer her wishes to benefit children in our community with intellectual disabilities. The funds are distributed in honor of Ellen’s son, Richard.
Through its partnership with Region 6 Behavioral Healthcare, and thanks to the support of Women United, UWM is expanding access to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training. This training gives individuals the tools and resources they need to help someone struggling with mental health challenges, while helping to reduce the stigma of and barriers to seeking help. In its first year, more than 1,000 people received MHFA training – and UWM has a goal of increasing this number to 1,500 in 2024.
Raise Me to Read is part of the Omaha metro collective impact model to improve school readiness, out-of-school learning, school attendance, grade-level reading and to disrupt generational poverty. As a member of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, a community solutions action plan was completed and continues to guide their work.
Through our partnership with the Combined Health Agencies Drive (CHAD), health charities receive funding to conduct innovative research, provide critical client services and offer education and prevention programs to members in our community.