Social Justice Fund

Social Justice Fund

COMMUNITY UNITED. THIS HAS BECOME OUR MANTRA, OUR MOTTO, AND OUR CALL-TO-ACTION.

For 133 years, Mile High United Way has believed that a community and a country can only succeed when we are united, and that every individual must receive equal opportunity to pursue their dreams and maintain their livelihood.

Mile High United Way’s Social Justice Fund invests in impact-focused and collaborative community efforts to address issues of equity and social justice across the Denver metro area. Join us as a Community United in bringing greater and more equitable access to opportunity for all.

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SOCIAL JUSTICE FUND INITIATIVE GOALS

Goal 1

Align like-minded individuals and corporations around a strategy that focuses on equity and social justice, creating greater ability for impact within the community

Goal 2

Provide additional opportunities for small non-profits to gain funding around innovative programs that directly contribute to the advancement and support of communities of color

Goal 3

Address a systemic lack of investment in communities of color

FUNDING AREAS

Gifts made to the Social Justice Fund will be allocated equally across the following areas:

  • Ability Connection Colorado 
  • Adams 12 School District 
  • Center for Work Education and Employment 
  • Centro Humanitario para los Trabajadores 
  • Centro San Juan Diego 
  • City Year Denver 
  • Clayton Early Learning 
  • Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists 
  • Colorado Legal Services 
  • Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition 
  • Colorado Uplift 
  • Colorado Youth for a Change 
  • Denver Children’s Advocacy Center 
  • Denver Indian Family Resource Center 
  • Denver Kids 
  • Denver Public Schools Foundation 
  • Downtown Aurora Visual Arts 
  • Early Excellence Program of Denver 
  • Environmental Learning for Kids 
  • Family Star 
  • First Steps at Monarch Montessori 
  • Florence Crittenton Services 
  • Focus Points Family Resource Center  
  • Girl Scouts of Colorado 
  • Girls Inc of Metro Denver 
  • Heart and Hand Center 
  • HOPE Center 
  • Hope Communities 
  • Hunger Free Colorado 
  • Invest in Kids 
  • La Raza Services 
  • Metro Denver Partners 
  • Mile High Early Learning Centers 
  • Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives 
  • Rocky Mountain Welcome Center 
  • Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network 
  • Roots Family Center 
  • Scholars Unlimited 
  • Sun Valley Youth Center 
  • The Bridge Project 
  • The Senior Hub 
  • Volunteers of America 
  • Warren Village 
  • WorkLife Partnership 
  • YMCA of Metro Denver 

 
Bold indicates Black-led organization and/or specifically serving the Black community

Mile High United Way’s community programs support equity and social justice in targeted neighborhoods throughout Denver/Boulder metro area.
 
This funding category will be allocated by Mile High United Way for emerging needs and impact specific to Social Justice work within direct Mile High United Way programs, including United Neighborhoods, Bridging the Gap, 2-1-1 Help Center, and Policy. In June 2021, Mile High United Way will assess the total dollars invested in this fund as well as emergent needs in our BIPOC communities to make program investments.
 
Examples:

  • Resident-led, focused support of BIPOC schools. Parents are empowered to make decisions around highest needs for students and provided with micro funds to create solutions for their children.
    Engaging community advocates, using a strengths-based framework, to support young people transitioning from high school to the workforce.
  • Empowering Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) childcare providers with culturally relevant trainings and support to provide high-quality early childhood education, and address the lack of accessible childcare, particularly needed in Aurora and refugee communities.
  • Providing BIPOC owned businesses access to capital and skilled volunteers to help grow and be successful.

Supporting innovative, social justice-focused project(s) submitted by non-profit organizations whose work aligns with the criteria of service to BIPOC communities. Investors will take part in the grantee selection process for this category.
 
This funding category is allocated to innovative, social justice-focused project(s) identified by Mile High United Way Board of Trustees through an application process. Project funding will be decided by investors in the Mile High United Way Social Justice fund in June 2021, once the total fund amount has been assessed. This fund is open to non-profit organizations in our seven-county footprint, whose work aligns with the criteria of service to BIPOC communities. Funding is to be used for an innovative, new project that they would otherwise not be able to deliver.
 
Examples:

  • Projects that address the mental health needs of BIPOC communities given current climate and historical injustices
  • Projects that address the digital divide in BIPOC communities and schools
  • Projects that address parent advocacy for education, pay equity, and civic engagement

This funding category will be allocated to community organizations who seek to grow their own capacity as non-profit entities, and, for organizations who wish to implement more holistic programs on diversity, equity and inclusion within the populations they serve, or within their own organization.

WITH YOUR INVESTMENT, YOU ARE CREATING A MORE EQUITABLE COMMUNITY.

You are a part of a Community United that fights for positive, systemic change in the lives of families, children, business owners, and individuals across the Metro Denver region.

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