In 2022, five nonprofits were selected to receive grants from the Unity Funds the Community fund. The nonprofits were then promoted at Unity in the Community via the “Giving Tower”, at which members of the public could vote on how to distribute additional funds.
Unity in the Community, presented by High Plains Bank, returns to Longmont this year on August 25. With the return of the event comes the return of one of the most unique grant opportunities for local nonprofits. The Longmont Chamber Unity Funds the Community grant program, which began in 2019 with support from High Plains Bank and the Longmont Community Foundation, combines a simple application process and public participation at Unity in the Community, a free downtown street festival.
How does Unity Funds the Community work?
Five local nonprofits are selected to receive grants of $1,000 from the Unity fund at the Longmont Community Foundation. These nonprofits also receive promotion at Unity in the Community and are represented at the “Giving Tower”, a vacuum-powered machine that allows members of the public to vote on their favorite of the five recipients.
The votes are tallied at the end of the event, and all additional funds raised during Unity in the Community are divided among the nonprofits in amounts proportional to their percentage of total number of votes. Additional funds raised at the event come from the sale of drink tokens, Unity t-shirts, and the general good-heartedness of Longmonsters.
Who is eligible to receive a grant?
There are only three criteria for eligibility:
- The nonprofit must be a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
- The nonprofit must be a member of the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce.
- The nonprofit must be registered for Unity in the Community.
Nonprofit organizations that bank with Premiere Members Credit Union or High Plains Bank may be eligible for discounted event registration fees. Please contact Leah Winkler with questions.
How do I apply?
Applications for a Unity Funds the Community grant are simple! There is an application form that should take less than 5 minutes to complete. Applicants should include a short video for our review panel that describes their organization and how they will use the grant money. These videos do not need to be professionally produced! Cell phone videos are more than welcome. The application process is meant to be simple and stress-free.
Applications opened on June 13 at the Nonprofit Summit and close Friday, July 14.