Share Your Idea With Us

Do you have an innovative new idea that could make a significant difference for our community? Have you given this idea some thought? Some research? United Way of Central Oklahoma is eager to learn about your idea/project. Funds, available per project, fall in the range of $10,000 to $250,000.

The WayFinder Innovation Grant period for 2024 will open soon. 

Award Criteria

  • Innovative idea that would meet a genuine community need – Does not yet exist in Central Oklahoma.
  • Project falls within the realm of support by United Way. United Way of Central Oklahoma supports social service, health and human service needs programs.
     TYPICALLY, UNITED WAY DOES NOT SUPPORT:
  • Grants to Individuals
  • Art/Cultural/Literary organizations
  • Animal Services
  • Capital Needs
  • Environmental Concerns
  • Agency has a plan for measurement of outcomes in the project over the grant cycle, and beyond.
  • Recipient is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation as defined under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service Code.
  • Agency is located within the service area of United Way of Central Oklahoma (Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, McClain, Oklahoma counties).
  • Agency has an annual audit or annual review from an independent auditor.
  • Projects that include collaborative approaches are encouraged.
  • Applicant must demonstrate capacity to execute the program.
  • Programs should serve diverse groups in the community, be open and not restricted by residency or membership.
  • Programs should show opportunity for sustainability or continuation after the grant funds are expended.
  • Grant range is $10,000-$250,000. If no grants are made, funding will roll over for the next grant cycle.
  • WayFinder Innovation grants are to be considered one-time funding.

Learn more and view past WayFinder winners.

2023 WayFinder Innovation Grant Recipients

Calm Waters Center for Children and Families, Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, NewView Oklahoma, & Thick Descriptions

Calm Waters Center for Children and Families was awarded $40,000. The funding will provide a grief support group and education program for medical students and residents at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
Healthy Minds Policy Initiative was awarded $113,850. The funding will support a multi-year initiative to address Oklahoma City’s systemic behavioral health challenges and to strategically align Oklahoma City’s resources, services and funding with the growing mental health needs of its residents. The program will build a comprehensive, population-level strategy.
NewView Oklahoma was awarded $69,926 to develop a one-of-a-kind NewView Print House that will allow NewView Oklahoma to create tactile coloring books for all ages, educational materials, children’s books and other print materials designed specifically for Oklahoma’s low-vision and blind population.
Thick Descriptions, a science empowerment and cultural intelligence agency, was awarded $13,500 to fund a special program to offer a camp to tweens and teens teaching them how to become preservers of Oklahoma history.

To learn more about the WayFinder Innovation Grant, please contact:

Liliana Macias

Community Initiatives and Research Manager

lmacias@unitedwayokc.org
405-523-3512