JANESVILLE — United Way Blackhawk Region on Tuesday announced the recipients of its 2025-27 Community Grant awards.
The awards, approved by the United Way Blackhawk Region’s volunteer board of directors, amount to more than $2.62 million in the areas of health, education, and financial stability for individuals and families in the Blackhawk Region which includes Rock County and north-central Illinois.
In all, 26 local health and human service programs received grants, that fall under 16 nonprofit agencies.
In a release, United Way Blackhawk Region noted that 41 volunteers of diverse backgrounds helped review grant applications, giving “an estimated 625.25 hours to the highly competitive process.”
“The integrity of United Way’s volunteer-driven Community Grant process assures donors that responsible stewardship is our top priority,” Tom McCawley, United Way Blackhawk Region’s board chair, said in the release.
The grants were awarded to programs, not agencies. A nonprofit organization may receive more than one Community Grant depending on the number of applicant programs approved under a single agency’s umbrella, the release also noted.
“United Way works hard to identify every donor and dollar possible to move the needle on tough-to-solve issues, including our region’s pressing problems such as poverty and financial instability, homelessness, food insecurity, lack of affordable childcare, youth development, and senior care,” the release noted.
Recipient programs fall under a variety of categories.
United Way said $458,695 Healthy Community grants will be invested in 7 programs to:
- Improve community wellness by ensuring access to medical and dental care, nutrition and food security, healthy spaces for physical activity, chronic and infectious disease awareness and prevention, and substance misuse recovery and prevention.
- Afford children opportunities to enhance their health, as well as empower youth about how to make healthy choices and avoid risky behaviors.
- Provide individuals and families with services to lead healthy and productive lifestyles.
United Way said $1,133,000 in Youth Opportunity grants will be invested via 8 programs to:
- Provide quality, affordable child care, in school, afterschool and summer learning and education, literacy development and parent/family awareness and engagement.
- Support youth to be successful inside and outside the classroom through mentoring and enrichment opportunities.
- Provide students with pathways to high school graduation, post-secondary success, and workforce preparedness.
And United Way said $984,650 in Financial Security grants will be invested across 11 programs to:
- Stabilize families in crisis by providing emergency shelter, transportation, rent assistance, and advocacy in homelessness prevention, affordable housing and homeownership.
- Help adults become self-sufficient through access to job training, public benefits access and wrap around support to overcome barriers to sustaining employment.
- Improve the education level or employability of adults and create more financially secure situations for individuals and their families.
The awardees, number of their programs that will benefit and individual 2025-27 grant dollar amounts include:
- Community Action Inc., of Rock and Walworth Counties: 2 programs, $168,000
- ECHO Inc.: 2 programs, $360,000
- Edgerton Community Outreach: 1 program, $80,000
- Family Promise of Greater Beloit: 1 program, $50,000
- Family Services of Southern Wisconsin and Northern IL Inc.: 1 program, $100,000
- Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Rock County Inc.: 1 program, $50,000
- Stateline Literacy Council-Beloit, Inc.: 2 programs, $60,000
- Salvation Army Rock County: 1 program, $116,650
- Beloit Meals on Wheels: 1 program, $170,000
- Edgerton Community Outreach: 1 program, $20,000
- HealthNet of Rock County: 3 programs, $200,695
- Salvation Army Rock County: 1, $43,000
- Vivent Health: 1 program, $25,000
- Boys & Girls Club of Janesville: 1 program, $286,000
- CASA of Rock County: 1 program, $160,000
- Community Action Inc., of Rock and Walworth Counties: 3 programs, $247,000
- Janesville Community Day Care Center Inc.: 1 program, $88,000
- Stateline Boys & Girls Clubs Inc.: 1 program, $272,000
- Stateline Family YMCA: 1 program, $80,000
The two-year Community Grant process is designed to award funds to programs demonstrating community need, articulating program efficacy and results, the release said.
In this funding cycle, 17 programs were awarded 100% of their grant request and the average grant amount is $99,090.
In addition to Community Grants, United Way Blackhawk Region also allocates resources for emergency grants and other initiatives.
United Way will also continue its investment to provide 211 for the region. 211 is a 24/7 information and referral helpline that can connect residents to local resources.
More information is at or by calling (608)757-3040.
