Grants

These annual grants of up to $2000, are earmarked for projects that fulfill our mission of providing programs or assistance to initiatives that benefit children and families in Shelby County, Ohio. Applications for these grants will be accepted from April 1st through June 30th.

In 2022, POWER awarded a total of $35,000 in grants to the following organizations:
  • SHS School Counselor High School Mental Health Curriculum Guides
  • Sidney City Schools & Latchkey Program Healthy snacks, art supplies, & Gym Equipment. 
  • Sidney Cooperative Nursery School Reading Specialist 
  • Fairlawn Local Schools snacks for after school program
  • Emerson Primary School 1 new book per month for 2nd graders
  • Holy Angels School Alternative seating & sensory path 
  • Elizabeth’s New Life Center Earn while you learn program.
  • Jackson Center Schools  All inclusive gaga ball pit 
  • Christian Academy Schools Mobile teaching kitchen 
  • Emerson Primary-Kindergarten Read aloud theme sets, stem activities 
  • Holy Angels School IXL Computer Based learning platform membership
  • Rustic Hope Gas gift cards 
  • Emerson Primary – Kindergarten 2 sensory tables
  • Emerson Primary – 2nd grade Guided reading book sets 
  • Holy Angels Catholic School Stem activity materials
  • Sidney Middle School Music Depart. – Hand Chimes, mini keyboard controllers
  • Russia Local Schools – T-Shirts for whole school with respect theme 
  • Historic Sidney Theatre – Summer theatre camps 
  • Wilson Health Foundation – Halo Sleep sacks 
  • Midwest Regional ESC – Vocational task boxes, computer programs for MD classrooms
  • Shelby County Libraries – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library 
  • Emerson Primary – 1st grade – Magnetic Letters & Boards 
  • Wilma Valentine Childcare – smartboard 
  • SC Sheriff Office – 911 dispatch presentation materials 

PAST POWER GRANTS

In 2021, POWER awarded a total of $25,000 in grants to the following organizations:
  • SCS Latchkey – Healthy Snacks & Activity Supplies 
  • Council on Rural Service Programs, inc. (CORS) 3 new laptops for staff
  • Jackson Center FCCLA  Yearly programming expenses for TGIF, veteran’s, PAWS, First responders
  • Emerson Primary School Flexible Seating, Tables & Centers for library
  • Northwood Grades 3&4 MD Classroom Stem materials for Math & Science
  • Sidney Cooperative Nursery School In classroom field trips with extension activities 
  • Sidney Dance Company to purchase backdrops
  • Emerson Primary School 150 Re-Write boards for the 5 – 2nd grade classes 
  • Elizabeth’s New Life Center “Incentive items for the earn while you learn program”
  • Emerson Primary School Books for students to recieve 1 new book each month 
  • Russia Local Schools Guest motivational speakers & welcome back t-shirts 
  • Fairlawn Local Schools Touch screen chrome books with hot spot for special need students 
  • Wilson Health Foundation Fitbits for the children’s obesity challenge program 
  • Emerson Primary School Books for each student during the school year 
  • Midwest Regional ESC – 2 computer programs: cores for k-4 & Powerup for 6-12
  • Sidney High School Grade 10 Books & Incentives for 10 minute reading program 
  • Morgan’s Place Cemetery Intergration of gravesite mapping system, cemsites, into website
  • Shelby County Libraries – Imagination Library 
In 2020, POWER awarded a total of $21,500 in grants to the following organizations:
  • OSU Extention of Shelby County For a mobile classroom for educational programs.
  • SHS-Multiple Disabilities Classroom For a new washer & dryer.
  • Elizabeth’s New Life Center  To support the Healthy From the Start program.
  • Botkins Local School English Dept. To help purchase the Graide Network to increase writing skills.
  • Upper Valley Career Center  To help provide professional mental health counseling for Shelby County students.
  • Shelby County Libraries  To support the Imagination Library that provides children 0-5 yrs old a free book every month.
  • Sidney City Schools Latchkey Program To provide healthy snacks as well as children’s crafts.
  • Sidney Cooperative Nursery School  To purchase safety items for Covid-19 compliance.
  • Northwood 3rd Grade  To purchase Re-Write electronic writing tables for math/science.
  • Whittier Early Childhood Center To purchase academic materials for 10 classrooms & “Speech & Fine Motor To Go” kits.
  • SC Workforce Partnership For Career Coach programming expenses.
  • Wilson Health Foundation To purchase 250 HALO sleep sacks.
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters  To purchase SEL curriculum & supplies for the after school Big Buddies program.
  • Emerson Primary School For updates to school library.
  • Holy Angels Catholic School For before & after school daycare program supplies.
  • Midwest Regional Educational Service Center To purchase Chromebooks for multiple disabilities students.
  • Fairlawn Local Schools For after school activities. 
In 2019, POWER awarded a total of $25,000 in grants to the following organizations:
  • SHS-Mkt Ed/DECA & FFA Chapters  To help them build Free Lending Libraries
  • Elizabeth’s New Life Center  To support the Love Your Baby program.
  • Jackson Center Schools FCCLA  To support their TGIF Mentoring Program.
  • Upper Valley Career Center  To help provide professional mental health counseling for Shelby County students.
  • Shelby County Libraries  To support the Imagination Library that provides children 0-5 yrs old a free book every month.
  • Sidney City Schools Latch Key Program To provide healthy snacks as well as children’s crafts.
  • Sidney Cooperative Nursery School  To purchase learning tools for story time program.
  • Northwood 3rd Grade  To purchase STEM program supplies.
  • Compassionate Care  For clinical breast exams
  • Family Resource Center of NW Ohio  For their Loving Solutions Curriculum.
  • Wilson Health Foundation  For 3D Mammography.
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters   To purchase projectors for the after school Big Buddies program.
  • Shelby County Historical Society  For 3rd grade Bicentennial downtown history walking tour and lunch at the Spot.
  • New Choices Domestic Violence Shelter  To purchase supplies for expectant mothers & healthy foods.
  • Midwest Regional Educational Service Center  To purchase interactive projector for multiple disabilities students.
  • Russia Music Boosters  To purchase instruments for identified families.

These annual grants of up to $2000 are earmarked for projects that fulfill our mission of providing programs or assistance to initiatives that benefit children and families in Shelby County, Ohio.

The grants will be awarded to only 501(c)(3) agencies or government entities in Shelby County, Ohio.

There are two types of grants to apply for. The Time Limited grants are intended to provide short-term support for the improvement of youth and families through the implementation of programs in the Shelby County, Ohio area. The Continuing Community Support grants will be awarded to established services that are benefiting youth and families on an on-going basis.

To receive a POWER grant application, contact the Shelby County United Way office at (937) 492-2101 or e-mail Amy West at awest@ShelbyCountyUnitedWay.org.

Applications for these grants will be accepted from April 1st through June 30th.

POWER Grant Recipient Testimonial

“Staff and students at Fairlawn are grateful for organizations like the Shelby County United Way Women’s Initiative Group, POWER, for their support in helping provide resources that are otherwise not available for our special needs students to continue to grow in the classroom. The students have the opportunity to work on iPads with the Osmo learning program. The items purchased will benefit the students in years to come.”

Connie Schneider
Mid-West Regional ESC
Director of Special Education