The United Way of Dubuque Area Tri-States has opened a new round of grant applications as demand for support continues to exceed available funding, reflecting the growing pressures faced by families living in poverty across the region. During its last fully competitive grant cycle in 2024, the organization awarded approximately $850,000 to 35 local programs, despite receiving nearly $2 million in funding requests, underscoring the difficult choices required when resources are limited.
United Way President and CEO Danielle Leibfried highlighted that increasing need is making funding decisions more challenging, as applications often represent essential services such as food access, housing stability, health care, and child support. She emphasized that many families are forced to make daily trade-offs between basic necessities, and that community programs play a crucial role in easing these burdens and preventing crises from escalating.
Among the organizations supported in the previous cycle was the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dubuque, which received $73,000 to help provide more than 50,000 meals to children and to establish a new brain health space. The funding enabled the club to address food insecurity among children who rely on free or reduced-price school meals, allowing families to redirect limited resources toward other essential needs.
Leibfried also stressed that United Way’s grantmaking approach fosters collaboration among funded organizations, recognizing that no single program can meet all the needs of a family facing poverty. By working together, local nonprofits can provide more comprehensive and coordinated support, helping families stabilize and move toward long-term self-sufficiency.
Grant applications for the current funding round must be submitted by 5 p.m. on February 13, 2026, as the United Way seeks to continue strengthening its network of community services amid rising demand.
