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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The United Way of Central Alabama has kicked off their 2023 Chilton County Campaign and opened up grant opportunities for agencies in the county.

The UWCA held its campaign kickoff on Sept. 19 with an overall goal of $37 million for 2023 and announced the opening of its Chilton County Community Project grants applications. Through the initiative, agencies in Chilton County can apply for up to $2,500 for short-term and one-time expenses that will have a positive impact on the residents of Chilton County. Only agencies in Chilton County can apply for the grants, and they are available to public entities, registered 510(c)3 nonprofit organizations or community groups. Applications for the grants will close on Oct. 20, and they can be submitted online through the UWCA’s online grant application.

“We have seen that there are all kinds of needs or opportunities that come up throughout the year, but sitting in my seat I may not be aware of them,” Drew Langloh, United Way of Central Alabama President and CEO, said. “However, a local board on the ground that understands what is going on day to day in Chilton County (does), and we feel like it is an opportunity to more deeply support the good work that is happening on the ground.”

The Chilton County UWCA Advisory Board will evaluate and distribute the grant money after the applications are received. The board consists of residents who live and work in Chilton County and understand firsthand what needs there are. The 14 members of the board are — Awlahjaday Agee, Brandy Clackley, Britt Culpepper, Carol Fortuna, Yolanda Fox, Shanon Hamilton, Tonika Heard, Liz Huntley, Tim King, Glenn McGriff, Mark McKinnon, Queen Agee Morrow, Jeremy Smith and Shannon Welch.

McKinnon and Huntley are the co-chairs of the board, and the board will announce the grant awards in November, which will total $25,000.

“This committee is helping build support for all of these agencies in Chilton County,” Langloh said. “You do that through a strong United Way campaign … It is not some out of town grantor making these decisions, it is the people who are donating to United Way and seeing these funds come back in forms of grants for nonprofits in their community.”

The Chilton County Community Project Grant applications can be found online at www.uwca.org/grant-opportunities.