FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  April 1, 2009

UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL INDIANA TO ACCEPT GRANT APPLICATIONS TO
CONTINUE RUTH LILLY’S LEGACY OF INVESTING IN HUMAN SERVICES

Applications due May 29

INDIANAPOLIS...April 1, 2009 – Beginning April 10, local human service organizations can apply to United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) for grants to be funded with support from the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation. This is the third year of the partnership.

Applicants can download the three-page application from UWCI's Web site beginning April 10. The completed form is due to UWCI on Fri., May 29. Successful applicants will be notified in August.

Ellen K. Annala, UWCI’s president and chief executive officer, said the foundation’s decision to continue using United Way to make such decisions “is great news because it will help more of our neighbors find stability at a time of growing instability,” Annala added.

UWCI will consider requests from local human service organizations that deliver programs relating to one or more of the 11 community outcomes identified by United Way, whether or not the agencies are affiliated with United Way.

The outcomes are listed on the application and will include programs that help families thrive, kids succeed, communities to become more vibrant and people to be better connected to critical social services.

Applicants must be located in the six-county region served by UWCI: Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion and Morgan counties.

This is the third year that the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Fund will provide support to United Way for human service organizations. In 2007, a special United Way grants committee made its first distribution to 75 local organizations and program from the first Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation grant to UWCI and last year 77 awards were made.

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Serving six Central Indiana counties, United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) helps sustain vital human services by working exclusively with proven human service agencies that direct life-changing opportunities. UWCI also helps reduce the needs of future generations by helping ensure that kids enter school ready to learn and graduate school ready to earn.