United Way is committed to creating the conditions in which ALICE households in the Capital Region move away from crisis and to a position of thriving. The Focused Investments are United Way’s largest responsive investment platform, intended to support community-driven solutions to meeting ALICE’s needs and rights right now. Our aim is to invest in those community-based organizations whose efforts shore up ALICE’s agency as a strategy to build a robust, resilient democracy for the many not just the few. 

We are looking for organizations who equitably, effectively, and sustainably meet individuals’ and families’ immediate basic needs in education, health, and economic well-being. We are looking for organizations that uplift and build power for and with ALICE.   Priorities within these areas are described below. Investments will be made to sustain or scale successful practices.