The Portage Plains United Way's accepting applications for its Community Response Grants, up to $5000.

President Sherilyn Knox says they're  available to not-for-profits, community programs, and organizations that aren't member agencies. She notes the grants have application guidelines, but they're different from those for member agencies.

"All of our member agencies have to have a charitable standing. These programs in the Community Response Fund don't have to have that. In the past, we've funded things like the Glad-West Recreation Skate Park. We've given funding to things like the Portage Day Care in their new building. So it's just things that are going on in the catchment area that we want people to apply for."
 
Knox says the application isn't too difficult.

"Whereas with the other money that we give out, our application process is very stringent. We want people in the catchment area -- Portage and Portage plains -- to be able to pply for something that they want to do to help better our area and our community, so we make it pretty loosely based. They have to not-fot-profit, obviously. Other than that, they just have to meet the mandates of the United Way."

She adds there's no deadline for applications, because they're available all year. Here's more information on the grants.