Thirty-eight programs sponsored by 28 not-profit organizations will receive funding from the United Way of Southeast Missouri over the next three years.

The specific programs and agencies will be announced at a news conference at the Cape Girardeau Public Library at 10:30 a.m. July 30 that will be open to the public and attended by representatives of the funded agencies.

Ten of the 28 organizations designated to receive United Way funding will be first-time funded partners. During the previous three-year funding cycle, the United Way helped fund programs of 23 organizations.

As is the case every funding cycle, the total amount requested by various nonprofit organizations exceeded the amount available for allocations, according to Elizabeth Shelton, executive director of the local United Way office. As a result, she said difficult choices had to be made about what programs will be funded, the amount that each program will receive, and which programs will not receive United Way funding.

The process to determine which programs would and would not be funded began several months ago when qualified organizations in Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Perry and northern Scott County were invited to submit funding applications.

More than 50 applications were received and reviewed by United Way staff and volunteers to determine which programs have the potential to have the greatest impact on those in need.

"Most people in our community probably don't realize how involved the process is," Shelton said, "and we're so grateful to the volunteers who helped us through this because it wouldn't happen without them."

Throughout the review process, Shelton said consideration was given to the programs that would have the greatest impact on area residents in three focus areas -- health, education and income.

In addition to scoring each program application, United Way staff and volunteers also visited agencies that submitted applications for previously unfunded programs. "The last time around we visited every single agency (that applied for funding) and we realized it was just too demanding, so this year if it was an existing partner applying for the same program we did not do a site visit and focused instead on visiting new potential partners," Shelton said.

Although recent donations to the local United Way campaign were down slightly last year compared to prior years, Shelton said the allocations will still have a significant impact. "Generally, we'll have a little below a half-million dollars that we'll be able to allocate," she said. "But that doesn't mean that's all we're bringing in; those are just the undesignated funds. Overall, we are investing close to $700,000 annually in the communities we serve."

Annual donations to the local United Way campaigns peaked between 2005 and 2007 when several campaigns topped $1 million.

"We live in a very generous community and there are a lot more programs and opportunities that people can be passionate about beyond the United Way," Shelton said, adding there are 748 not-for-profit organizations in Cape Girardeau County alone.

Shelton said the organization has been trimming its expenses to lessen the impact on funded partners. "We've been cutting expenses right and left so our allocations have not taken as much of a hit," she said.

"Our corporate investors are huge, especially Procter & Gamble," Shelton said. "We could not do what we do without them."

A kickoff luncheon for the United Way's 2019-20 campaign will take place Aug. 29 at the Cape Girardeau County Club. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling the United Way of Southeast Missouri, (573) 334-9634.