United Way North Central Florida Awards $25,000 ALICE Catalyst Grand to The Nehemiah Project to Support the Voice of Recovery
United Way North Central Florida (UWNCFL) is thrilled to announce a brand-new Annual Grant, the ALICE Catalyst Grant, aimed to specifically assist and uplift ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households. The first inaugural recipient of this $25,000 award is The Nehemiah Project, recently announced at this year’s UWNCFL United for Impact Tuxedo T-shirt Gala.
The Nehemiah Project was established in 2005 with a mission to promote the recovery of individuals and families faced with mental health and substance use challenges by educating, training, advocating, and providing peer support to empower and unify the Voice of Recovery.
The Nehemiah Project plans to utilize this funding to launch their new pilot program, aimed to address barriers faced by ALICE households; The Nehemiah Project Recovery Bucks Program. This innovative, incentive-based support initiative was designed to reduce economic and practical barriers that prevent individuals and families from fully engaging in recovery, education, and workforce development. Recovery Bucks are earned through participation in Project DAP (Digital Access Program), a comprehensive suite of peer-led services that promote recovery capital, digital inclusion, educational attainment, and employment readiness. The program serves explicitly ALICE households who are actively working toward stability, but lack access to flexible resources needed to sustain long-term progress.
"This inaugural ALICE Catalyst Grant represents exactly how United Way drives change—by investing in bold, community-led solutions that meet people where they are," said Amber Miller, President and CEO of United Way North Central Florida. She continued, "The Nehimiah Project’s Recovery Bucks program recognizes that ALICE households aren’t lacking motivation or effort; they’re facing real, practical barriers. By pairing accountability with flexible support, this program removes those barriers and helps families move from survival to stability."
Guided by a mission centered on lived experience, peer support, education, and stigma reduction, The Nehemiah Project consistently delivers person-centered services that remove barriers and expand access to care. This collaborative approach promotes self-determination while ensuring incentives are tied to meaningful progress. Recovery Bucks may be redeemed for essential, recovery-supportive expenses that directly reduce barriers to stability, such as work and essential clothing, childcare, transportation, housing supports such as saving toward a sober living down payment, and education-related expenses, including GED exam registration and testing fees.
By simultaneously addressing immediate needs and long-term capacity building, the Recovery Bucks Program acts as a catalyst for lasting change. It strengthens recovery capital, improves program retention, and helps ALICE households move beyond crisis management toward stability, self-sufficiency, and community integration—bridging critical gaps that traditional systems often fail to address. This program aligns with UWNCFL’s overarching mission to enhance lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities for the common good. With a focus on four key impact areas—financial security, healthy community, youth opportunity, and community resiliency—and utilizing ALICE data, UWNCFL directs funding towards nonprofit programs that are in alignment with the organization’s strategic funding initiatives.
The grant is expected to have a significant impact, and by focusing on ALICE households, this initiative ensures that those who are working hard to make ends meet receive the necessary support to overcome immediate challenges and build a more financially secure future.
Community engagement and support are vital for the success of these initiatives. United Way North Central Florida invites local residents, businesses, and organizations to contribute to their mission by volunteering, donating, or advocating for the needs of ALICE households. Together, these collective efforts will strengthen the fabric of community and contribute to a more resilient society. For more information about United Way