Mapping a Route to Community Impact for a Smaller United Way

April 29 - May 1, 2015

Agenda

• Welcome and Introduction • Overview of Community Impact Concepts • Presentation: United Way of Hunterdon County • Presentation: United Way of Westmoreland County • Q&A

Presenters

Caroline Scutt, Community Impact Director United Way of Hunterdon County Flemington, NJ Bobbi Watt Geer, President & CEO United Way of Westmoreland County Greensburg, PA Alyssa Cholodofsky, Director of Community Impact United Way of Westmoreland County Greensburg, PA

Why We Exist and the Value We Add Mission

To improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good .

Value Proposition

We galvanize and connect a diverse set of individuals and institutions, and mobilize resources, to create long-term change .

Impact Model – Change We Seek to Create

CREATE STRONGER COMMUNITIES 0 - 8 Children are prepared for success in school.

9 - 24 Youth graduate high school ready for college, work, and life.

25+ Families and adults are financially stable.

65+ Older Adults age well, are supported and engaged.

IMPROVE LIVES via Education, Financial Stability and Health Goals



Implement Program Solutions, Impact Initiatives, and Community Solutions ENGAGE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS – WORK TOGETHER

Many problems in our communities keep getting worse

 Low-birth weight babies  Disparities in school readiness, school achievement  Lack of affordable housing  Children and families in poverty  Personal debt and bankruptcy  Child and adult obesity  Lack of access to health care

Communities need new ways of solving problems

• Bring organizations, people and resources together to focus on pressing issues • Target underlying causes • Aim for lasting, system-level impact • Develop holistic, research-based strategies • Implement through coordinated, collaborative efforts • Mobilize individuals and institutions to create change

Impact Solutions Continuum Impact Initiatives Aligned set of programs and services to increase efficiency and effectiveness Community Solutions Broad-based, multi sector efforts to improve underlying community conditions Program Solutions Direct services for individuals and families with measurable results Diversify and Grow Revenue

Program Solutions

Direct services for individuals and families with measurable results

How a United Way Supports PROGRAM SOLUTIONS:

 Funds agency operations  Funds agencies to provide direct services  Requires and collects data on aggregate outputs and outcomes from funded service providers  Reports to investors, individuals donors, partners, and other key stakeholders on aggregate outputs and outcomes from discrete service providers  Builds the capacity of agencies/providers (e.g. in program outcome measurement) Investing in program outcomes  Supports individual agencies to ensure operational excellence and their capacity to deliver results

Impact Initiatives

Aligned set of programs and services to increase efficiency and effectiveness

       

How a United Way Supports IMPACT INITIATIVES:

Serves as a community catalyst on a specific issue (e.g. attendance awareness) Invests in an aligned set of program activities and related outcomes Leads or informs the creation of shared goals/outcomes and tracking and measuring initiative results Defines roles, responsibilities, accountabilities of all organizations/agencies participating in the initiative Provides some backbone operations/management/coordination functions to support the work of the initiative; Builds the capacity of the non-profit sector to deliver results (e.g. through coordinated quality improvements technical assistance, sharing of best practices, etc.

that to support all partners in the initiative) Leads planning efforts to sustain and scale the work to provide more services and supports to a greater number of individuals and families Uses national research and local data to inform and refine the work of the initiative

Community Solutions

Broad-based, multi-sector efforts to improve underlying community conditions

      

How a United Way Supports COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS:

Helps lead partnerships in agreeing to common community outcomes, developing multi-faceted strategies to improve underlying conditions in the community Serves as a community catalyst to spur action that includes providing and/or supporting others in providing core backbone functions Engages community residents to identify shared aspirations, barriers and to articulate solutions to community challenges Offers meaningful and sustained opportunities for community participation in identified solutions (i.e. Give, Advocate, Volunteer) Enhances existing partnerships to create long-term vision, common priorities, and goals, strategies, actions and metrics Focuses the coalition/partners on long-term planning and community solutions Invests in community outcomes

Business Model – Impact and Revenue Mix Community Solutions Impact Initiatives Program Solutions

Community Impact ...

16 

Is not

just about improving lives of clients of United Way funded programs 

Is

about improving lives of people affected by pressing community issues 

Is not

just about influencing the health and human services sector 

Is

about influencing whatever sectors, systems, networks, groups, or environments can play a role in improving lives in our communities 

Is not

just the job of certain United Way functions (e.g., fund distribution, community building) 

Is

the business of the entire organization

Some implications for our work

•

New skills

– change management leadership, grassroots organizing, issues management, strategic communications, advocacy, relationship management, social media •

New content expertise

– education, income, and health •

Executing according to value proposition

– conveners, “mobilizers”, “aligners” of efforts toward lasting community change •

Diversification of revenue streams

– include foundation and government grants, targeted sponsorships, planned gifts, etc.

•

Technology

– new relationship-management tools; new platforms to enable individual giving, advocacy, and volunteering; back office/financial systems for a new era •

Full organizational integration

seamlessly – functional teams must work •

Network collaboration

– we must operate as a truly interdependent network that coordinates appropriately

Small size not necessarily a disadvantage

Smaller size often means: • Greater agility • Quicker buy-in • Stronger connections to community resources • Closer relationships with stakeholders

Executing on the United Way Business Model

What will it take to become a United Way mobilizing for community impact?

A deeper focus on certain elements of the Standards of Excellence

Engage and align with the community Create & deepen relationships with individuals & institutions Develop strategies and focus actions Mobilize resources

If we wish to be effective, we will need to:

Align and execute on plans and strategies Measure, evaluate & communicate results Operate as an integrated and aligned organization Have the right skills, competencies & leadership

The Pathway to Achieving Community Impact

20