Over the years, our local United Way has had a progression of
identities. We have been known as the Federation of Charity and
Philanthropy, the Community Chest, and the United Fund. Change
has always been a characteristic of our success, and once again
we are progressing! ( History)
In February, the United Way Board of Directors approved the New Community Partnerships Model, and embraced
the most far-reaching change in our recent history. In doing so,
they set an important precedent for future public and private
cooperation.
Guided by a Strategic Plan completed in 1995, a variety of
volunteers worked in multiple task forces to forge a New Model
for United Way partnerships throughout our three-county service
area.
The model is a complete redesign of how
we distribute funds, affiliate with service providers, and relate
to the major players in the human services arena.
At the model’s core is an evaluation system focused on
documenting the achievement of certain desired community
outcomes. Your United Way is now organized to pursue seven
preferred community outcomes: Healthy People, Young People
Succeeding, Safe and Supportive Neighborhoods, Economic
Self-Sufficiency, Stable Families, Positive Living for Special
Populations, and Community-wide Infrastructure.
The new model is designed to complement
United Way’s association with the Job Center, the Family and
Children First Councils, and various other public private
partnerships working to secure a healthy community for years to
come.
As the federal and state governments devolve authority for health
and human services to the local level, the New Community Partnerships Model operates on
the principle that local communities will determine their own
human services agendas with United Way occupying an important
niche.
Within the New Model, all local health
and human service agencies will be invited to participate as
System Partners. Private nonprofit organizations are expected to
meet the standards of the Better Business Bureau Charitable
Advisory Service. System Partners can become Funded Partners,
provided they meet more rigorous criteria and successfully
compete for undesignated United Way campaign funds.
The implementation of this New Model
has already begun. New volunteers have been recruited, and are
working to ease the plan into full action before the start of the
year 2000.
The New Model is cutting edge in its
efforts to tie funding and relationships with service providers
to a larger, coordinated community effort. It builds on the best
of United Way’s long tradition of strengthening our
community, but challenges us to do more, do it better, and do
things differently.
If you would like to share your comments about the
"New" United Way funding model
please .
Volunteers Needed
The Community Partnerships Department is currently recruiting volunteers who care about the community and who want to learn about United Way agencies and the services they provide. Please call Marsha Froelich at 225-3059 for more information.
United Way Partners With Charitable Advisory Service
Use this program to help you make giving decisions…
Giving to agencies that provide needed services is very important to the well-being of our communities. It is important for you to know a charity is accountable and legitimate; otherwise your money is wasted or, worse, goes to a fraudulent solicitation.
Your developed the Charitable Advisory Service (CAS) to serve those that support charity organizations.
The CAS program has been adopted by the United Way as a key element in its new relationship with agencies that receive donor designations. Nancy Schiffer, Greater Dayton Area United Way executive vice president, said, "The program fits with the mission of both the Better Business Bureau and United Way and demonstrates the positive results of collaboration. The innovative relationship between the BBB and United Way should set a new standard for other communities."
This partnership with the BBB is in response to surveys that were conducted during the past two years. United Way determined that more than 91 percent of its contributors indicated they would like to know that agencies receiving funds from United Way campaigns meet certain operating standards. United Way volunteers did not want to reinvent the wheel, especially when they learned about the existing CAS program at the Better Business Bureau.
Not only will the charities have to meet the BBB’s CAS standards, but they will also be committed to working collaboratively, integrating services when it makes sense for the clients and sharing information that is beneficial to the community as a whole.
The CAS program monitors charities based on 16 voluntary standards, which examine charities’ public accountability, use of funds, solicitations and materials, fundraising practices and governance. After the evaluation, the BBB formulates summary reports on the charities to help donors make informed giving decisions.
Bill Hardy, executive director of the AIDS Foundation Miami Valley Inc. (a recipient of United Way designations), is excited about the partnership. He said, "The program is like a stamp of approval that lets the community know that we are legitimate and that we meet the strict standards of both United Way and the Better Business Bureau’s CAS program."
Barry McEwen, director of development at Lutheran Social Services of the Miami Valley (a recipient of United Way designations), agrees with Bill Hardy. "The program lets people know that the charity is credible and that the funds are being used to serve the people," he said.
For additional information on the CAS program or United Way partnership, call the at (937) 222-5825 or (800) 776-5301. When you call, request free copies of the "Giving Smart From The Heart," a review of local charities.
Reprinted with permission from the Better Business Bureau · January 1999 · BBB 1999 Customer Guide
"Branding" United Way’s Value-Added Service
Think of toothpaste; Crest comes to mind.
Think of chicken; Tyson is number one.
Think of soup; Campbell’s is mmm mmm good.
Name recognition is a must for continued success in selling a product. Marketers pound the brand name home so it’s remembered when you’re walking down the grocery store aisle.
Now think of charity; do you think of United Way?
Consumers are brand-conscious in most of their decisions – including charitable contributions. And so United Way is more and more conscious of how we are recognized.
The has initiated pilot projects to test and demonstrate what value(s) the United Way label connotes and to develop a uniform United Way ‘product’ that communities can adopt as a new and better way to communicate with donors and other stakeholders.
Here in the Dayton Area, your United Way has deliberately adopted ‘value-added’ thinking. We know the United Way name creates donor expectations that:
The ‘brand’ concept also applies to the value-added United Way brings to our System Partners – the service providers with whom we work. Some of these added values include:
The bottom line is that United Way recognizes that simply meeting our stakeholders’ expectations is not enough - expectations must be exceeded.
An old adage says "Each day do a little more than is expected of you and, before you know it, more is expected of you!" This is how United Way’s brand identification is earned and how you, our donors, extend your reach without extending your risk.
1999 SYSTEM PARTNER KEY DATES
DATE |
ITEM |
March 15 |
Last Day to be Certified as a System Partner for Inclusion in 1999 Campaign Materials |