focusing for results

Focusing for RESULTS

Who Did What, How Long it Took, and Lessons Learned in Four United Ways

Focusing RESULTS: Who, What, How Long, Lessons Learned 2

Getting focused: What means; what it looks like

Examples from the field

United Way of Santa Fe County; Santa Fe, NM

United Way of the Midlands; Omaha, NE

United Way of Rock River Valley; Rockford, IL

United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County; San Antonio, TX

Resources

Topics


What Does “Getting Focused” Mean?

Selecting a limited number of issues and strategies in which to invest time, relationships, technology,

expertise, money, and other resources to improve people’s lives

Getting focused is essential for delivering meaningful results with limited resources


Investments of time, relationships, technology, expertise, money, other resources

Focus Area

What Does “Getting Focused” Look Like?



Focus Area


Specific direct-service and/or community change strategies

for improving lives



Focus Area

Next level; more specific

Next level; still more specific

Next level; evenmore specific


Specific direct-service and/or community change strategies

for improving lives








Resources

Topics


United Way of Santa Fe CountySanta Fe, New Mexico

Presenter:

Ron StevensFormer President and CEO


United Way of Santa Fe CountyWhy We Focused

• To have a more strategic effect on important problems

• To break free of historical patterns as the framework for investing funds

• To differentiate ourselves – provide clearer identify for UWSFC based on “creating lasting change in chronic community conditions”

• To improve market share among donors• To position UWSFC as a leader rather than

“middleman” for passing through funds• To embody good business practice


United Way of Santa Fe CountyBenefits of Focusing

• Contributed to recognition as community leader around 2-1-1 and Early Childhood

• Broke out of historical funding patterns box• Framed a 5-year investment strategy based on

“creating lasting change in chronic community conditions”

• Created the ability to identify strategies in addition to direct service funding to achieve results

• Created alignment of mission, board, staff, resources

• Attracted new people with fresh ideas


United Way of Santa Fe CountyBenefits of Focusing

• Energized board and staff, allowed us to create a very strong team

• Resulted in creation of a focused, energized marketing strategy

• Increased board involvement in resource development

• We say “no” to work not in alignment


United Way of Santa Fe County Levels of Focus


Priority Area

Goal

Objective

Strategy


United Way of Santa Fe CountyHow and How Long – Level 1: Priority Areas

Who Did What: • Staff researched & provided options. Included research

into other UWs, survey of donors, discussion of options, selection of draft

• Community Investment Committee (CIC) proposed

• Staff & CIC identified & recruited experts for Work Groups (agency & nonprofit staff and other community members with expertise in each priority area).

• Work Groups & Board approved proposed priority areas

How Long It Took:• Approximately 5 months (not including board approval)


United Way of Santa Fe County Four Priority Areas

Helping Kids Succeed

Improving Health & Healing

Increasing Self-sufficiency

Unifying Our Diverse Community


United Way of Santa Fe CountyHow and How Long – Level 2: Goals

Who Did What: • Staff provided options • CIC recommended • Work Groups reviewed, approved• Board approved

How Long It Took:• Once priority areas determined, draft in about 1

month• Finalized in 2 more months (not including board

approval)


United Way of Santa Fe CountyA Goal for One Priority Area

Priority AreaIncreasing Self-sufficiency

GoalIndividuals and families have opportunities to maintain independence and improve their quality of life


United Way of Santa Fe CountyHow and How Long – Level 3: Objectives

Who Did What:• Staff synthesized Work Group input, drafted

objectives• CIC recommended• Work Groups vetted• Board approved

How Long It Took:• Approximately 3 months, not including board

approval (1 month overlap with finalizing goals)


Priority AreaIncreasing Self-sufficiency

GoalIndividuals and families have opportunities to maintain independence and improve their quality of life

ObjectiveIncrease economic opportunities and financial security for families and individuals by focusing on financial skills, housing options, employment and job opportunities, and functional literacy

United Way of Santa Fe CountyAn Objective for One Goal


United Way of Santa Fe CountyHow and How Long – Level 4: Strategies

How Long It Took:• Approximately 2 months

Who Did What:• Staff synthesized Work Group input, drafted

strategies• CIC recommended• Work Groups vetted• Board approved


• Provide outreach and education leading to financial literacy and security for low-income, at-risk populations

• Provide people in the hospitality industry with skills needed to advance their careers

Prevention & development

services that:

• Promote innovative approaches such as IDAs to help families become self-sufficient

• Develop partnerships between nonprofits and educational institutions that lead to careers in small business and nonprofit management

Efforts to influence

community changes that:

• Increase the development of affordable housingBreakthrough

opportunities to advance

community change efforts

• No strategies identified for investmentBasic human-needs &

crisis services that:

United Way of Santa Fe CountyDirect-service and Community-change Strategies for One Objective


United Way of Santa Fe County Lessons Learned

Challenges• Creating Work Groups that were sufficiently

broad and inclusive of enough expertise while still being manageable.

• Creating an expedited process that would not feel too rushed by those participating

• Creating not only the reality of meaningful input, but the feeling of meaningful input in an expedited process

• Strategies may evolve as community needs shift



Things we’re glad we did• Unifying decision making in one committee so

that investment decisions would be consistent and integrated

• Lots of communication with agencies and donors along the way

• Engagement of people with specific expertise through Work Groups to provide input and vetting at each level

• Streamlined process



Things we’re glad we did• Staff provided recommendations to volunteers,

who actually made decisions

• First phase of implementation revolutionized the funding process. Second phase began shifting resources toward initiatives, developed investment strategy. Phase-in was a good thing -- less resistance to change

• Regular education of board members



Things we would do differently

Fewer objectives and strategies

Use identification of community outcomes as way to prioritize and reduce number of objectives and strategies



Best advice we can offer• Expect the process to be dynamic, iterative,

particularly as focus becomes more specific.

• Make use of UWA Community Impact materials (Essential Attributes, Community Investment Triangle, etc.). Provide a great conceptual framework that can be used with all stakeholders.

• Develop change management and community development competencies within staff and volunteers – collaboration to identify and implement priorities is new work.



Best advice we can offer

• Expect and work with resistance.

• Make sure you have the right people: staff, volunteers and partners.

• Have courage and take risks.








Resources

Topics


United Way of the MidlandsOmaha, Nebraska

Presenters:

Virgil KellerVice PresidentPlanning and Community Development

Barbara VelinskyDirectorAllocations & Agency Relations


United Way of the Midlands (Omaha) Why We Focused

• To create lasting changes at community level, avoid addressing only the symptoms

• To develop coherent community understanding and strategy to address priority needs of the community

• To create a more compelling case for donors

• To address declining market share & increasing designations

• To attract new partners with financial resources from outside annual campaign


• Revitalized interest in United Way by donors, staff, volunteers, partners

• Increased positive exposure in local newspaper

• Clearer differentiation of United Way brand and marketing materials

• Increased undesignated contributions through greater differentiation

• Increased creative exchange for program entrepreneurship – opened the windows for renewed discussion

• Compels better integration of departments, and projects and activities within departments, removing the “silo” syndrome

United Way of the Midlands (Omaha) Benefits of Focusing


United Way of the Midlands (Omaha) Levels of Focus


Focus Area

Impact Initiative

Strategy

Project


Who Did What: • Area provider experts including traditional UW agency

partners identified pressing issues of specific populations, reported promising approaches and potential partners

• United Way staff summarized input, reviewed annual Human Care Profile, drafted recommendations

• United Way fund distribution/planning volunteers reviewed and amended staff report and recommendations

• Executive Committee reviewed report, recommended engaging other parts of the organization

• Board approved Focus Areas

How Long It Took:• Approximately 8 months

United Way of the Midlands (Omaha) How and How Long: Level 1 - Focus Areas


Economically & Socially Disadvantaged Families

Frail & Impaired Older Adults

Youth at Risk

United Way of the Midlands (Omaha) Three Focus Areas


United Way of the Midlands (Omaha) How and How Long: Level 2 - Impact Initiative

Who Did What:

• Staff proposed 3 initiatives based on information gathered during “Focus Areas” phase and existing community initiative

• Fund distribution/planning volunteers approved 1 initiative for implementation and learning

How Long It Took:

• 1 month


United Way the Midlands (Omaha) An Impact Initiative for One Focus Area

Focus AreaEconomically & Socially Disadvantaged Families

Impact InitiativeEconomic self-sufficiency by connecting “unbanked” working families including immigrants with traditional financial institutions


United Way of the Midlands (Omaha) How and How Long: Level 3 - Strategies

Who Did What:

• Staff person with relevant expertise consulted with community experts, drafted recommendations

• Community experts reviewed and amended recommendations

• Fund distribution/planning volunteers approved strategies

How Long It Took:

• 2 months


United Way the Midlands (Omaha) A Strategy for One Impact Initiative



StrategyFinancial literacy. Help poor avoid costs of non-traditional financial operations


United Way of the Midlands (Omaha) How and How Long: Level 4 - Projects

How Long It Took:

• 2 months to draft project plans; refinement is ongoing

Who Did What:

• Staff person continued consultation with community experts, drafted project outlines

• Community experts reviewed and amended proposals

• Fund distribution/planning volunteers approved proposed projects


United Way the Midlands (Omaha) A Project within One Strategy



StrategyFinancial literacy. Help poor avoid costs of non-traditional financial operations

ProjectWork with employers to offer financial literacy training and Individual Development Accounts (IDA’s) as benefits


Challenges• Resistance to change and agency fear of losing

funding

• Temptation to engage in multiple areas, thereby lessening impact in all of them

• Communication – we human beings require continued communication in multiple forms to meet their individual perspectives

• Managing different levels of development for each focus area while maintaining consistency

United Way of the Midlands (Omaha) Lessons Learned


Things we’re glad we did

• Selecting an initiative where we already had some successes, visibility, and reputation

• Starting with experts and research and engaging volunteers with specific recommendations

• Staff took a much more proactive role, proposing content for volunteer review

• Not holding out for consensus on every decision





• When making references to engaging non-traditional partners, always emphasize pursuit of additional resources

• Better communicate agency engagement as effort progresses

• Better alert volunteer leadership of potential resistance and reasons for it



Best advice we can offer• Perseverance – unless you are ready for a long-

term commitment, do not start

• Adaptability – be ready to change based on valid input while maintaining a core of your original plan; this is a true balancing act








Resources

Topics


United Way of Rock River ValleyRockford, IL

Presenters:

Brent BernardiBoard member

Martha CoatsVice President, Community Building


United Way of Rock River ValleyWhy We Focused

• Our traditional role as fundraiser was no longer compelling

• Change in local business environment

• While we had been funding services for over 80 years, our community problems continued to worsen

• With declining revenue, we realized that we couldn’t be all things to all people – we weren’t having a great impact


United Way of Rock River ValleyBenefits of Focusing

• Achieving measurable results

• Seen as more than a fundraiser

• Able to attract/retain qualified staff

• Increased ability to recruit the right volunteers

• Heightened awareness of community issues

• Ownership of community issues by board members, donors and the community as a whole


United Way of Rock River Valley Levels of Focus


Priority Area

Goal

Objective

Strategy


United Way of Rock River Valley How and How Long - Level 1: Priority Areas

Who Did What: • Contracted with University of Illinois Health Systems

Research for community assessment including empirical data, focus groups, key informant interviews

• Board studied assessment data

• UW hosted Community Issues forum – 250 community representatives were presented with assessment data, created vision statements in 14 topics

• Board reviewed vision statements, sought additional input from UW volunteers, funded partners

continued


United Way of Rock River Valley How and How Long - Level 1: Priority Areas

Who Did What (continued): • Board drafted potential areas of focus

• Staff conducted additional research, studied efforts elsewhere and presented additional information to board

• Board approved priority areas

How Long It Took:• Approximately 14 months (community assessment

conducted December - March, board approved priority areas in December)


Improving Education

Supporting Families

Increasing Efficiencies in the Human Service System

United Way of Rock River ValleyThree Priority Areas


United Way of Rock River ValleyHow and How Long - Level 2: Goals

Who Did What: • Staff researched components of priority areas• Staff provided options for the goals• Board reviewed• Board approved

How Long It Took:• Once priority areas determined, staff presented

draft in about one month• Finalized with board approval in two months


Priority AreaImproving educational attainment

United Way of Rock River ValleyA Goal for One Priority Area

GoalAll students graduate from high school


United Way of Rock River ValleyHow and How Long - Level 3: Objectives

Who Did What:

• Talked to those people we are trying to help – asked about barriers

• Crafted objectives to minimize obstacles

How Long It Took:

• Approximately 2 months


ObjectiveIncrease parental involvement in children’s education

United Way of Rock River ValleyAn Objective for One Goal

Priority AreaImproving educational attainment

GoalAll students graduate from high school


United Way of Rock River ValleyHow and How Long - Level 4: Strategies

Who Did What:

• Staff with input from volunteers and stakeholders developed strategies

• Staff formalized partnerships

• Staff and partners defined and agreed upon roles and responsibilities

How Long It Took:

• Approximately 6 weeks


United Way of Rock River ValleyDirect-service and Community-change Strategies for One Objective

Efforts to influence

community changes that:• Launched multi-faceted parent education

campaign on the importance of parent involvement

• Engage parents in comprehensive Back to School efforts

Breakthrough

opportunities to advance

community change efforts

• Developed and funded a diversion program requiring parent involvement for students who violate daytime curfew


• Help children see parents’ value for education by providing educational services for homeless mothers and their children in the same facility

Direct basic human-needs

& crisis services that:

• Provide information specifically for Hispanic parents on their role in their children’s education

• Provide parent education programs for African American parents and engage them in culturally based field trips with their children

Direct prevention &

development services that:

United Way of Rock River ValleyDirect-service and Community-change Strategies for One Objective


United Way of Rock River ValleyLessons Learned

Challenges• Educating community partners and stakeholders on the

concept of community-wide impact

• Ensuring that all objectives and strategies were driven by real data and based on proven models

• Keeping strategies flexible and responsive to changing community conditions

• Not making assumptions (getting the right information from the right people)

• Maintaining focus on addressing causal issues, not doing what we are familiar or comfortable with


United Way of Rock River Valley Lessons Learned

Things we’re glad we did

• Research – empirical data, key informant interviews, focus groups

• Got broad input – community issues forum, impact council input, agency input

• Engaged non-traditional partners such as government, court system, juvenile justice system

• Talked to target population

• Encouraged board to take ownership of thiscontinued



Things we’re glad we did (continued)

• Communicated consistently with donors and agencies

• Phase in of funding changes

• Regular education of board members through monthly progress reports at board meetings




• Spend the same amount of time doing research and planning, but phase in implementation of funding changes more quickly

• Recruit several agency ambassadors to share information with their colleagues

• Remove staff barriers more quickly



Best advice we can offer• Make sure your decisions are data driven and that

your objectives are clear and specific

• Use tools from UWA and other United Ways – share your own best practices

• Anticipate changes and adjustments to your strategies as you gain results

• Make sure you have staff and volunteers’ talents aligned with the new business of community impactcontinued



Best advice we can offer (continued)

• Use every opportunity as one to share the new work of United Way

• Expect and work with resistance

• Make sure you have the right people: staff, volunteers and partners

• Persevere – you will see results








Resources

Topics


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountySan Antonio, Texas

Presenters:

Philip J. PfeifferPartner, Fulbright & Jaworski

Jose Antonio ContrerasSenior Vice PresidentUnited Way of San Antonio & Bexar County


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyWhy We Focused

• Initial trigger: Increase in donor-restricted growth• Disturbing trends in the nonprofit, philanthropic and work

environments - Explosion in number of non-profits- Changing workplace and impact of global economy- Changing workforce- Competition in workplace giving – public and private- Loss of share – nationally and locally- Declining participation – nationally and locally

• Growing scope and complexity of problems in the community

Implications?• Cannot ignore signals, must explore further


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyBenefits of Focusing

• Re-energized board, staff, new volunteers

• Differentiated United Way as strategically focusing on issues our community is most concerned about

• Created long-needed opportunity for new investment areas outside of existing framework

• Gave us a focus for our community initiatives

• Began alignment of board, staff, resources



United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyLevels of Focus

Issue Area

Target Population

Lasting Change

Vision - Barriers

Priority Concern

Action Plans


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyHow and How Long – Issue Areas

Who did what: • Defining Tomorrow Committee

- Commissioned market research firm• Opinion Poll• Focus Groups• The COMMUNITY IMPACT Question

- Directed staff to develop supporting data book- Recommended 3 Issue Areas, preliminary priority concerns

• Task Force on Strengthening UW and subsequently Executive Committee approved recommendation

How long it took:• 1 year


Developing Individual Capacity for Success

Strengthening Families

Developing Successful Children

United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyThree Issue Areas


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyHow and How Long – Priorities, Stage I

Who did what: • Defining Tomorrow Committee

- Established three Issue Councils- Recruited Council Leadership (Council Chairs and

Co-Chairs)

• Issue Council Leadership- Recruited Council membership with focus on specific

skill sets- Held orientation/Council kickoff

How long it took:• 6 months


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyHow and How Long – Priorities, Stage II

Who did what:

• Issue Councils

- Recommended priorities and sequencing

• Defining Tomorrow Committee and subsequently Executive Committee approved recommendation

How long it took:

• 3 months (one 4-hour, 2-hour and 1-hour meeting respectively)


Issue Area: Developing Individual Capacity for SuccessPriorities: 1. Insufficient educational outcomes2. Issues of personal well-being3. Deficiencies in sense of personal competence

Issue Area: Strengthening FamiliesPriorities: 1. Family Financial Insecurity and Instability2. Family Parenting3. Fragile Neighborhoods

Issue Area: Developing Successful ChildrenPriorities: 1. Early Care and Education2. Protection of/for children3. Healthcare for children

United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyPriorities for the Issue Areas


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyHow & How Long - Level 3: Target Population

Who Did What:

• Issue Councils answered these key questions:

- What criteria will we use in determining target population?

- What are the demographic, geographic and/or conditional characteristics of the population with whom we will target our action plan addressing [priority concern]?

• Issue Councils developed recommendation:

- Each Issue Council selected the target population for its first priority concern.

How Long It Took:• Approximately 1 month (one 4-hour meeting)


Issue Area: Developing Successful Children

Priority: Early Care and Education

Target Population: Children ages 0 – 5 from low-income (≤ 150% of Federal Poverty Guidelines) households located in ZIP codes 78207 and 78237

The details: Children experiencing multiple risk factors for failure, such as:- Inadequate supervision - Teen parents- CPS involvement - Homelessness- Limited English - Disabilities- Parents with substance abuse issues

United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyTarget Population for One Priority


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyHow & How Long - Level 4: Vision & Barriers

Who Did What:

• Issue Council answered two key questions:

- [Vision] What exactly do we want to achieve?

• What specific results?

- [Barriers] Why is vision not true?

• What are the root causes, underlying conditions?

How Long It Took:• Approximately 2 months (two 4-hour meetings)





Vision: School Readiness – producing children who are prepared to succeed in school

United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyVision for One Target Population






Barriers:• Familial attitudes • Mistrust • Family instability • Debilitating influences of risky behaviors• Parents’ limited educational level• Lack of parenting skills and support systems• Families are overwhelmed

United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyBarriers to One Vision


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyHow and How Long - Level 5: Lasting Change

Who Did What:

• Issue Council answered these questions:

• What moves past barriers to vision?

• What strategic changes in condition?

• Issue Council recommended the lasting change that they would first work toward in the community condition to address the priority

How Long It Took:

• Approximately 1 month (one 4-hour meeting)






Barriers: Familial attitudes, family instability, mistrust, debilitating influences of risky behaviors, parents’ limited educational level, lack of parenting skills & support systems, families are overwhelmed

Lasting Change: All children (0-5) are prepared to succeed when they enter school

United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyLasting Change Sought for a Set of Barriers


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar CountyAction Plan: Specific Direct-service and Community-change StrategiesFirst-year Aims

Issue-Directed Programs

• Facilitate alignment of local coalitions to support quality Early Childhood education and develop a public policy agendaSystem and Policy

Changes

Community &

Neighborhood Initiatives

• Meet and engage with neighbors in all council initiatives • Enhance quality of care by informal caregivers• Equip parents to be better prepared their children to succeed

in school

• Provide mentoring for informal caregivers • Improve the quality of formal early childhood education

How Long It Took:• Approximately 2 months (five to six 4-hour meetings)


United Way of San Antonio & Bexar County Lessons Learned

Challenges

• Two tiers of council participation

• Corporate/civic vs content experts

• Perception of “staff-driven” agenda

• Target population input/participation

• Ability to “demonstrate results” will take time



Things we’re glad we did• Strong community leader with impeccable credibility

• UWA resources: “Case for Action” series and UWA staff consultations, insights, system perspective

• Issue Council membership composition

• Target population input/participation

• Dedication of staff and financial resources – made planning possible and commitment to change real

• “Faster if we can, slower if we have to” approach

• Ongoing updates to Executive Committee/Board




• Modify “two-tier” process

• Agency communications

• Timeline clarification and management

• Conduct ITP later in the process



Best advice we can offer• Get a strong leader

• Confirm the “will” to go down this path and end up where the community directs you

• Be clear about your “agenda”

• Brief community leaders (“bell cows”) early and often

• Expect the process to be dynamic, iterative, particularly as focus becomes more specific

• Start with community (opinion poll, focus groups)

• Employ participatory process to engage, own

• Agency input: where and when








Resources

Topics


• The Community Investment Triangle: Targeting Our Resources (keyword: CITriangle)

• Connecting Program Outcome Measurement to Community Impact (keyword: POM-CI)

• Getting Focused to Make Tough Choices (keyword: GetFocused)

• Redefining Agency Relationships for Community Impact (keyword: RedefineAgency)

• Small Cities: Getting Focused for Greater Results webinar replay (http://uwa.breezecentral.com/p84658172/)

Related Resources on United Way Online

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