the road to community impact: new answers to old questions

The Road to Community Impact:New Answers to Old Questions

The Road to Community Impact: New Answers to Old Questions 2

To improve lives by mobilizing

the caring power of communities

Mission of the United Way System


United Way’s Traditional Approach to Improving Lives

Mobilizing communities

DIRECT IMPACT

financial resources of businesses and

employees

of program clients

to

support services for individuals and families

that

improve lives


to

Mobilizing communities

that

DIRECT IMPACT

COMMUNITY IMPACTpeople, time, talent,

relationships, expertise, technology, money, etc.

of community populations

support services for individuals and families

create lasting community changes

improve lives

financial resources of businesses and

employees

of program clients

New Model for Improving Lives Emphasizes a Community-level Approach


For more information on the

community impact approach, see

What Is “Community Impact”?

on United Way Online (keyword: WhatIsCI)


The Road to Community Impact

If you continue to think

as you have always thought,

you will continue to get

what you have always gotten.

- Marilyn Ferguson The Aquarian Conspiracy


Achieving community impact calls for new answers to questions about

The Road to Community Impact

• Strategies

• Partners

• Ownership

• United Way’s role

• Mobilizing resources

• Communicating the brand

• United Way operations


Question #1

How Do We Improve Lives?

Not by funding an assortment of direct services


Program clients

Direct impact approachImproving Lives


Question #1

How Do We Improve Lives?

By creating lasting changes in community conditions and

By investing in direct services that contribute to larger community-change strategies

Not by funding an assortment of direct services


Systems

Neighborhoods

Personal networks

Organizatio

ns

Improving Lives

Community population

Improving Lives


Systems


Neighborhoods

Personal networks

Organizatio

ns

Community

impact

approach

Improving Lives


Improving LivesSystems

Neighborhoods

Personal networks

Organizatio

ns


Community

impact

approach


communityimpact

This Means Changing Our FilterFROM . . .

agen

cies

foundations

labor groupsacademia

neighborhoodassociations

volunteerorganizations

governmentcommunity systems

faith-based

groups

companiesindividuals

United

Way

filter


com

mun

ity im

pact

foundationsneighborhood associationscompaniesfaith-based groups

individualscommunity systemslabor groupsvolunteer organizationsgovernmentacademia

agencies

This Means Changing Our FilterTO . . .

filter

United

Way


Question #2

Who Are Partners in Improving Lives?

Not only agencies


Systems

A Range of Community Assets

Neighborhoods

Personal Networks

Organizations

Community populations


Question #2

Who Are Partners in Improving Lives?

Not only agencies

Whoever can play a role

Companies Individuals Labor groups Government Foundations Media Academia

Institutions Systems Formal organizations Informal networks Faith-based groups Neighborhood associations . . . . . .

Agencies


Improved lives

Institutions

Corporations

Associations Neighborhoods

Faith community

United Way

Government

Individuals Agencies Labor groups Academia etc.Foundations

C o m m u n i t y a s s e t s / p a r t n e r s / i n v e s t o r s

Working Together to Change the Community

Community plan for action

Targeted changes in community conditions


Not only United Way

A community partnership

The partners own it

The partners are accountable for it

The partners share responsibility and credit

Question #3

Who Owns a Community Impact Effort?


Not only funder/fundraiser

A variety of roles – potentially. . .

Question #4

What Is United Way’s Role?

Policy advocate Resource mobilizer Fundraiser Investor/funder Philanthropic advisor Behind-the-scenes

facilitator . . . . . .

Community engager Catalyst for voluntarism Convener Partner/collaborator Leader Data provider & analyst Issue educator Planning specialist Implementation manager


United Way Might Contribute to a Community Impact Effort by . . .

Assembling and packaging data that a coalition needs to present its case to state and local decision makers

Raising corporate CEOs’ understanding of the effects of homelessness on the community

Helping the health department and school system work out more effective back-up for school nurses

Mustering 2,000 letters in support of increased funding for housing rehabilitation

Engaging a civic group to administer an endowed scholarship fund for children of recent immigrants

Securing donations of 200 new computers with technical support for homebound seniors


Employee giving Corporate donations Government & foundation

grants Major gifts Planned gifts/endowments Targeted sponsorships

Not only an annual workplace campaign

A diversified, multi-year plan to develop resources needed for community impact plans

Question #5

How Do We Mobilize Resources?

Leveraged funds Fees for service Gifts by web In-kind contributions

. . .

. . .


What Resources Do We Need?

Not only money

Skills Expertise Advice Leadership Influence Volunteers Time Technology Financial assets . . . . . .


Not only a general request

Also targeted requests for resources tied to specific strategies from relevant donor and volunteer segments

How Do We Target Our Efforts?


With year-round communications that depict United Way as a leader in community change and

With some strategic communications tailored to the interests of selected market segments

Question #6

How Do We Communicate Our Brand?

Not with communications only about funding/ fundraising and only during the campaign


Question #7

How Does United Way Operate?

As a community impact business:

Not as two separate businesses:

Resource Development

Resource Distribution

all organizational resources & activities aligned for community impact


Alignment

Also volunteers

Not only staff

Not staff knowing only about their own function

Staff understanding how their function integrates into the organization’s overall plan

Not all staff having the same skills

Staff having specialized skills, yet working together


Not just about organizational charts or job descriptions

More about mindset and culture

Alignment

In achieving community impact, all functions share responsibility

In mobilizing resources, all functions share responsibility

In creating the brand experience, all functions share responsibility


Improved lives

Targeted changes in community conditions

Community plan for action

Aligning to Help Change the Community

Resource development

Volun

teer

s

Finance

Agency relationsCom

mun

ity re

sear

ch

Public policy

Inve

stor

rel

atio

ns

Comm

unity investmentM

arke

ting

&

com

mun

icat

ions

Gov

erna

nceStaff H

uman resources

Technology


The Road to Community Impact: Changing Directions

United Way owns the effort

Ask donors for money once a year for “the campaign”

From

Improving lives by funding an assortment of servicesPartners are primarily agencies

United Way’s role is only funder/fundraiser

Standardized funding/ fundraising message

The partners own the effort

Seek resources for specific purposes from diverse sources

Messages – some tailored – about UW leadership in change

Partners are whoever can play a role

To

Improving lives by creating community change

United Way operates as two separate businesses

All organizational resources align

United Way plays various roles


• This is a journey

• It will take time

• It will take many steps

• It will not be easy

• We have much to build on

• We have more to learn


Related Resources on United Way Online

• Aligning for Impact (keyword: Alignment)

• Brand Management (keyword: Brand)

• Communication for the Community Impact United Way: A Planning Guide (keyword: Communications_Guide)

• Community Impact (keyword: CommunityImpact)

• Hometown Literacy Partnership Experience (keyword: Hometown)

• Resource Development (keyword: ResourceDevelopment)

• United Way Knowledge Café (keyword: Cafe)

• What Is Community Impact? (keyword: WhatIsCI)

the road to community impact: new answers to old questions

Documents

community impact calls

community populations

community conditions

lives community population

new answers

old questions

communitylevel approach

lasting community changes