Impact Funding

Our Road to Impact Funding

The transformation of United Way around a new mission of community impact is bringing more powerful and relevant solutions to our social problems.  We are ultimately striving to find the best and biggest ideas to strengthen and to improve our community.

Why are we doing this?

Our donors and the community have challenged us.  As we present them with greater community needs and greater requests for resources every year, they have asked, “What are you doing to reduce or eliminate the underlying causes of those needs?  That’s your job!”

Discussions have occurred now for many years, presenting Impact Funding to the Board of Directors at their retreat in 2007 and in 2008 we were educated by the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle as to their approach, their process and their transition thus began the process with Board approval.

The Process

The Board of Directors agreed that the initial step was to conduct a community needs assessment using a public meeting approach.  We assembled a team to accomplish this task by forming a Community Impact Task Force that included members from every county.  After securing a grant from Maryland Physicians Care to fund the process we hired a coordinator, Desiree Eilers who assembled the stakeholder list, managed communications, and logistics.  Patti Thomas, a Masters Degree candidate in Social Work served as facilitator for all community meetings, Patricia Hilton worked through the community meetings as a volunteer graphic recorder, then was hired to plan, facilitate and follow up on the culminating Summit.

In February 2009, nine one-hour Community Needs Assessment Meetings were held in all areas served by CUW – 3 in Allegany County, 2 each in Garrett, Hampshire and Mineral Counties.   Over 200 community members participated in these meeting voting on the top three priorities for their county.  

A Community Summit occurred on April 29, 2009 at the Wisp Conference Center with 104 participants focused on determining critical needs with the following criteria:

Most important – will create a positive impact in our county

Urgent in our county – this is something that should be done first

Feasible to do in the county – something we can accomplish among ourselves

The Board of Directors held another retreat in June 2009 to discuss the findings of the summit, with recommendations from the members of the Community Impact Task Force, determining that “at least 20% of allocable dollars” in each county from the upcoming 2009-2010 campaign would be directed to Community Impact funding through a Request for Proposal application focused on the priority need for each county. Collaboration and partnership are the key components for community impact funding requests as unanimously voted by the Board.

Allegany County – programs to address homelessness

Garrett, Hampshire and Mineral Counties – after school and summer programs

Community Impact Task Force members, spearheaded by Pam Jan and John MacGowan, developed an RFP to be utilized by all counties.  Evaluation and monitoring tools are being developed for measurement and evaluation of programs that are awarded.

Community Partners

Our existing community partners were involved in every step of the process from initial discussions at agency liaison meetings in 2008 requesting active involvement in the community meetings as well as participation in the culminating summit.  Since that time, Agency Liaison Meetings were held in August 2009 at Mt. Ridge High School, Frostburg, and again in January 2010 at the Western MD Health System auditorium to discuss.  Finally, a mandatory pre-proposal meeting to participate in the RFP process was held in February 2010 at the American Legion in Keyser with proposals being accepted for each county until March 26.  


Progress

The “general funding” process took place in March, April and May while the Community Impact Task Force in each county reviewed the RFPs’ received in each County.  Each county executive committee voted on the percentage of allocable dollars to be awarded for impact funding.  

Allegany County received two proposals for homeless programs.  The first request is a collaborative proposal including the YMCA, Associated Charities, Allegany Health Right and Salvation Army; the second proposal is a partnership of HRDC and Family Crisis Resource Center.  Allegany County directed 30% of eligible funding to homeless programs which amounts to $97,875.

Garrett County received two proposals for after school and summer programs.  One proposal was submitted by Garrett County Partnership for Children and Families, partnering with Garrett Co Community Action, Garrett County Health Department, University of MD Garrett County Extension Service, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.  A second proposal was received from Salem Children’s Trust.  Garrett County directed 20% of eligible funding to after school and summer programs amounting to $13,769.00.

Hampshire County received four proposals for after school and summer programs from the Girl Scouts for a Grow Strong program that is partnered with the Hampshire County Health Department, Boy Scouts of Shenandoah and Potomac Council partnered with the Board of Education, and Energy Express of Eastern Regional Family Resource Network also partnered with the Board of Education.  Hampshire County directed 50% of eligible funding to after school and summer programs amounting to $10,413.

Mineral County received 4 proposals for after school and summer programs.  Same program from Girl Scouts for Grow Strong partnered with Mineral County Family Resource Network.  Students Transitional Employment Program submitted by Developmental Center in partnership with Board of Education.  Keyser Presbyterian Church, in collaboration with Helping Hands and Mineral County Library, will offer after school programs for middle school/at risk children.  The YMCA in cooperation with Mineral County Board of Education, Tri-Towns After School Program and the Boy Scouts, will offer a Saturday morning summer program.  Mineral County directed 40% of eligible funding to after school and summer programs amounting to $27,182.
The Future

We are working to align our resources to have the greatest impact and effectiveness in achieving our community’s vision.  We are producing calls to action for the community around specific strategies and best practices.
While we have involved the community in the change, we want to be sure the community and our constituents understand the context and reason for the changes we have implemented.   Making a difference with quantified changes requires significant resources spent in a purposeful way over a long period of time on specific and tested strategies.  It requires collaboration that leads to agreement on community priorities, agreement on how the problems will be solved and ultimately alignment of community resources around these problems and strategies.

Over the next several years we will be doing our best to unite and focus the community in order to make the changes you want to see on specific issues.  We will use best practices, data and research to evaluate our progress.  We will be accountable to you for results.  

Tom Dowdell, immediate past President of the Board of Directors, sums up our venture thus far, “We certainly recognize that County United Way cannot solve these problems alone, but we can serve as a catalyst in the process, advocate for the common needs and partner in the discussion with others who may be in the best position to meet these critical needs for each community.

United Way’s goal is to create long-lasting changes by addressing the underlying causes of these problems.  LIVE UNITED means being a part of the change.  It takes everyone in the community working together to create a brighter future.   A special thanks to the Executive Committee members in all four counties for helping us shape the agenda and for your support which helps us to achieve what matters.”