Investing in Your Community
In order to bring about community level systemic change and to hold ourselves accountable for the achievement of community level results, the United Way of Midland Board of Directors re-evaluated United Way’s current four Impact Areas. Based on the results of the 2007 Midland Introspective Community Needs Assessment, we are excited to share our three new United Way of Midland Focus Areas and Community Outcomes for 2009 and beyond:
Promoting Education
We know how critical it is for our children to receive a quality education. It affects their ability to be successful in today’s world.
Community Outcomes:
- Children enter school with developmentally-appropriate social, emotional and intellectual skills.
- Students achieve academic success.
- Students graduate from high school and successfully transition to self-sufficiency.
- Youth are engaged, responsible, and contributing members of the community.
Promoting Self-Sufficiency
We believe families and individuals need to achieve economic stability and financial security in order to afford adequate and safe housing and meet their basic needs.
- Individuals and families have the opportunity to achieve economic stability and financial independence.
- Individuals and families have the opportunity to live in adequate and affordable housing in safe neighborhoods.
- Individuals and families in crisis have access to responsive and effective emergency and basic need services.
Promoting Health
We know that unless a person is healthy - physically, emotionally, and behaviorally - then the likelihood of achieving self-sufficiency and meeting educational goals is difficult.
- Youth and adults avoid risky behavior.
- Individuals are physically healthy.
- Individuals and families are emotionally healthy.
- Individuals and families in crisis have access to responsive and effective health and counseling services.
In 2008, our board adopted a five-year transition plan to move to three-year funding cycles for programs that receive funding from the United Way of Midland. In this way, the formal application review process for each focus area will occur once every three years allowing the programs to focus on delivering the desired outcomes that can be measured over a more reasonable time frame.
United Way volunteers will stay engaged with focus area issues and funded programs throughout the three year time period. United Way of Midland has adopted community outcomes and has pledged to work with our partners to achieve results that can be measured and reported back to the community.
Even though United Way will have three-year program funding cycles, we definitely want and will be able to respond to new funding opportunities as they arise through a separate granting process.
United Way’s direct funding of programs is only one component of how we make a difference in our community. Additionally, other ways that United Way of Midland will impact issues include, but are not limited to:
- Identifying and helping to fund initiatives that address emerging needs
- Conducting Community Needs Assessments
- Addressing relevant advocacy & public policy issues
- Encouraging & coordinating community collaborations
- Providing training
- Creating Community Task Forces that address solutions to identified needs
- Managing outcome measurements and reports
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS
To achieve the identified community outcomes, United Way of Midland is becoming increasingly involved in many community initiatives. In 2009, United Way of Midland collaborated with the following community organizations, committees and programs:
211 Advisory Committee
Beacon Awards Event
CDBG Target Selection Committee
Coats for Kids
Criminal Justice Advisory Committee
Dental Health Coalition
Education/ Workforce Taskforce
Dolly Parton Imagination Library
Familywize Prescription Card Program
Funders Roundtable
Generations Project
Homeless Coalition
Midland Affordable Housing Alliance
Midland Asset Building Coalition
Midland Chamber of Commerce
Midland County FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program
Midland Financial Institution Asset-Building Breakfast
Nonprofit Management Center
Students in Philanthropy Winter Conference
Vision 2020 Advisory Committee
Vision 2020 Health & Social Services Task Force
Each year, the United Way of Midland accepts applications for funding from local nonprofit health and human service organizations and the Community Investment committee oversees the annual investment process. Volunteer Panels review applications for funding by studying program and budget information and conducting on-site visits. The committee then brings the panel recommendations together in a cohesive, consistent manner and presents them to the United Way Board of Directors for approval.
We invite you to learn about our Program Providers and their Programs which are currently being funded by the United Way of Midland.
United Way Announces 2010-2011 Funded Programs
On June 3, 2010 United Way held their Community Investment Reception to announce the 2010-2011 funded programs and thank the more than 60 Community Impact Panel volunteers that worked from March through May reviewing the funding applications totaling $2,835,661. In addition to reviewing the applications, Panel volunteers made on-site visits with the program providers and then met to make recommendations for funding. The final recommendations were voted on by the United Way of Midland Board of Directors on May 20.
Taking into consideration the 2009 economic factors and last year’s campaign results being down by 10%, the United Way of Midland Board of Directors made the decision to supplement allocable dollars to be invested in programs for 2010-11 with funds from United Way of Midland’s financial reserves. These additional funds enabled United Way to invest about the same amount of funds into programs that was allocated in the prior year.
“We’re excited to be able to help our funded programs continue to provide needed services at current levels,” said United Way of Midland Executive Director, Cindy Benson. “We have been preparing for a time when our community would be impacted by a negative economy resulting in less than needed and expected fundraising results. Therefore, we were able to use United Way of Midland reserves to add to the allocable dollars this year. We also have been encouraging other non-profits and funded organizations to begin building reserves for such a time as this. We are here to help ensure that effective programs continue so that Midland families not only survive – but thrive.”
A total of $2,484,000 has been allocated to 50 programs that focus on the building blocks of a good life: education, self-sufficiency and health.
United Way of Midland funds are available to any 501(c)3 nonprofit health and human service organization that serves Midland County and has audited financial statements. For further application information, email Alice Freidline.