United Way of Erie County is a local social impact organization on a mission to crush poverty in our community. To best address the root causes of poverty and create positive change that lasts, United Way has been evolving from an isolated impact strategy to collective impact. We envision a collaborative community where students succeed, and families thrive.
Collective impact is a framework to solve complex social problems. An innovative and structured approach to making collaboration work across government, business, philanthropy, nonprofits and citizens to achieve significant social change.
For far too long, the barriers to learning for children living in poverty have been ignored or addressed with a “Band-Aid” or isolated impact approach. This is unacceptable. We as a community cannot be reactive anymore.
That is why United Way representatives announced today a required next step in the organization’s evolution. Beginning July 2020, the organization will have a refocused commitment to an Emergency Needs funding strategy that allows United Way to connect people in need, respond in times of disasters and provide dollars for much-needed, long-term efforts to break the cycle of poverty for future generations.
“This change in how we address Emergency Needs is the final step in United Way’s move to become a true collective impact organization. We believe it is the best way to leverage our donors’ dollars to have the greatest impact on the well-being of our community,” said David Gibbons, United Way board chair.
Beginning in 2020, United Way will now focus on the following:
- Establish an Emergency Needs Impact Fund so United Way can respond in times of disasters and emergency situations.
- Connecting people to a broad range of emergency and basic needs services.
- Strategic capacity building grants to 1) strengthen systems, 2) address gaps and 3) generate new sources of revenue for our community.
In addition, United Way will continue to support the basic needs of students and families via the many strategies being implemented at community schools (e.g. food and clothing pantries located in schools).
United Way funding will focus on the following:
Emergency Needs Impact Fund
United Way recognized that we can’t prevent disasters or community emergencies, which is why this fund will position United Way to quickly respond to these situations to support gaps in funding.
For example, communities rally in the aftermath of a disaster to provide victims with basic needs, but data shows that the trauma is long-lasting. It might be the case that United Way funding is not needed for supplies after a tornado, but for counseling services for victims in the months following.
This funding gives United Way, and our community, the flexibility to respond very strategically after an emergency or disaster.
Connecting People to Emergency and Basic Needs Services
To accomplish this, United Way will continue its investment in 211. Our community has a robust social services sector, but it can be difficult to navigate when someone is experiencing a crisis. Sometimes, people just don’t know which agency to call.
By funding the operations of our local 211, Erie County residents in need of help are quickly and confidentiality connected to available services. Whether they need help finding childcare, food assistance, care for an aging parent or utility assistance, 211 is where they can now turn.
The trained United Way resource navigators specialize in finding folks the help they need. This service is available 24/7 via phone, text, email and chat because of United Way.
Strategic Capacity Building Grants
Instead of providing grants to direct service programs being delivered in isolation from each other, United Way will convene ad hoc committees of subject matter experts to determine how United Way funding can be leveraged to 1) strengthen systems, 2) address gaps and 3) generate new sources of revenue for our community.
Grant processes would be designed for each specific need, as they are discussed and prioritized.
While each grant process would require conversations with and commitment from local government
and community partners before United Way took any action, some examples of how funding could be
used include the following:
- A facilitator to address capacity building.
- The integration of trauma-informed principles and supports for service providers county-wide, improving the effectiveness and impact of services.
- A grant-writer to apply for collective inter-agency grants related to emergency needs.
- Start-up funding for a youth shelter so we are addressing a major gap in our local service delivery system and eligible for federal grants that require an existing youth shelter to be in place before a community applies for long-term funding.
Grants ending effective June 30, 2020 are available on the organization’s website UnitedWayErie.org/Crush.
United Way is expected to invest $400,000 annually in this area of work. The funding will be allocated as follows:
- Emergency Needs Impact Fund – $100,000
- Connecting People to Emergency and Basic Needs Services – $114,000
- Strategic Capacity Building Grants – $186,000
99 cents of every dollar raised by United Way stays in Erie County and these grants will be made possible by the local support United Way receives each year.
This is a funding strategy that leverages collective impact to focus on prevention. The result will be reducing the number of people who need assistance long-term. In addition, United Way’s focus will provide organizational resources based on collective impact that increases efficiency, effectiveness and impact throughout Erie County.
“With the limited resources United Way has available, we need to focus on solving issues, not managing them. We are on a mission to crush poverty, not support poverty. As another United Way leader put it, ‘Central to our beliefs, we know it is time to measure our results not by the number of people we’ve helped, but by the number of people who no longer need help.’”, said Bill Jackson, United Way president.
