United Way Announces Funding Opportunities - Community Impact allows for various partnership levels
COLUMBIA, MO (February 21, 2012) – At a public meeting this morning at Columbia College with more than 160 community members in attendance, Heart of Missouri United Way unveiled its new Community Impact agenda outlining its goals and targets, announced new funding opportunities, and shared three new levels of partnerships.
Heart of Missouri United Way’s Community Impact agenda outlines goals and targets for each impact area of Education, Income, Health and Safety Net services:
Education Goal: Help children and youth achieve their potential through education by increasing the number of our community’s youth who are ready to succeed in school and life.
Education Targets – HMUW works to increase the number of youth who:
- Enter school ready to succeed;
- Read proficiently by 3rd grade;
- Make a successful transition in & out of middle school.
Income Goal: Reduce the number of financially unstable families and individuals and support their independence.
Income Targets – HMUW works to increase the number of households who utilize:
- Community resources aimed at increasing both soft and hard employment skills;
- Affordable transportation and childcare to enable employment, healthcare, social services,
and daily living activities;
- Educational programs on how to save and spend money wisely;
- Resources or services aimed at finding and maintaining affordable housing.
Health Goal: Promote healthy behaviors in our youth.
Health Targets – HMUW works to increase the number of youth who make healthy choices by:
- Living a healthy lifestyle, eating well, and who are physically active;
- Avoiding teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and smoking;
- Accessing physical, mental and dental health care.
Safety Net Services Goal: Provide access to services for families and individuals in times of need and empowers them to improve their future.
Safety Net Services Targets – HMUW supports crisis and intervention services, providing for:
- Basic needs;
- Personal safety services for individuals/families who face threats to their immediate well-being,
including but not limited to domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault;
- Promotes a coordinated system of information and referral services.
Entities interested in applying for Community Impact funding (the first partnership level) must complete the Community Impact Letter of Intent and an Endorsed Partner Application. As the first phase in its Community Impact funding process, agencies interested in applying for funding from Heart of Missouri United Way must complete a brief Letter of Intent to be considered. It is recommended that agencies consider employing strategies that will impact the goals and targets outlined in the Community Impact report. Heart of Missouri United Way is seeking innovative, creative solutions to its goals and targets; collaborations and partnerships are also encouraged. Letter of Intent applications are due no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 30, 2012.
Community Impact Advisory Councils (comprised of community volunteers) in each impact area (Education, Income, Health and Safety Net services) will review the Letters of Intent and distribute a full request for funding application to applicants in May 2012. Additional information about strategy budget details, outcomes and measurements will be required in this second phase of the funding process. Funding will be announced by August 31, 2012 and will be allocated beginning in January 2013.
Through the Endorsed Partner Application (the second partnership level), United Way volunteers and community professionals will review financial and governance standards of each agency applicant in order to ensure that HMUW makes sound investments in the community and vet each potentially-funded partner on behalf of its donors. Benefits include inclusion in United Way sponsored capacity-building and professional development opportunities, recognition in United Way marketing materials, and use of United Way endorsement and logo. Endorsed Partners are also eligible to apply to become a Funded Partner of Heart of Missouri United Way. Endorsed Partner applications will be accepted on an on-going basis, but must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 30, 2012 for agencies intending to apply for funding.
Along with the Funded and Endorsed partnership levels, Heart of Missouri United Way also offers the opportunity to become a Community Partner (the third partnership level) which allows agencies the ability to request and host volunteers for one-time, skill-based, and on-going projects; recognition in United Way volunteer marketing materials; and inclusion in United Way sponsored-capacity building and professional development opportunities. Criteria for the Funded, Endorsed and Community Partnership levels can be found at www.uwheartmo.org.
“Through Community Impact, Heart of Missouri United Way has refined its focus in order to make a lasting difference in our community,” said Tim Rich, Executive Director, “This new funding process allows us to partner with more agencies and organizations to coordinate strategies and bring about measurable change to our community’s most pressing challenges.”
The Community Impact Letter of Intent, Endorsed Partner Application, as well as the complete Community Impact report, are available for download here.
For more than 65 years, Heart of Missouri United Way has mobilized the caring power of our community to serve people in need in mid-Missouri. Through Community Impact, Heart of Missouri United Way will move beyond simply meeting the immediate needs of those it serves by mobilizing a comprehensive and collaborative community effort to change the conditions which create those ever-increasing needs. Heart of Missouri United Way is an independent, non-profit organization governed by a local board of directors made up of volunteers from mid-Missouri. United Way is a worldwide network in 45 countries and territories, including nearly 1,300 local organizations in the United States. It advances the common good, creating opportunities for a better life for all. For more information, dial “211” from landline or most cell phones, visit www.uwheartmo.org, find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HeartofMissouriUnitedWay, or follow us on Twitter (@uwheartmo).
