What are You Changing?
Recently, we were facilitating a board and staff retreat for a local United Way. During a discussion about the future of their United Way, one of the board members said, “Right now we are helping people, but I am not sure we are changing things.”
Every United Way is helping people, so it comes as no surprise to hear a United Way board member say “Right now we are helping people.” When you think about it, the phrase “helping people” is generic enough that it would apply to every human services organization. Previously, I have suggested that United Ways should stop being known as “helpful” and outlined what they should be known for in this blog post “Stop Being Helpful!”
The statement “but I am not sure we are changing things” raises two questions. The first question is “Why does their United Way exist?” Does their United Way exist to “help people” or to “change things?” If their United Way exists to help people, then perhaps they do not feel changing things is their goal.
The second question is “How is their United Way changing things?” If their United Way exists to change things, then this board member is calling into question whether their United Way is showing measurable change.
Should your United Way be “changing things?” As United Ways wrestle with relevance, a goal of changing things may make your United Way more relevant to your donors. Is “helping people” enough to engage your donors and make your United Way relevant, or should your United Way be “changing things?”
Issue Focused United Ways Create Change
Issue focused United Ways choose an issue, like poverty, homelessness, the graduation rate, or kindergarten readiness, and they lead and convene the community to make measurable change on that issue. Instead of a campaign goal, their success is measured by the number of lives changed, such as families no longer living in poverty, people who now have a home, students who graduated from high school, or children that are ready for kindergarten.
When a donor gives to an Issue Focused United Way, they know before they give how lives will be changed. Issue focused United Ways raise more money because they are able to attract diversified resources like grants, sponsorships, and planned giving to address their issue. When a United Way is issue focused, they are able to unify their community, volunteers, donors, partner agencies, board, and staff around a shared vision to address a single issue. Issue Focused United Ways can easily explain what they do in just one sentence, and even in as few as two words – “Crush Poverty” or “Halt Hunger.”
The Issue Focus Business Model is built on the understanding that United Way donors want to impact a local issue and change lives. When a United Way is issue focused, people know exactly what their contribution will accomplish because an issue focused United Way addresses one issue with an inspiring goal for success.
Start Changing Things
Take a couple of minutes and learn more about how an issue focus will transform your United Way by watching our free United Way Survival Guide video or schedule some time to talk with us about how an issue focus might work at your United Way.
If you haven’t signed up yet, be sure to join us on March 13, 2024 for our New Directions 2024 conference. New Directions 2024 is a free, day-long virtual conference that tackles the challenges facing every United Way - all without having to leave your office!