Our Community Matters: Community Impact
Community Impact
Improving Lives…Through Community InitiativesUnited Way of the Southern Tier improves people’s lives in our community by funding a broad array of
strong programs that deliver positive impact to our community. It is also involved in three strategic community initiatives targeted to impact access and awareness of services and economic self-sufficiency – community initiatives that are designed to have a greater community impact than any single program or agency can achieve when working alone.
Community Solutions Impact Teams
The United Way Impact Team is a group of dedicated volunteers, focused on a specific area of community impact. It is a multi-sector collaboration of non-profit agencies, government, business, education, health care and other volunteers from across Chemung and Steuben Counties convened for the purpose of identifying, prioritizing and addressing needs in the community.
Volunteer team members are committed to producing results that matter in these targeted areas of impact:
- Children and youth
- Healthy communities
- Strong families
- Economic self-sufficiency
- Senior independence
Resources: Apply for Funding
United Way of the Southern Tier is working on “what matters” – creating stronger communities, building partnerships, and working toward shared goals.
That is why United Way invests in a broad array of services linked to targeted areas of impact:
- Children and youth
- Healthy communities
- Strong families
- Economic self sufficiency
- Senior independence
To learn more about these areas of impact, see the 2003 Community Solutions Plan, “Mobilizing the Caring Power of Our Community”.
Additional information is also available in the application instruction booklet.
The application form and all related materials are available to download. For easy access to all documents, CLICK HERE.
(Hard copy or CD will be made available upon request.)
As part of the investment decision-making process, all applicants submitting a proposal should anticipate a face-to-face interview with the volunteers who review the application in their selected area of impact.
For questions about the application process, email the Director of Community Solutions.
Eligibility of Applicants
To be eligible to apply for funding, the applicant must be a health/human service organization, tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code or such other as approved by the Community Solutions Committee. In addition, the agency must be registered with the appropriate State Government regulatory department or office. (Evidence of compliance with these requirements should be available, upon request of United Way, in order to receive funds.)
How Decisions Are Made
Sound, volunteer-driven decision making is an operating principle of United Way of the Southern Tier, its Board of Directors and Community Solutions Committee.
Thoughtful and deliberate decisions are made by volunteers representing various sectors from across our two-county community who have knowledge and expertise related to specific areas of impact.
The impact team review process assures thorough consideration of each applicant’s proposal. Full and equitable consideration is given to each organization in light of the needs of all applicants, the needs of the community, and the resources available.
Investment decisions reflect the values and variables identified by the Community Solutions Committee and United Way Board of Directors, and are outlined in the Program Ranking Worksheet. Current values include: client need, program results/outcomes, alignment with the strategic intent of United Way, management and organizational capacity, continuous learning and improvement, and the ability to effectively utilize resources.
Grant Application Deadline
The 2006-2008 application period is now closed. The next application cycle will begin Fall 2007. Please contact us for more details. Investment decisions based on the current application process will be made in late Spring 2006.
Required Items
Optional Related Items
These links provide reference materials that may be helpful to you in completing the application form.
Core Volunteer Responsibilities
• Attend regular meetings (typically 12 per year of 90 minutes duration each, except during the investment period, which may require additional meetings).
• Suspend personal interests and work cohesively to develop recommendations for the common good of the Chemung and Steuben communities as a whole.
• Make objective, informed decisions based on review of written information, oral presentations, site visits, as appropriate, and group discussion.
• Work cooperatively with other members to reach decisions by consensus.
Shared Responsibilities
• Elicit and respond to data regarding community needs and assets, and utilize that data in planning and decision-making for community impact.
• Identify and prioritize needs within the impact area, and recommend strategies and goals to address those needs.
• Carry out the processes that are defined by the Community Solutions Committee.
• Make recommendations to the Community Solutions Committee for long and short-term investment strategies designed to produce desired results within the impact area.
• Monitor program success in achieving stated goals, and progress toward identified areas and initiatives for community impact.
• Support the community building and investment activities of United Way of the Southern Tier.
• Identify opportunities for networking and sharing of information through specific strategies for communication, coordination and collaboration.
