Centre County United Way

Vision, Mission and Goals

Strategic Plan

2014-2017

2017 Report

Vision Statement:

To serve as a non-profit leader in Centre County capable of promoting and organizing collaborative response to human service challenges so that every citizen has access to a secure future.

Mission Statement:

To improve lives by prioritizing needs and mobilizing human and financial resources to positively impact the education, financial stability and physical and emotional health of our neighbors.

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Section I:

  • Goal 1: Build community engagement and outreach to identify, understand and clarify community human service needs and whether they are being met.
  • See Accomplishments, Page 3
  • See Original Goal, Strategies and Actions, Page 15
  • Complete.

Section II:

  • Goal 2: Communicate and engage the community to increase understanding and support for the organization.
  • See Accomplishments, Page 6
  • See Original Goal, Strategies and Actions, Page 7
  • Partially Complete, an ongoing process.

Section III

  • Goal 3: Identify and develop adequate financial resources to allow CCUW to meet strategic and operational goals.
  • See Accomplishments, Page 8
  • See Original Goal Strategies and Actions, Page 10
  • Partially complete, an ongoing process

Section IV

  • Goal 4: Assure distribution of campaign funds is made to quality, outcomes-based programs that align with identified needs.
  • See Accomplishments, Page 12
  • See Original Goal Strategies and Action, page 13
  • Activities complete, an ongoing process

Section V:

  • Goal 5: Maximize the effectiveness of staff, board of directors and volunteers in strengthening and fulfilling the mission of CCUW.
  • See Accomplishments, Page 14
  • See Original Goal Strategies and Action, page 15
  • Scheduled for completion, December 2017

Goal #1:

Build community engagement and outreach to identify, understand and clarify community human service needs and whether they are being met.

(Assigned to Community Impact Committee)

Ongoing process with original strategies complete and incorporated into standard operating procedures.

Accomplishments:

The Community Impact Committee has operationalized and instituted as on-going procedures the following goals outlined in the portion of the 2014-2017 strategic plan: 1.include community representatives who have comprehensive knowledge of needs and aspirations for the delivery of human services; and 2. Use existing and collected data to identify gaps in service and make recommendations to meet identified needs.

In 2014, the CCUW impact committee expanded to include specialists in education (Connie Schulz, State College Area School District Family Outreach Coordinator), government services (Natalie Corman, Director, Human Services Planning, Centre County), law enforcement (Diane Conrad, Ferguson Twp Chief of Police), mental health services (Marisa Vicere, Jana Marie Foundation, executive director), health (Jeannine Lozier, Mount Nittany Health community outreach coordinator), partner agency representation, (Bonnie Tatterson, executive director, Community Help Centre), media (Karen Mrsa, Human Resources Director, Centre Daily Times), banking (Ann Guss, Kish Bank) and Higher Ed (Rob Pangborn, Vice President & Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

The committee reviews its membership on an ongoing basis and recruits new members as community issues arise.

In 2015, CCUW partnered with Mounty Nittany Health to identify community human service areas of strength, areas of need and roadblocks to services via the Mount Nittany Health community health needs assessment. The assessment identified the following areas as top priorities for action: behavioral health, substance abuse, and chronic disease.

The CCUW Community Impact Committee has identified as appropriate next steps: partnership with Communities that Care (CTC), a county-wide, evidence-based model representing community organizations working together to prevent and address community problems. CTC includes representatives from education, child care, human services, county government, local government, medical services and law inforcement.CTC has grown from an organization focused on children and youth and drug and alcohol use prevention to a community-based collaborative working to mitigate issues impacting family health and well being.

The CCUW Community Impact Committee is working to identify opportunities for the CCUW partner network to implement shared evidence-based and measurable outreach programs to impact behavioral health, substance abuse and chronic disease. The Community Impact committee has also identified Pre-K and family support programs addressing hunger, access to safe homes, and school readiness as a top priority for partner network programming.

In 2014, all committees invited partner agency staff and BoD members to join a standing CCUW committee. Partner agencies are now represented on the Communications Committee and the Community Impact Committee on an ongoing basis.

Stragies C and D under this goal, “Encourage partner agency staff and board members to serve on CCUW standing committees in order to improve knowledge of comprehensive needs and comprehensive, innovative response,” and Develop Partner Agency conversation opportunities that encourage collaborative and holistic approach to providing services” have been met and incorporated into CCUW standard operating procedures.

In 2014 thru 2015, the CCUW Professional Advisory Committee (5 executive level representatives from the partner agency network), in conjunction with the CCUW Executive Director, began to transition quarterly meetings from a purely informational format to one focused on partner network discussions. Initially, discussions included training regarding appropriate filing of each organization’s 990, strategies for reporting program outcomes, and innovative strategies for including the partner agencies in campaign outreach and success.

In 2016, both theCCUW Professional Advisory Committee and the Partner Network began discussions to implement programs that use all of the agencies to implement shared evidence-based, outcomes focused programs. The Partner Network opted, in coordination with the Community Impact Committee, to implement a Raising Readers pre-K reading program and educational outreach to encourage use of county-wide prescription drop-off centers.

A subset of the Partner Network has begun discussions to expand the Stewards of Children collaboration. Other agencies are exploring opportunities to engage in similar collaborative work.

Finally, as a direct result of these discussions and collaborations, an ad-hoc committee charged with revisiting the role of the Professional Advisory Committee, formalizing a relationship between the CCUW Community Impact Committee and the Partner Network, and revisiting partner agency admissions and exit procedures has been created.

CCUW staff are in the process of transferring staff responsibilities for this goal and these procedures from the executive director to the communications coordinator, thereby freeing the Executive Director to focus time and resources on fundraising. Part of the transition will be a review in the H.R. committee of the communication coordinator job description and title.

Staff assigned to support this goal: the executive director.

Supporting Documentation, Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan, Goal 1:

Build community engagement and outreach to identify, understand and clarify community human service needs and whether they are being met.

(Assigned to community impact committee)

A. Strategy:

Include community representatives on the community impact committee who have comprehensive knowledge of both needs and aspirations for improvement in the delivery of human services.

Action:

  • Recruit members who represent banking, Penn State, County government, local government, county schools, mental health, drug and alcohol, individuals with disabilities, and medicine.

B.Strategy:
Use existing and collected data to identify gaps in service and make recommendations to meet identified needs.

Actions:

  • Use existing data to include Partnership for Community Health/Mount Nittany Medical Services Health Needs Assessment; Affordable Housing Coalition housing assessments; and basic needs data collected by county government.
  • New data to include updated assessment of 2009 basic needs assessment conducted by Centre County United Way. New data will be gathered from human service providers.

C.Strategy:

Encourage partner agency staff and board members to serve on CCUW standing committees in order to improve knowledge of comprehensive needs and comprehensive, innovative response.

Actions:

  • Ask board members to extend invitation to colleagues on partner agency boards.
  • Charge CCUW executive director to encourage involvement and engagement of partner agency executives and staff.

D.Strategy:

Develop Partner Agency conversation opportunities that encourage collaborative and holistic approach to providing services.

Actions:

  • Include facilitated conversations about opportunities for collaboration during quarterly all-agency meetings.
  • Coordinate conversations about collaborative approach to providing services with Centre County Office of Adult Services.

Goal #2:

Communicate and engage the community to increase understanding and support for the organization.

Partially complete, an ongoing process

Accomplishments:

In 2014, the Communications Committee reviewed the United Way World Wide (UWW) report and analysis of national brand recognition and donor/public understanding of the United Way mission. Using this analysis and anecdotal information from committee members, the committee, using a SWOT analysis, identified the United Way brand as a major strength, lack of understanding of the United Way Mission as a weakness, incorporating graphic and marketing templates into CCUW materials as an opportunity, and using community-impact messaging as a strength for Centre County United Way.

To address the SWOT results, the Communications Committee modified outreach materials to incorporate information about the United Way mission and impact areas. New materials emphasized impact in education, financial stability, and good health. The messaging was incorporated into print, web-based, social media and radio messaging.

In 2015, United Way World Wide, using data collected from nationwide focus groups and trends in fundraising,further modified its outreach materials. Both focus groups and philanthropic trends indicated success success in fundraising to be strongest when messages are cause-based, that is, community organizations (both non-profit and for-profit) share their united efforts to create social change. Using messaging provided by UWW, the Communications Committee worked with CCUW staff to modify our website and other collateral materials to emphasize cause-based messaging. The new web site was launched in the fall of 2015.

In 2016, the Communications Committee worked with the Partner Network to improve on and further define the cause-based messaging. While UWW had begun a campaign tagged “We Live United Against – heroin, poverty, hunger, etc.,” the Communications Committee and Partner Network, through a series of meetings, preferred a positive twist and began a campaign tagged “We Live United For – “warm and safe homes,”“learning,”“food security,”“dental health,” etc. This messaging was used extensively during the 2016 Campaign. We received positive feedback about it. Further, among those donors with whom we have a strong relationship, giving increased.

Thus, strategies A, “Evaluate current perceptions of the organization,”and B, Update existing communication and marketing processes and materials to appropriately address outcomes of SWOT analysis and to reflect the vision and mission of the organization” have been completed.

Implementing strategies C, “Educate targeted populations about United Way vision, mission and programs,” and D, “Strengthen engagement by creating both a personalized message and opportunities for support” are ongoing. The Communications Committee continues to refine them. An important next step will be to work with our corporate donors to share in the messaging.

Staff responsible for supporting these goals and activities is Megan Evans

Supporting Documentation, Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan, Goal 2:

Communicate and engage the community to increase understanding and support for the organization.
(Assigned to communications committee.)

  1. Strategy: Evaluate current perceptions of the organization.

Actions:

  • Develop an appropriate survey method to gather results
  • Conduct a thorough SWOT analysis

B.Strategy: Update existing communication and marketing processes and materials to appropriately address outcomes of SWOT analysis and to reflect the vision and mission of the organization.

Actions:

  • Evaluate current marketing time line and modify as appropriate.
  • Audit current collateral materials per SWOT analysis and reflection of vision and mission.
  • Modify materials as appropriate.

C.Strategy: Educate targeted populations about United Way vision, mission and programs.
Actions:

  • Implement the message created from the SWOT analysis and communication planusing an effective media mix to generate awareness and engagement.

D.Strategy: Strengthen engagement by creating both a personalized message and opportunities for support.

Goal #3:

Identify and develop adequate financial resources to allow CCUW to meet strategic and operational goals.

(Assigned to special committee, staff and campaign co-chairs).

In Process

Accomplishments:

In the fall of 2014, a Development Advisory Council was formed. The Council is composed of former and current campaign chairs, a specialist in non-profit development, and the Board president. Current membership: Betsy Dupuis, George Downsbrough, Linda Gall, Chris Hosterman, Tom McKee, Hugh Mose, Bob Potter, Fran Stevenson, and Kim Neely (Major Gifts Officer, Penn State University).

In 2015, the committee met and decided a major gifts portfolio could not be created until policies and procedures regarding the acceptance of major gifts and endowment has been created. Then committee member and Board President, Scott Lamb, asked the finance committee to form a subcommittee to develop appropriate policies and procedures. A committee was formed and created policies and procedures specific to the acceptance of one major gift – The Hamer Foundation Disaster Fund.

The chair of the committee left the community in the fall of 2015. As a resultof his departure and a lack of staff resources, the committee did not meet in 2016. Jens Thorsen led the charge in recruiting a new chair in the fall of 2016. The committee has reformed with Ron Byer, Vantage Advisors, as chair, Blake Gall, retired investment advisor, and Tony Simon, Major Gifts Officer (PSU) as members. They are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, March 28, 2017.

In 2015, the Development Advisory Council also decided a critical first step toward improving the CCUW Campaign and donor development was to conduct a Development Audit of CCUW staff functions and campaign procedures. The Council retained, pro bono, Devin Mathias, Marts and Lundy Consulting, to complete the audit. He returned his report in April of 2016. His key findings: 1. train staff and volunteers to speak in the same voice regarding our mission, 2. outsource our direct mailing, and 3. create a new staff position dedicated to individual donor development and stewardship.

As a result of these recommendations, in June 2016, the CCUWBoD voted to fund an Advancement and Giving Specialist position in the 2017 FYE budget. We began advertising and interviewing for the position in August of 2016. Our first round of applicants failed to produce a suitable candidate. We began a second round of advertising and interviewing in March 2017 and hope to have a candidate selected and hired by April 1.

Concurrently, staff worked with the Development Advisory Council to create a framework for improving both the campaign and individual donor development. First, staff (then Campaign Coordinator, Asher Barr, and the Executive Director) worked to modify our donor database such that we could pull reports based on length of giving, patterns of giving, giving amounts, information regarding donor recognition, level of engagement, giving capacity, and information regarding individual donor “passions” regarding giving.

We can now pull reports that accurately reflect current giving and history of giving. Other matrices are still calculated by hand using feedback from campaign cabinet members and members of the BoD.

The Advisory Council used these tools to identify and, with the help of the CCUWBoD, invite key donors to the following receptions: Mount Nittany Hospital, 2015, corporate focused event; CPI, 2015, corporate focused event; Schreyer House, 2015, PSU leadership focused event; Big Spring Spirits, 2016, leadership donor event; Schreyer House, 2016, leadership donor event; and Geisinger, Grays Woods, 2016, employee leadership volunteers and donors. In each case, guests were selected using the matrices identified in the strategic plan: 1. current giving, level of engagement (this information was collected by hand and does not yet reside on the database – it was provided by staff, campaign leadership, etc.), and 2. long-term, annual giving record, and record of other giving in the community (other giving is information does not yet reside on the database but is collected by hand and provided by staff, campaign leadership, and members of the Advisory Council).

The remaining actions, Develop a Volunteer Succession Plan, and Document Procedures for Use of the Donor Database, are also under development. Past campaign chairs and the BoD created a strong succession plan for Campaign Co-Chairs, but we have yet to develop a strong plan for the remaining cabinet positions, as evidenced by our lack of volunteers for key positions during the 2016 Campaign. Please note, the 2016 Campaign Co-Chairs and Executive Director, following a report to the BoD in August, opted to have staff serve in these positions with the expectation that doing so would provide critical information regarding the strengths and weaknesses of our employee and corporate outreach and relationships. In 2017, we will return to a volunteer-led campaign cabinet.

Documenting procedures for the donor database is an ongoing process, but the most important elements (generating appropriate thank you and recruitment lists) have been documented and can be completed using an internally created instructional manual.

Thus, major components of strategy B, successfully implement an annual campaign, have been implemented. The pace of full implementation will pick up dramatically once the Advancement and Giving Specialist is on board.

Staff assigned to supporting this goal is the Executive Director.