United Way Overview

United Way Overview

United Way of San Diego County envisions a vibrant community built on opportunity for everyone and is committed to sparking breakthrough community action that elevates every child and family to a brighter future.

In Fiscal Year 2014-15, United Way of San Diego County (United Way) will focus impact investments on two community level goals: kindergarten readiness and 3rd grade reading proficiency with the understanding that family stability and health are critical foundations for healthy development and academic success.

Research shows that quality early learning experiences for children are a key driver of school readiness and are vital to improving high school graduation rates1. In 2009, only 21 percent of children in San Diego County under age six attended a quality pre-school program for 10 hours a week or more2.According to 2013 STAR research for San Diego, 38% of 3rd graders are not reading proficiently3. In addition, nearly 20% of children 0-17 in San Diego are living below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level4, which research indicates greatly impacts family stability, access to regular healthcare and academic achievement.

In addition to the established community impact goals and strategies, United Way has made a commitment to the following values:

Work will be informed by research, driven by data, confirmed by community voice;
Goal achievement will be accomplished in cross-sector partnershipsand by using the principles of collective impact;
We will support and build a culture of continuous learning and “failing forward”.

United Way believes that by working collaboratively with partners towards shared goals, and specifically using the principles of collective impact, we can and will change the trajectory for the children and families most in need throughout our community.

Purpose of Funding

The available funding is intended toseed, build capacity and/or expandImpactNetworksto achieve significant progress towards increasing kindergarten readiness and/or3rdgrade reading proficiency. We define Impact Networks as structured, cross-sector groups working towards a common goal using the core principles of collective impact. Impact Networks must be clearly aligned with United Way’s identified goals and at least one strategy area. See Addendum A for a full description of United Way’s goals and strategies.

Impact Networks:

May be population or geographic based, or focus countywide;
May focus on programmatic, advocacy/ policy, and/or systems-level alignment;
Must track, measure and evaluate progress within the goal and strategy areas, as well as the quality and effectiveness of the collective effort(s);
While this RFP will not require partners from certain sectors, we believe that the key to success in collaborative and collective impact work is having the necessary cross-sector stakeholders involved to achieve change and finding new, strategically aligned ways of working together. Stakeholders may include nonprofits, social service providers, health and mental health providers, the faith-based community, school districts, early learning centers, out-of-school providers, government, business, philanthropy, leaders in advocacy or public policy, parents, students and others.

For the goal of increasing kindergarten readiness (ages 0-5), United Way will provide support within four key strategy areas:

Increasing family stability and supports;
Ensuring social-emotional health;
Increasing positive parenting;
Increasing quality preschool for children ages 3-5.

Towards the goal of increasing 3rd grade reading proficiency (ages 5-8) United Way will provide support within twokey strategy areas:

Increasing family stability and supports;
Ensuring social-emotional health.

This funding is intended to support both new and innovative approaches, as well as helping to spread, scale and catalyze best and promising practices.

United Way embraces FSG’s concept of collective impact as “highly structured cross-sector coaltion(s)”5, including the five defined conditions of collective impact6:

The Five Conditions of Collective Impact
Common Agenda / All participants have a shared vision for change including a common understanding of the problem and a joint approach to solving it through agreed upon actions.
Shared Measurement / Collecting data and measuring results consistently across all participants ensures efforts remain aligned and participants hold each other accountable.
Mutually Reinforcing Activities / Participant activities must be differentiated while still being coordinated through a mutually reinforcing plan of action.
Continuous Communication / Consistent and open communication is needed across the many players to build trust, assure mutual objectives, and create common motivation.
Backbone Support
*United Way has adapted this description / Creating and managing collective impact requires dedicated staff facilitators with a specific set of skills to serve as the backbone for the entire initiative and coordinate participating organizations and agencies.

Visit for more information on FSG’s collective impact research and literature.

We understand that collaborative and collective impact efforts may span a continuum of developmental phases, from start-up andimplementation to establishing sustainability and solidifying systems change. Addendum B provides an overview of United Way’s definition of developmental phases for collective impact efforts. Addendum C of this application is an Impact Network Self-Assessment Tool, to be completed by you and your partners to determine the developmental phase of your effort. We have defined the developmental phases of collective impact efforts as:

Exploring: assessing the possibility of starting an Impact Network/ collective impact effort
Initiating: laying the groundwork to get an Impact Network/ collective impact effort started
Emerging: implementing an Impact Network/ collective impact effort
Sustaining and Systems Change: adjusting through continuous improvement practices and establishing sustainability of an Impact Network/ collective impact effort

United Way values collaboration to achieve community change at all levels, and funding will provide support to efforts along the entire developmental continuum. Award amount ranges are based on the developmental phase of the effort and are outlined below.

United Way Support Available- Expectations of Funded Entities

To support Impact Networks, United Way will make available the following supports:

Funding for implementation of Impact Networks (see Section V for budget restrictions and requirements).
Impact Network Facilitators Applicants may request a United Way staff facilitator to support their effort, or may choose to utilize United Way funding to hire their own network facilitator.
Coaching and Supportfor Impact Network Facilitators. All facilitators (regardless of employer) will be required to participate in on-going, monthly coaching and support sessions facilitated by United Way staff.
Convene “Communities of Learning”around goal/ strategy work as well as collective impact implementation. All funded entities will be required to participate in on-going, monthly learning and sharing sessions, facilitated by United Way staff.
3rdParty Evaluatorto support the use of data for continuous learning.

If awarded, your agency/entity will be asked to:

Participate in on-going evaluation of the design and implementation of your collective impact effort;
Submit on-going qualitative and quantitative performance reports related to your goals, outcomes and indicators;
Provide meaningful individual or group volunteer opportunities (as appropriate);
Establish and submit a sustainability plan following United Way funding;
Consistently identify your partnership with United Way by making use of our current logo and name in print materials, on your website, and public forums/media presentations;
We encourage partner agencies to be a contributing organization to the United Way fundraising campaign, or agree to host a workplace campaign.

Eligibility

First preference will be to nonprofit organizations falling under the federal tax code 501c(3) or 590(a) (1), (2) or (3), schools and religion organizations. These organizations will be required to maintain a Board of Directors with a minimum of five independent members that meet at least quarterly. We typically require a minimum annual budget of $100,000 (as reported in the 990), although smaller budgets may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Existing efforts currently funded, in whole or part, by United Way are not eligible to apply. Due to our work through the Partnerships for Children, if you are proposing an effort focused in City Heights or Vista, please email efore you begin any significant work on your application and no later than February 11, 2015 to establish eligibility.

AWARD AMOUNTS

There is up to $2million available. Awards will be based on 6, 12 or 18 month cycles, all beginning July 2015. Contracts will be performance based with the potential opportunity to reapply for additional funding at the end of the grant cycle, depending on performance and funds available.

Applicants will submit an application based on the developmental phase of their effort, and may apply for awards in the following ranges:

Developmental Phase / Award Range / Award Cycle
Exploring / $15,000- $100,000 / 6 or 12 months
Initiating, Emerging or Sustaining and Systems Change / $100,000- $249,000
OR
$250,000- $500,000 / 18 months

2015 APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS, PROCESS, AND TIMELINE

This will be a competitive process, and United Way staff may seek clarifications during the review process. United Way reserves the right to award contracts to applicants that are determined to be most advantageous to and in the best interest of the community, are cost effective, and other factors considered as appropriate.

Press announcement of funding opportunity and RFP release:February 5

Submission deadline for questions to be addressed at the Information Session: February 11

Information Session at United Way(RSVP required): February13

Phase 1- Initial Application due: March 16

(Please note change in deadline)

Phase 2- Lead Applicant Interviews & Site Visits: March 30- April 10

Electronic notification to all applicants: April 13-17

Phase 3- Follow-Up Application due: May 6

Final decisions and notification: June 1

Submit 5 printed copies of your application to United Way of San Diego County (4699 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego, 92123) no later than 4pm on March 16, 2015. Applications should be single spaced with 12 point font and one inch margins. There is not a page or character limit for this proposal, but preference will be given to applications that are concise and succinct. Please also submit your application electronically to by close of business on March 16, 2015.

All questions shall be submitted by e-mail to .

1.LEAD ORGANIZATION/ ENTITY INFORMATION

Impact Network Name:
Lead Organization/Entity Name:
Address (including city, state and zip code):
Phone:
Website:
Lead Organization/EntityCEO/ED Contact (name, email and phone number):
Amount Requested:
Annual Budget Amount:
Who is the primary staff contact at your organization/entity if United Way needs clarification or has questions about the material in this funding request?
Name: Phone: Email:
CERTIFICATION: I certify that all statements and information contained in this proposal are true and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. I certify to the best of my knowledge that our agency operates in compliance with all applicable Federal, State of California and local laws and regulations governing not-for-profit corporations.
Name: Organization/Entity, Executive Director
Signature:
Date

Indicate which metrics and strategies this proposal addresses; check all that apply. In order to be considered for funding, your proposal must address at least one specific goal and strategy area. Please refer to Addendum A for more complete descriptions, including leading indicators, for each strategy area.

Kindergarten Readiness Goals
☐ Metric I: Increase % of children identified ready for Kindergarten, ages 3-5 years
☐ Metric II: Increase % of children progressing on a developmentally appropriate scale, ages 0-3 years
Strategies
☐ Family stability and social supports
☐ Social-emotional health
☐ Positive parenting
☐ Quality preschool for all children ages 3-5 years
3rd Grade Reading Proficiency
☐ Metric I: Increase % of students increasing at least one proficiency level in Reading
☐ Metric II: Increase % of students that improve their school attendance rates
Strategies
☐ Family stability and social supports
☐ Social-emotional health

III. IMPACT NETWORK SCOPE OF WORK

Please provide narrative responses to the following questions based on what your group has established to date, or is in the process of defining/ establishing. Based on the developmental phase of your effort, you may not have answers to all questions included in this proposal. Please indicate which decisions have been established for your effort, which are in process and which have not yet been decided, as appropriate. As your effort grows and evolves, the goals, strategies, impact measures and infrastructure may need to be re-evaluated and adjusted to achieve the intended outcomes. Again, United Way valuesand will fund efforts across the entire developmental continuum. We suggest that you review the Impact Network Phase Assessment Overview (Addendum B) and the Impact Network Self-Assessment Tool (Addendum C) before you begin the narrative section of the application.

Describe the Impact Network that you are requesting support for.
Please include a general overview, area(s) of focus, and intended goals.
What specific activities (if defined yet) do you anticipate your Impact Network will undertake?
If this is an existing effort, please describe the current status of the effort, activities and accomplishments to date, and the capacity building/ expansion that funding would support.
If a new effort, please describe planned next steps (with and without funding).
Are there any current/ potential policy or advocacy activities for this area of work? If so, please describe.

Using data and research, please describe the need and/or opportunity for this Impact Network.
In addition to the quantitative data cited, feel free to include and describe any additional qualitative data you’ve collected and/or used to inform your work and this proposal.
How would you characterize the community’s readiness for change and degree of urgency for change in this issue area? What is this based on and how do you define “community” for this purpose?
How has the community been engaged in identifying the issue area(s) and/or the potential strategies?

You have indicated the overarching goal and strategy area(s) you will focus on for this proposal.
Please describe any evaluation plan you have developed or have in place to measure the impact, progress and results of your work.
How will you collect, track and report on the high level metrics you’ve indicated you will address?
What are the additional, specific outcomes and indicators you expect to produce within the grant period? Be sure to outline the various levels of change you expect to see as a result of this proposal (ie: client, programmatic, community level, systems change, etc.), including a starting point/ baseline.
What specific measures and assessment tools will you use for each of the metrics, outcomes and indicators? Please include an explanation of why you have selected the measurement tools, and how you will meet fidelity to those measures.
What staffing and/or infrastructure is in place or proposed to collect, manage, and analyze data for continuous learning?
Are you open to adjusting these impact measures/ tools in partnership with a professional evaluator, other funded entities and United Way staff to create alignment and best leverage resources, as appropriate?

If you are proposing to use any evidence-based or promising practices as programmatic interventions,please provide the model name and references, and indicate how you will meet fidelity to the model(s).
Does your plan include any two-generational strategies? If so, please describe.

Who is the intended population to be impacted by your Impact Network (population, geography, demographic, etc.)?
Please include how many clients you expect to be served,in what ways (direct/ indirect) and please differentiate clearly between # of families, parents, and children to be impacted.

Please describe your agency/collaborative effort’s experience and demonstrated success in the goal and/or strategy area(s) proposed in this application.

Please describe how the work outlined in this proposal is aligned with systems leaders in the area(s) of work you are addressing (e.g: First 5 San Diego, local school district, County Health and Human Services, etc.).

Are there other collaborative efforts convening around this same goal, population or geography that you know of? Describe why you have decided not to align with the existing effort(s).

IV. COLLECTIVE IMPACT PHASE/ EXPERIENCE

Complete and attach the Impact Network Self-Assessment Tool (Addendum C). Based on the assessment, please indicate the phase that you believe your effort to be in: ______.

Please list which partners participated in the self-assessment and how.

What is your agency/entity’s previous experience/ demonstrated success in collaborative and/or collective impact efforts?

Describe your agency/ entity’s previous experience/demonstrated success in using shared data to track progress to common objectives, outcomes and/or indicators.

Please describe any shared data collection and evaluation plans you have developed/ have in place for the outcomes you have indicated.

What is your agency/ entity’s level of interest in working with a United Way contracted (and funded) 3rd party evaluator, and what would you hope to gain/benefit from such a partnership?

Does your effort currently have a backbone, anchor entity, and/or any dedicated staff that manage the day-to-day needs of the work?

Are you interested in utilizing a UWSD staff facilitator or hiring your own facilitator?

☐ UWSD staff facilitator

☐ Hiring own facilitator

What challenges have you experienced/ do you anticipate encountering in implementing this proposal and how do you plan to respond?

V. BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE