Gearing up for community change – the United Way

Submitted by:  David Studham, Executive Director,United Way/Centraide of the Upper Ottawa Valley Inc.

2009January 30

The United Way/Centraide of the Upper Ottawa Valley Inc. (UWUOV) has been part of the charity fund-raising scene in Renfrew County Ontario, for the past thirty-seven years. The underlying premise for its work, as with all United Way organizations, has been that one fund-raising campaign is more efficient and cost-effective than separate campaigns conducted by many charitable agencies.

As a 'federated' fundraiser, UWUOV, with the support of generous community donors,has successfully raised over $15 million (2006 $). The largest fraction of these funds has been allocated to United Way Member Agencies to help them meet the basic needs of those they serve. Among the Member Agencies benefiting from United Way allocations over the years has been Bernadette McCann House for Women Inc.

Unfortunately, fundraising has become more challenging over the past several years. Demand for funds to deal with basic needs and crisis services has increased but the sources of those funds, particularly from senior levels of government, have decreased. The current economic recession adds further pressures.

United Ways in Canada have consequently been forced to re-examine what role they should be playing. Should they continue struggling to tap into ever-decreasing sources of funding to meet an almost insatiable demand for services that may require support indefinitely?Or should they re-define their mandates and direct limited resources to understanding and dealing with the ‘root causes’ of issues so that the underlying need can eventually be eliminated?

The question of how United Ways can achieve the greatest community impact was resolved with the decision to add "community building" to its mandate. The driver for this change in focus was the Community Matters Initiative. UWUOV, in concert with 17 other small, rural-based United Way regions in Ontario undertook extensive community consultations in 2006/2007 to understand - through community leader workshops,a public survey and town hall meetings - the high priority needs and issues of people in their respective regions.

Preparations for UWUOV’s new role have been gradually introduced over the last five years. Criteria were adopted to guide program funding to Member Agencies. A Community Support Fund was formalized, and a Project Fund to address the issue of real change was introduced. The Community Matters Initiative results -  key strategic priorities ** identified by participants during the process - are now part of the funding criteria that directs how limited funds should be distributed.

While the United Way will continue funding programs that address basic human needs and crisis situations, attention will increasingly focus on activities that address the root causes of issues. The work that Bernadette McCann House for Women Inc. is doing in partnership with Living Without Violence to address the root cause of violence directed toward women fits well into the spirit of this new direction.

UWUOV’s work to address its strategic priorities has already begun. We’ve been working with the Renfrew County Child Action Poverty Network (CPAN) to address the serious issue of child poverty. Last year, for example, the UWUOV Board awarded $15,000to CPAN to help fund its social inclusion program to work toward the day when no child in Renfrew County is excluded from reaching his/her potential because they come from a low-income background. We are also working with Carefor Health & Community Services to address the need for non-emergency transportation, e.g. for medical appointments etc. At the end of 2008, the UWUOV Board awarded $25,000 to Carefor to retrofit two vans provided to it by the Ministry of Health to accommodate the wheel chair disabled. These vans will be available County-wide. Previously, UWUOV helped address the lack of medical services in Petawawa by providing $14,000 in seed money to establish a clinic that ultimately qualified for Ministry designation and funding as a Family Health Centre. The work continues as we participate in the Housing Network now being organized by the Renfrew County Housing Authority,and strategize with partners in Renfrew North and Renfrew South to address the need for youth after-school activities in areas which do not have such services.

UWUOV will use all means at its disposal to advance its strategic priorities including influence, leverage, mediation, and collaboration. As we continue this journey toward greater community impact, we will explore further opportunities to partner with agencies like Bernadette McCann House for Women Inc. to ensure that our communities are strong and healthy.