United Way inspires community to MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN. BE UNITED.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010, Ottawa – At its annual Community Investment Announcement this morning, United Way Ottawa announced a record $28.6 million investment in programs, services and initiatives that support people in this community. It also unveiled the evolution of its community development work, announcing its move to specific and defined strategies that will address priority community issues to achieve enduring, meaningful and measurable change in our community.
Adding colour to the announcement was the reveal of a newly-positioned brand for United Way Ottawa. Under the tagline MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN. BE UNITED., the brand frames the many ways that people and organizations can achieve their aspirations for a better community through United Way under three pillars: GIVE, SPEAK UP and TAKE ACTION. It also frames focus areas for United Way’s community development work: Growing Up Great, Belonging to Community and Turning Lives Around.
“Fundraising campaigns are only one form of our true business — and that business is engagement,” said Michael Allen, President and CEO, United Way Ottawa. “Engagement means harnessing not only money, but also time, knowledge and influence to achieve meaningful change in our community. Our new brand calls on people to be engaged through United Way in making change happen on issues that are important to this community. We wanted a framework that will move people beyond thinking of us as only a fundraiser by focusing on the ways they could become engaged to work with us toward achieving measurable results.”
The evolution of United Way’s community development work will see it move from six primarily population-based “impact areas” to three focus areas that overarch priority community goals with targeted strategies that include investment, research, convening and advocacy. This sharpened focus builds on and reflects the efforts of United Way Community Services volunteers with specialized community knowledge.
“Over the past decade, United Way Ottawa has learned many things, including the value of focus,” said Lawrence Greenspon, Chair of United Way Ottawa’s Community Services Cabinet. “Resources and support are finite. Our promise to donors is that we will invest resources where they are needed most and where they will have the greatest impact. To fulfill this promise, we have learned that we must deliberately select the issues that we will tackle if we are to make real progress.”
“Part of the rationale behind developing well-defined focus areas and corresponding goals is the need to attract and mobilize as much participation and collaboration as possible from all the different sectors of our community,” said Diane Bilodeau, Vice President, Community Services, United Way Ottawa. “By having clear goals to work toward, we can better coordinate our efforts with those of community partners and other funders. Contributors of all kinds are looking for a clear line of sight from their investment to results. A sharper focus will attract more energy, expertise and investment, resulting in long-lasting systemic change in our community.”
The three focus areas overarch priority goals. Growing Up Great will improve conditions for children and youth to reach their full potential. Belonging to Community will improve opportunities for vulnerable people, including seniors, immigrants and new Canadians and people with disabilities to contribute fully to their communities. Turning Lives Around will improve conditions for the chronically homeless, for youth facing addictions, and for people and families dealing with poverty, mental illness and violence.
Plans for United Way to take this next step were formalized last year. At that time, the organization made a commitment to its funded agencies that it would roll over funding agreements to this year to offer stability in a year of transition. United Way is investing $28.6 million dollars in programs, services and initiatives that support people in this community or that go to other charities chosen by donors. This represents an increase of $1.8 million over United Way’s 2009 community investment.
Almost $18 million of this is going to support programs, services and initiatives in the impact areas that framed United Way Ottawa’s work over the last six years. Included in this funding is support for 191 agency programs and services for children and youth, for seniors, for people with disabilities, for people and families in crisis, for immigrants and new Canadians, and for neighbourhood and agency development. An additional $10.6 million is designated by our donors to go directly to charities of their choice.
On total revenue of $34 million, which includes campaign revenue, program grants, special gifts, sponsorship and other revenue.
Focus areas with priority goals and indicators
United Way Ottawa's Road to Community Impact: Phase 6
For more information on United Way Ottawa, please contact:
Kate Headley, United Way Ottawa
Phone: 613-683-3823 or Cell: 613-294-8128
E-mail: kheadley@unitedwayottawa.ca
Website: www.unitedwayottawa.ca