The Community Impact Council oversees the work of the four Impact Areas, as well as the Outcomes Advisory Committee, the Community Readiness Committee and the Financial and Audit Review Committee.
In addition, the Council has the following responsibilities:
• Acts as a forum for discussion of issues across Impact Areas.
• Ensures meaningful interaction between the Impact Areas and the Outcomes Advisory Committee.
• Ensures the communication between the Impact Areas and the Financial and Audit Review Committee is consistent and helpful.
• Reviews the visions and priority outcomes of the Impact Areas and submits recommendations to the Board of Directors.
• Ensures progress is being made on priority outcomes by providing investment guidelines, reviewing investment decisions and reviewing the strategic plans of the Impact Areas.
• Reviews the L.I.F.E. Study and prioritizes needs.
• Updates the Board of Directors and prepares recommendations for board approval.
Council Volunteer Leadership
Jim Pierce, Chair Tom, Palmer, Vice Chair
Retired Grant Thornton
The Impact Areas
In order to achieve community impact, United Way formed four Impact Areas in order to have more focused efforts in the community. The four Impact Areas are:
• Providing Basic Needs and Self-Sufficiency,
• Developing Children and Youth,
• Strengthening Families,
• Promoting Health, Healing and Crisis Intervention.
Each Impact Area consists of a committee of approximately 25 volunteers from the community at large as well as representatives from United Way's partner agencies and issue experts.
The Impact Areas meet on a monthly basis and have been charged with the following responsibilities:
• Studying the issues associated with that particular Impact Area,
• Determining priorities regarding the issues it considers appropriate for United Way to address,
• Developing strategies to address those issues,
• Determining priority outcomes to measure success,
• Conducting specific needs assessments (as a supplement to the L.I.F.E. Study) to identify unmet needs,
• Encouraging partnerships, collaborations and initiatives,
• Evaluating outcomes of the funded programs,
• Making investment (funding) decisions.
The Outcomes Advisory Committee
The Outcomes Advisory Committee is responsible for:
• Overseeing and coordinating the alignment of program outcomes to respective Impact Areas,
• Reviewing the priority outcomes of the Impact Areas and insuring that definitions are consistent and reportable to the community,
• Reviewing the mechanics of program outcomes.
• Providing the overall expertise needed for United Way to successfully proceed with outcome measurements,
• Providing a link between the committee and the Impact Areas by having at least one member of the committee serve on each Impact Area.
The Financial and Audit Review Committee
The Financial and Audit Review Committee:
• Reviews agency audits, management letters, 990 forms, and mid-year reports annually,
• Determines if there are any significant changes in an agency's financial position and provides a concise summary to the appropriate Impact Area,
• Provides technical assistance and financial consultation to the Impact Areas as needed.
The Financial and Audit Review Committee does not review partner agency budgets or make investment recommendations as that can more appropriately be carried out at the Impact Area level based on regular contact with the funded programs.
The Community Readiness Committee
The Community Readiness Committee is a subcommittee of the Community Impact Council. It is responsible for focused funding (grants), overseeing initiatives and providing capacity building for the partner agencies.
United Way Fox Cities Priority Issue Areas 2006 - 2011
Following the release of the 2006 LIFE Study, volunteers of the four impact areas began a review of the study's findings. Based on their extensive education on community issues and the findings of the LIFE Study, each impact area developed a list of priority issues through a facilitated process. These priorities will serve as the foundation for the investment strategies and work of the Impact Areas over the next five years.
Once the Impact Areas determined their priorities, the leadership of the four Impact Areas met in early October of 2006 to share their respective lists. They then worked to reach consensus on a consolidated list of priorities to be presented to the Community Impact Council and the Board of Directors.
The consolidated list is intended for use by the Community Impact Council and Board of Directors as a guide for United Way Fox Cities' community impact planning and investments. The priorities are not listed in rank order within the following priority issue areas.
The priority issues of each impact area and the consolidated list of priority issues were developed with the understanding that as community needs change the priorities may be modified.
Priority One Issue Areas
• Improve access to mental health services
• Enhance and promote quality child care
• Promote the importance of birth-to-five education and school readiness
• Enhance parenting skills
• Promote healthy life styles
Priority Two Issue Areas
• Improve availability and access to shelter and affordable housing
• Improve access to transportation
• Improve availability and access to food, clothing, energy assistance, and legal services for low income individuals and families
• Prevent intimate crimes (domestic, sexual and child abuse) and support victims
• Increase literacy, English as a second language & cultural integration activities among diverse populations
Priority Three Issue Areas
• Enhance life and independent living skills – decision-making and problem-solving skills, basic academic and language skills, financial literacy, and employment skills
• Improve access to physical health and dental care for the uninsured and under-insured
• Promote public awareness, collaboration and coordination of services that address and alleviate the causes of poverty
Priority Four Issue Areas
• Provide positive youth development and youth activities
• Promote independent living and eliminate isolation for seniors
• Promote skills enhancement and independent living for persons with disabilities