The United Way of Roanoke Valley (UWRV) board has awarded over $3.1 million to support local programs and initiatives in the areas of education, financial stability and health that will help tens of thousands of local people in need during 2014-2015.
“We are excited to invest in the programs that do so much good for our community,” says Kerri Thornton, Vice President, Carilion Clinic and Chair of United Way of Roanoke Valley’s Community Impact Council. “We are also excited to partner with some new agencies to further community goals and move the needle in Education, Income and Health.”
Every year, individuals and companies throughout the Valley support programs and community efforts aligned with achieving results in education, income and health by giving to the United Way Impact Fund. Gifts to the United Way Impact Fund are pooled and are invested in local impact partners through a volunteer-driven Community Investment Process that insures a high degree of accountability.
By focusing on these three priorities and investing funds in programs that align with them, UWRV and its impact partners hope to solve root issues that affect the building blocks of a good life. UWRV is working to ensure that children enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and later on in life, that individuals and families are financially stable, and that all residents of the Roanoke Valley lead healthier lives. When this happens the whole community is strengthened.
UWRV’s Community Investment Process is driven by United Way’s Community Impact Council and supported by 90 community volunteers who contribute over 1,200 hours to review program applications and collectively make critical decisions. These volunteers recommend how to invest United Way Impact Fund dollars in programs and initiatives to best achieve impact in education, income and health. Volunteers are trained to use a data-driven review process emphasizing alignment with UWRV’s priorities, collaboration and strong outcome measurement. Funding is awarded to programs and initiatives that make a measurable positive impact on important community issues.
This year was the open funding year for programs aligned with United Way’s health priorities. There were over $1,400,000 in requests from programs seeking funding through the Health Open Process, with the budgeted amount of $962,000 being able to meet about 69% of requests. This created a very competitive process which resulted in 22 Health programs covering the span of health education, prevention and intervention strategies receiving funding.
“Thanks to the generosity of United Way Impact Fund donors, United Way is able to invest in vital programs and initiatives that make a difference each and every day,” said Debbie Meade, United Way of Roanoke Valley’s Board Chair. “We work to ensure that people in need have access to critical services that address our community’s most pressing challenges. We invest donor contributions to support programs that are proven to address those needs and ensure that funded programs show results, change lives and transform our community.”
To learn more, visit www.uwrv.org.
