United Way of Porter County Announces Community Investment Funding for FY 2012

unitedway_portercountyUnited Way of Porter County announced the FY2012 results of its Community Investment Funding review process. On June 13th, the United Way Board of Directors approved $1.1 million to be invested in health and human services programs.

Based on the results of community focus groups and a comprehensive community needs assessment conducted in partnership with the Porter County Community Foundation, the United Way’s Board of Directors identified three specific community impact areas for Porter County: Education, Financial Stability/Emergency Assistance and Healthcare. In order to achieve impact and drive measurable change, the Board determined that United Way funding would be targeted at specific programs that improve the lives of people affected by at least one of the priority community impact areas. “Our donors want to know that their contributions are making a real difference in the community,” said Board Chair, Kenneth Turner of Price Waterhouse Coopers. “We are accountable to our donors and want to make sure that we fund programs that show measurable results and have the greatest impact in improving lives.”

Twenty-nine community volunteers served on three Impact Councils, which reviewed 49 proposals and made funding recommendations to the Board of Directors. Agencies submitted proposals and made presentations to the Impact Councils about their programs. The key evaluation criteria included the program’s focus on a critical community need, the number of people served, the program’s design and implementation plan, and agency governance and financial practices, and the means for measuring the program’s impact on the community.

From that process, the Board approved funding for 36 selected programs at the following agencies: Alice’s House, American Red Cross Porter County Chapter, Boy Scouts Calumet Council, Boy Scouts LaSalle Council, Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County, The Caring Place, Catholic Charities, Duneland YMCA, Gabriel’s Horn, the Girl Scouts of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, Healthlinc and Porter Starke Services, Housing Opportunities, Hilltop Neighborhood House, Mental Health America of Porter County, Moraine House, Northshore Health Centers, Northwest Indiana Community Action Agency/211, Opportunity Enterprises, Parents as Teachers Porter County, Portage Township YMCA, Porter County Aging and Community Services, Porter County Education Services, Porter County Family Counseling, St. Agnes Adult Day Service Center, The Salvation Army, Valparaiso Family YMCA, Visiting Nurse Association, and Porter County Family and Youth Services Bureau.

United Way President, Sharon Kish, said, “Despite a challenging economy, the Board and Volunteer Impact Councils strategically invested funds in programs that would have the most impact in the community, consistent with the priorities established during the needs assessment.” Kish further stated that “agencies which didn’t receive funding for submitted programs are still partner agencies in good standing and will be listed in all United Way printed and on-line publications. They are also eligible to apply for future funding and to participate in other United Way initiatives.”

In addition to the many campaign contributions received from generous donors, United Way of Porter County has been successful in securing key federal and state grants that even further expand services in Porter County and throughout Northwest Indiana. United Way was recently awarded a federal grant for $389,123 for 40 AmeriCorps members, who will serve in area nonprofits and schools. They received a Corporation for National and Community Service grant for $56,000 for interim sponsorship of the Retired Senior and Volunteer Program in Lake, LaPorte and Starke Counties. The United Way Regional Volunteer Center has also been named administrator of the volunteer component of the Hardest Hit Fund for Region 1. Through these kinds of programs, the United Way of Porter County has been able to bring to Porter County an additional $582,960 in grant funds in the past year.

Incoming Board Chair, Jean Phelps of Express Employment Professionals, states that “United Way’s mission is to mobilize the caring power of the Porter County community. We are grateful to the thousands of donors and volunteers, whose generosity improves the lives of over 70,000 Porter County residents impacted by United Way-funded services. We are so blessed to live in a community where people support one another!