Last year the United Way of South Niagara began a transformation journey, a process that will create long-term solutions for key areas of need and build a new business model based on measurable outcomes.
“At this point we’re on track with our transformation,” says Sherri Glass, chair of the transformation steering committee. The transformation process began last year and will be continuing throughout this year. A project plan was developed and a Steering committee was put in place. There are several areas of focus to the plan that include: priority area development; marketing and events; allocations; campaign; communications; and outcomes measurement development.
“The whole idea of creating a plan and a Steering Committee was to make sure we could track all areas of concern and ensure forward movement,” explained Glass, noting a lead was appointed for each concern area, who became the steering committee.
The steering committee enables the leads to work collaboratively, ensuring everyone has what they need to move forward, adding before the transformation process began there was not enough collaboration happening within the existing UW business model.
“The main area we’re focusing on now is the campaign, said Glass.
Last year a new approach was developed for the campaign, which was designed to put things in place for years to come. This year, the committee is busy staying on top of the execution of all of the tasks needed for running a successful campaign.
The other activity on the go is working to create the first cut at a blueprint for the community, said Glass, explaining they are looking at what services are currently available within the established community priority areas, identifying where there are gaps and overlaps in the services necessary to addressing the areas. They will also layer on where funding is currently available for the current services, where gaps/overlaps exist and where alternative forms of funding may found.
This first cut, said Glass, is due to be completed before the allocations process begins in spring.
“Another area we plan to begin to work on by the end of the year will be outcome and measurement reporting,” said Glass, explaining UWSN will be moving to an outcomes based model as part of the transformation.
Work will be initiated to understand what is being used in the industry and how it could best fit our needs.
The funding process will ensure funding fits the three priority areas and make sure progress is being made over time.
“To do that we need to measure outcomes,” said Glass.
Glass noted the end goal is to have processes in place that are sustainable beyond the current board and steering committee, so if someone steps down the work can be picked up without a break.
“It’s no small task, but it needs to be done if we’re going to make concrete’ progress in solving the problems we face.”
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