This Cannot Become the Norm
BRING ITS SERVICES TO AN END
Those of you who read my blog posts frequently will realize that this is the second time I am writing about a United Way closing this year.
This time, the headline reads “Rappahannock United Way to Bring its Services to an End After 85 Years of Community Service.”
Their announcement reads in part “This difficult decision was made following a comprehensive review of operations and the evolving needs of the community.”
You might be surprised that based on their most recent audit (fiscal year ending June 2024), Rappahannock United Way raised over $1 million. You will probably not be surprised that they raised $2.8 million in fiscal year 2020.
UNABLE TO SEE A DIFFERENT FUTURE
American author William Langewiesche said “So much of who we are is where we have been.” This is so true for United Ways, as most United Ways are doing what they have always done. Their future is a continuation of the past because they are unable to see what a different future might look like for their United Way.
WHAT DOES YOUR FUTURE LOOK LIKE?
We’ll show you what your future could look like during our New Directions Board and Staff Retreat.
During this half-day retreat, we will explain the three types of United Ways, how their business models work, the strengths and weaknesses of each type, and show you examples of each type of United Way. We’ll give your staff and board time to ask questions about each type of United Way, and more importantly, time to have a conversation about which type of United Way is right for your community.
George McCanless, President and CEO of United Way of Central Georgia, said this about our New Directions Board and Staff Retreat: “Thank you for a great day of thought-provoking conversation! I had high expectations for the day, and y’all exceeded them!”
WHICH TYPE OF UNITED WAY WILL YOU BE?
Most of the 50 United Ways that have participated in our New Directions Board and Staff Retreat decided that changing to a different type of United Way would best meet the needs of their community and allow their United Way to remain relevant, sustainable, and impactful.
Let’s have a conversation about your United Way and how our New Directions Board and Staff Retreat will help you identify the future direction of your United Way. You can grab some time on our calendar here or send us an email and we’ll talk.
CLOSING DOES NOT NEED TO BE THE NORM
There is no question that United Ways are needed now more than ever before. What your United Way does today may need to be different than what you have done in the past. For most United Ways, change is inevitable – but that change does not mean your United Way must close.