One of the more common questions we get from local United Ways goes something like this: “How do we get donors to stop asking about our administrative costs?”

“Right now we are helping people, but I am not sure we are changing things.”

Over 20 years of helping United Ways with their strategic planning has taught me many lessons. For example, it is nearly impossible to predict the future, so developing a strategic plan for more than the next three years is merely guessing at what the future holds. More recently, I have learned the lesson of jumping vs. leaping.

A donation has been made in your honor this Mother’s Day to help Bay Area mothers living in poverty provide for their families. We are touched by this generosity and hope you are, too. On behalf of the community we serve, thank you and Happy Mother’s Day.

Recently, a friend of mine was told by his doctor that he needed to live a little healthier.

Adopting an issue focus transforms a United Way from a focus on workplace campaigns and raising money, to a focus on community impact and making meaningful change.