competitive grants: the investment process

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Lance Edwards

Community Investment DirectorUnited Way of Asheville and Buncombe County

Competitive Grants: The Investment Process

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Presentation Overview:

• Rationale for strategic investment

• Preparing for strategic grant making

• Defining specifics

• The investment process

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Rationale for Strategic Investment

• Many of our community’s needs and issues are as great as ever

• Application reviewers need a model that enables them to work towards improving specific community conditions

• Potential strategic partners need a clear and logical explanation of United Way's investment priorities

• Donors need and deserve a clear explanation of the unique value (and impact) of United Way’s investment strategies

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Where We Were

Adapted from UWA materials by ChangeWays

Funding Council

Programfunding

Vision Statement

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Preparing for strategic grant making

1) Surveyed the community for input

2) Compiled and reviewed local, state, and regional demographic data

3) Collected data from other United Ways that have completed a similar refinement process

4) Recruited volunteers to specific Focus Areas based on expertise

5) Determined focus for investment using resources referenced above

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Defining the specifics

Goal:

Shift mindset from funding an assortment of direct services to investing in specific results that can be logically connected to improving specific community conditions

How

Identify a limited number of specific issues that are well defined and measurable

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Defining the specifics

Adapted from UWA materials by ChangeWays

Focus Area

more specific

Even more specific

still more specific

Specific results

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Defining the specifics

Focus Area

Vision

Program-level Results

Barrier(s)

Community-level Results

A strong, caring community

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Health

Vision: We envision a safe community where everyone has the knowledge, resources, access and opportunities to be healthy.

Barrier #1: Not all people, homes and communities are safe.

Community-level ResultsCommunity-level Results

Community-level Results

Q Seniors and people with disabilities have the support they need to remain independent and in good health

R People increase their use of effective primary, behavioral and dental health care regardless of ability to pay

Barrier #2: Many people do not have quality support for preventive health and wellness.

Barrier #3: Many people do not have quality primary and behavioral health care.

M People and the community increase their power to prevent violence and abuse

N People experiencing trauma from violence or abuse increase their likelihood of recovery

O People have increased awareness of and opportunities for wellness, prevention, and early detection

P Children, families and those at risk of poor health increase their physical activity and healthy eating

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Program-level Results

M - People and the community increase their power to prevent violence and abuse - $154,430

• Participants increase knowledge of the signs and progression of violence and/or abuse• Participants have the knowledge and skills to increase safety• Participants improve ability to reconcile conflicts/crisis without violence

O - People have increased awareness of and opportunities for wellness, prevention and early detection - $57,981

• Participants increase knowledge and skills to be healthier• Participants increase understanding of their health condition(s) and risks• Participants have increased access to wellness, prevention and early detection opportunities P - Children, families and those at risk of poor health increase their physical activity and healthy eating - $20,975

• Participants increase their physical activity• Participants improve their eating habits• Participants’ core health indicators improve

Q - Seniors and people with disabilities have the support needed to remain independent and in good health - $177,429

• Participants increase their ability to live independently• Caregivers increase skills to support senior(s) or person(s) with disabilities• Caregivers reduce their stress

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The Investment Process

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The investment process

• Release Request for Proposals (RFP)• Provides eligibility guidelines, timeframes and contact information

• Contains specific details on what we will invest in (the triangles)

• Include parameters (501c3, service area, Standards of Excellence, etc)

• Orient Applicants (in person)

• Who, what, when, why, where, how (more detail than RFP)

• Orient Volunteers (in person)

• Who, what, when, why, where, how

• Provide Guidance to applicants (until deadline)

• Accept, Review, Score and Discuss programs

• Make investment decisions

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Key Elements

• Focused plan (why are we investing these dollars?)

• Clear communication

• Concise application that lets you know:

1) what measurable results you will be buying

2) the likelihood of success

• Knowledgeable volunteers

• Focus on measurable results

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Results

• Changes in program clients’ knowledge, skills, behavior or condition

• Measurable

• The return on the investment

Examples – improved grades, gained employment, reduced high blood pressure

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unitedwayabc.org

ledwards@unitedwayabc.org

828-255-0696