United Way Of Central Indiana Inc

UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL INDIANA DESIGNS, SUPPORTS AND GROWS SYSTEMS THAT ACCELERATE FINANCIAL STABILITY AND UPWARD MOBILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES LIVING IN OR NEAR POVERTY AND STRIVING FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE. OUR VISION IS THAT CENTRAL INDIANA WILL BE A COMMUNITY WHERE CHILDREN, INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THRIVE; NEIGHBORS CARE FOR EACH OTHER; AND WE ARE PROUD OF ALL OUR RESIDENTS' QUALITY OF LIFE. WE ACCOMPLISH OUR WORK THROUGH ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC POLICIES THAT SUPPORT OUR STRATEGIES; CAPACITY BUILDING TO STRENGTHEN THE HUMAN SERVICES SECTOR; DATA AND RESEARCH TO SHOW REAL OUTCOMES; GRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF DIRECT-SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS; INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS THAT COMPLEMENT THE WORK OF OUR PARTNERS; AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND CONVENING ACROSS THE SECTOR.

BASIC NEEDS INITIATIVES: FOOD. SHELTER. HEALTH. TRANSPORTATION. OUR BASIC NEEDS WORK PROVIDES SUPPORT TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS AND LIFE-SAVING ASSISTANCE TO THOSE IN CRISIS SITUATIONS - HELPING THOSE IN IMMEDIATE NEED SURVIVE TODAY SO THEY CAN THRIVE TOMORROW. UWCI ACCOMPLISHES THIS THROUGH A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES: IN 2021/22 UWCI GRANTED $10.55M TO 63 ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH OUR BASIC NEEDS IMPACT FUND. THESE GRANTS HELPED 17,471 STRUGGLING INDIVIDUALS GAIN ACCESS AND RETAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING; SERVE 2,626,601 HEALTHY MEALS; PROVIDE 28,244 INDIVIDUALS WITH ACCESS TO PHYSICAL, MENTAL & BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND PROVIDE 370,628 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. WE FACILITATE THE FEDERALLY-FUNDED EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL INDIANA. WE ALSO ENGAGE IN A NUMBER OF OTHER BASIC NEEDS PROGRAMS INCLUDING A HOMELESS INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT MARION COUNTY'S "BLUEPRINT TO END HOMELESSESS"; BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COURTS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH AND OFTEN CO-EXISTING SUBSTANCE ABUSE OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; TRANSPORTATION SUPPORTS FOR SENIORS; AND WINTER ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE INELIGIBLE FOR THE FEDERAL ENERGY ASSISTANCE.

SECTOR SUPPORT: UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL INDIANA (UWCI) ADDRESSES CENTRAL INDIANA'S MOST PRESSING NEEDS IN EDUCATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY, HEALTH, AND BASIC NEEDS. MUCH OF THIS WORK WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN FISCAL YEAR 2021/22 THROUGH SUPPORT OF ACCREDITED CBOS ACROSS THE HUMAN SERVICES SPECTRUM. THESE CBOS ARE PART OF A RIGOROUS EVALUATION PROCESS THAT ASSESSES ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE; LEADERSHIP; DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION; FINANCIAL STABILITY; STRATEGIC PLANNING; COMMUNITY RESPONSIVENESS; SUSTAINABILITY & SCALABILITY; AND ABILITY TO MARKET AND ENGAGE FUNDERS TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK . UWCI ALSO SUPPORTS THESE CBOS' GENERAL OPERATIONS THROUGH DONOR DESIGNATED AND OTHER DIRECTED GIFTS ($2.2M); CAPITAL PROJECTS ($1.5M), TECHNOLOGY ($753K) AND FACILITIES MAINTENANCE GRANTS ($840K); AND EVALUATION, CAPACITY BUILDING, CONTINGENCY, STAFF SUPPORT, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. IN ADDITION, UWCI ADMINISTERS DONOR DESIGNATED DOLLARS TO A WIDE RANGE OF UNAFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR ($4.2M ACROSS OVER 1,000 ORGANIZATIONS).

FAMILY OPPORTUNITY STRATEGY: OUR FAMILY OPPORTUNITY STRATEGY IS GROUNDED IN THE PRACTICE OF THE TWO-GENERATION APPROACH (2GEN) - COMBINING INVESTMENTS, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH TO CREATE OVERALL POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND THE ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES TOGETHER. 2GEN, THE POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY IS AIMED AT BREAKING INTERGENERATIONAL POVERTY WHILE CREATING INTERGENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. DELIVERY OF THE STRATEGY IS DONE THROUGH RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, GRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS, CAPACITY BUILDING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND CONVENING, AND PROGRAMMING SUCH AS THE CENTERS FOR WORKING FAMILIES, PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND READUP. ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESTMENTS OF THE FAMILY OPPORTUNITY STRATEGY IS ITS FAMILY OPPORTUNITY FUND (FOF). IN 2021/22, UWCI AWARDED $7.5M IN GRANTS TO 25 CBOS THROUGH ITS FOF. THESE GRANTS SERVED 2,551 FAMILIES, ALLOWED FOR A 46% INCREASE IN WHOLE FAMILY ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT A HOME LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, SUPPORTED 1,210 FAMILIES ENROLLED IN FINANCIAL LITERACY COACHING, AND ENSURED THAT 931 MOTHERS RECEIVED PRENATAL HEALTH SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY, AS PART OF OUR OVERALL FAMILY OPPORTUNITY STRATEGY, UWCI ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC POLICY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING ACCESS TO QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AND PROMOTING THE AWARENESS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF 2GEN BEST PRACTICES. WE INVEST TIME, TALENT AND RESOURCES IN BUILDING CAPACITY FOR LOCAL 2GEN PROGRAMS, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROVIDERS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ENSURE WE ARE MAKING DATA-DRIVEN COMMUNITY IMPACT DECISIONS, IMPLEMENTING THEM WITH FIDELITY, AND LEVERAGING ALL FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY. THESE INCLUDE: COMMUNITY NEEDS/HUMAN SERVICES RESEARCH; PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY; VOLUNTEER TRAINING, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEPLOYMENT; NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION AND TRAINING; AND SERVING AS A CONVENER FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND FUNDERS TO ALIGN RESOURCES AROUND SHARED COMMUNITY GOALS. WE ALSO DEPLOYED $1.2M TO 14 ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH OUR SOCIAL INNOVATION IMPACT FUND GRANTS. THESE FUNDS WERE USED TO COMBAT HOMELESSNESS; EXPAND A NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR BLACK PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV; SUPPORT WOMEN IN THE WELDING INDUSTRY, PEOPLE AFFECTED BY ADDICTION AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, AND NEW AND UNDERREPRESENTED FARMERS OF COLOR. UNITED WAY'S SOCIAL INNOVATION WORK SUPPORTS ORGANIZATIONS LOOKING TO INTENTIONALLY ACCELERATE THE CYCLE OF INNOVATION IN OUR SECTOR THROUGH THE TESTING OF PROMISING PRACTICES THAT ULTIMATELY IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SERVICE DELIVERY, LEADING TO QUALITY OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN CENTRAL INDIANA.