PURPOSE

Our Community Investment process works to make donor dollars go further. We are committed to a strategic approach in allocating funds to have the greatest impact, to ensure our partnering nonprofits are producing measurable outcomes, and to provide transparency for our donors

The United Way Ozarks Region funds programs, not nonprofit organizations. The Community Investment process focuses on critical issues in our community in United Way Worldwide’s focus areas of Health, Education and Financial Stability.

Based on United Way Ozarks Region’s investment strategy, funding is divided into three categories : Upstream, Safety Net, and Innovation. Panelists will serve on one of the three panels to select nonprofit programs who will receive funding within each category.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Attend quarterly Community Education sessions to learn about the needs and challenges facing our communities. Various topic experts will provide information to give background and context for the Community Investment process in 60-90 minute sessions. Our goal is for every CI Panelist to be well-informed about our community.
2. Attend Community Investment Process Orientation to receive an overview of the process and learn how to use the grant application and evaluation software (Foundant). (required)
3. Carefully read and study the grant applications for each nonprofit program and thoughtfully evaluate the nonprofit and each program. Utilize grant application and evaluation software (Foundant) for scoring prior to attending the nonprofit final presentations. (required)
4. Attend the presentation evening(s) for the panel to which you were assigned. During presentations, utilize grant application and evaluation software (Foundant) for scoring. (required)

Membership Expectations Policy

Community Investment (CI) Panelists must live within UWO’s 14-county service area: Barry, Douglas, Laclede, Stone, Webster, Christian, Greene, Lawrence, Taney, Wright, Dallas, Hickory, Polk, Texas

CI Committee Co-Chairs and UWO President/CEO will assign volunteers to a specific panel. Volunteer preferences may be solicited and considered.

To avoid a conflict of interest, CI Panelists may not be an employee, current board/committee member, or a direct family member of an employee or current board/committee member of any nonprofit applying for UWO funds (regardless of the fund).

For purposes of this policy, a “direct family member” includes the CI Panel applicant’s spouse, brother, sister, parent, child, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, and any other member of the panel member’s household.

Community Investment Panelists serve at the pleasure of the CI Committee Co-Chairs. CI volunteer service expectations include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Be actively engaged in the process and participate, including training.
  · Treat everyone involved in the process with respect and civility.
  · Be on time to meetings and complete assignments by deadlines.
  · Always consider what is best for the overall community; not what is best for a particular nonprofit.
  · Support the group’s final decisions, even if they differ from your personal preferences.

Panel members must be donors to United Way Ozarks Region through their employer, as an individual, or household. There is no minimum financial requirement, but donations are encouraged to be given before you attend the panel orientation.

Time Requirement

The minimum time commitment depends on the panel on which a panelist serves, but a minimum time commitment of 10-13 hours is expected.

Get Involved

To learn more about furthering United Way’s Community Investment strategy and serving on a CI panel, please contact:

Brandon Jenson
Director of Community Impact

bjenson@uwozarks.org 

417-863-7700, ext. 243