Twin County United Way wraps up year
Published by the Lewiston Tribune on 01/06/2012
By Kevin Gaboury of the Tribune
Reprinted with permission from the Lewiston Tribune
As the 2011 Live United campaign comes to a close, Twin County United Way is urging local agencies to submit statements of intent to apply for its grant funding.
In 2009, United Way completed a community needs assessment that identified three areas where the most assistance is needed in Nez Perce and Asotin counties, according to Twin County United Way Executive Director Ron Ramos. The three priority areas are education, income/financial stability and health.
"What we're looking for are nonprofit organizations that are doing work in those three areas," he said. "We try to identify the greatest needs in the communities and make sure we're making an impact in those areas."
Each priority area includes three sub-measures, such as increasing safety, stability and parent involvement in education; increasing assets and job readiness for low-income individuals and families; and decreasing substance abuse and increasing access to health care.
Local agencies that best meet the needs outlined in the three priority areas are eligible to receive nonrestricted dollars donated during the Live United campaign, Ramos said. During the campaign, people can either donate to a charity of their choice or contribute nonrestricted dollars that go directly into what's known as the community impact fund, he said.
The 2011-2012 campaign closes at the end of February. Of the $723,430 raised during last year's campaign, approximately $473,786 was contributed to local agencies, with approximately $154,000 going to education, $181,598 to income/financial stability and $138,184 to health, according to the Twin County United Way website. The remainder is provided by "corporate champions" that cover administrative, fundraising and program expenses. Ramos is expecting similar results this year.
After the statements of intent are received, nonprofits will be sent grant application forms in February that detail the program the agency is seeking funding for. In March, volunteer panels will decide how agencies are meeting the needs of the community and how much funding they'll receive and the results will be announced in May.
"We work with them for two years and track their progress," Ramos said. "We're holding them accountable for the funding they receive for the community."
Agencies that received funding last year included the Boys and Girls Club of the Lewis-Clark Valley, Willow Center for Grieving Children, Community Action Partnership, YWCA of Lewiston-Clarkston, Area Agency on Aging and Valley Meals on Wheels.
"It's pretty inspiring, because they're working toward the highest need in our communities," Ramos said.
Most of the agencies partnered with United Way have seen a decline in funds coming through the door due to the tough economy and uncertainty of the future, Ramos said. This has hit the smaller agencies hardest because they have smaller operating budgets, he added.
United Way is also gearing up to do another community needs assessment in the fall, Ramos said. The agency usually partners with St. Joseph Regional Medical Center and Lewis-Clark State College every three to five years to complete an assessment.
Statements of intent for grant funding are due by 5 p.m. next Friday. For a statement of intent form and timeline of the grant process, visit www.tcuw.org or call the United Way office at (208) 743-6594.
