Tom Christie, United Way Board President, marked June 16, 2010 as the beginning of United Way of Douglas County’s community planning process aimed at hearing how Douglas County citizens rank community goals and priorities.

To help us get this done, you can start by filling out the community survey and forwarding this link to your friends, family, neighbors and anyone else who has an interest in human service goals in Douglas County.

Click Here To Take The Online Survey.

Community Impact efforts will identify and address goals within the broad areas of Education, Health, and Self-Sufficiency.  Over the course of time, United Way efforts in Education, Health and Self-Sufficiency will result in measurable community changes with lasting results.

Everything that you should know about this is right here!
Community Planning Process Timeline
Community Planning FAQ
Community Planning Survey to Download and Print

“People trust United Way and look to the organization to ensure community needs are met,” said Christie earlier today.  “We want to be sure community resources are targeting the critical priorities for citizens in Douglas County.” 

As part of this planning process, United Way will utilize several informational tools to create a comprehensive picture of current community interests, including a survey to gather a broad perspective on community priorities, focus groups for a more in-depth analysis of those priorities and community data focused around health, education, and self sufficiency. 

Once all information is compiled, United Way board of directors will use it to identify funding priorities that have the greatest impact on the community.  Free Bird Business Solutions, a strategic planning and marketing firm out of Topeka, has been hired to consult on the project.

“We want be able to look at needs and determine future funding based on a community-wide lens that relies on several different components,” said Christie. 
 

The online Community Survey is the first tool to be implemented and will be distributed to targeted groups as well as the community at large.  Community members can access the online survey on the United Way website at www.unitedwaydgco.org.  Additional information about the process, including an FAQ and a project timeline, can also be found there. 

“We encourage our entire community to participate,” said Erika Dvorske, United Way President/CEO.  “By answering the questions in this brief survey, community members can ensure that their input is utilized to set community goals and target the community’s resources.”

The online survey takes five to seven minutes to complete.  In addition to accessing it on the United Way website, community members can also access the survey on the websites of United Way partners, including Healthcare Access, Trinity In-Home Care, the Lawrence Public Library and WellCommons at the Lawrence Journal World.  The City of Lawrence is also helping promote the survey through its social networks. 

“We’ll collect survey input throughout June and July,” said Dvorske.  “Then, this fall, we will begin working with focus groups to delve deeper into common themes identified in the survey.  From there, our board will analyze the information and create and adopt a community impact funding plan for the future.  We hope to announce new funding priorities in the summer of 2011.” 

United Way of Douglas County’s mission is to address human service needs and mobilize community resources and build partnerships.  United Way does this by providing financial support to 24 member agencies through an annual community fundraising campaign.  In 2009 the United Way Campaign raised $1.76 million.  The United Way of Douglas County also accomplishes its mission by building partnerships through hosting the Roger Hill Volunteer Center, which recruits volunteers for 150 agencies, and managing the Center for Human Services which provides a campus-like environment for 20 nonprofit organizations.  For more information, please call 785.843.6626 or visit the website at www.unitedwaydgco.org.   

If you would like to be involved in this planning process, please contact us by calling 785.843.6626, OR by emailing uwdirector@unitedwaydgco.org.

ADVANCE THE COMMON GOOD. GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.

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