United Way builds its Community Fund

Most of us have limited funds. We would love to be able to support countless great causes, but we can’t. That is why United Way’s Community Fund was created.

For several years now I have been one of more than 200 volunteers who decide how United Way distributes the dollars that people contribute to the Community Fund. This year the funds went to 100 programs at 49 partner agencies throughout Eastern Maine.

My experience has shown this is a challenging task because every year the deserving agencies ask for more funds than United Way has available. This year was particularly difficult because the campaign was impacted by the bankruptcy of Eastern Paper, the closing of paper mills in Passadumkeag and Costigan, and downsizing or uncertainty in other businesses that resulted in the Community Fund having less to distribute than last year.

Knowing we had such a shortfall, many United Way volunteers initially found the solution of cutting agency funding 15 percent across the board an easy way out of making tough decisions. While this would have been the easiest route to take, as donors we felt obligated to do the hard work of reviewing programs, budgets and administrative oversight. After all, isn’t that what donors count on from United Way? We believe that donors want us to make the hard choices and fund those agencies that are well managed and make a measurable difference in our community.

Visiting the agencies is supposed to make the task easier but often makes it harder for the volunteers. As funding decisions are made, one can’t help but think of specific people who are being helped: the woman at the Multiple Handicapped Center who is able to walk for the first time at the age of 36; a child of 10 who was taken in by the Shaw House after being dropped on a Bangor street corner in the middle of the night wearing only a nightshirt because her father’s new wife made him choose between the two; a man with a disfiguring disease being cared for with compassion at Yesterday’s Children; the spry 90-year-old who is able to stay in her home because of the daily visits from Eastern Agency on Agency’s Meals for ME volunteers…the stories go on and on and they all tug at your heart strings.

There were so many lessons learned this year. We all acknowledged that we need to gain more information about the specific needs in each community. It was our charge to review each agency’s audited financial statement, budget, board activities, and program outcome measurement model. And although we used specific criteria to rate each agency, when push came to shove sometimes we went on our instincts.

I’m optimistic that United Way’s community assessment, which is being undertaken this summer and fall, will go a long way toward giving us the information we need to know when considering whether we should give that additional $1,000 to an after school mentoring program or to one that provides companionship to the elderly.

As we met with the agencies, it became clear that for some of these agencies, funds were not enough. They needed more volunteers or someone to advocate for them at the legislature or other agencies to collaborate with them. That’s why United Way’s new business model of surrounding an issue with all of these supports is so appealing. We could see firsthand that while funding is vitally important for these agencies they need lots of different kinds of support if they are going to fully address a community problem.

What my Community Investment experience clearly illustrates for me is that every donation does count and each of us can make a difference by giving to United Way. I now recognize the impact of every donation. Most of us would have been happy to have even a few more dollars to distribute. Some of these agencies just need a few thousand dollars to operate a program that has tremendous impact for those helped. For example, Pine Tree Hospice operates its bereavement support program with a budget of $4,500 and was able to help 268 people last year.

When you are asked to give to United Way this fall, know that any donation given to the Community Fund has tremendous impact. When your gift is combined with that of your neighbors or your co-workers you help us to address some of our community’s most pressing problems. I know I’ll be increasing my gift as I think about those programs that didn’t get funded the way that I would’ve liked this year. I hope you’ll join me.

Angela T. Butler is a United Way board member and the vice-chair for the Community Investment Steering Committee.