UNITED WAY OF ESSEX AND WEST HUDSON
EVOLVES FUNDING MODEL

New Model Focuses Funds On Uniting Non-Profit Organizations In Effective Collaborations

NEWARK, N.J., February 6, 2009 - The United Way of Essex and West Hudson (UWEWH) (http://www.uwewh.org), which serves 13 communities, announced today that it has adopted a new funding model that directs the organization's resources to three focus areas and building blocks of a good life: Education, Income and Health. For over ten years, UWEWH funded non-profit organizations through an annual RFP process and had four initiatives; early childhood, youth development, family stability, and HIV/AIDS education and prevention. Under the new funding model and focus, UWEWH will invite non-profits to participate in collaborations that are directed toward specific results and measurable community goals.

FAQs - http://www.uwewh.org/funding_faq.html

"United Way of Essex and West Hudson will facilitate inter-orga nization partnerships. Our new model will bring together thought leaders to develop innovative strategies that alleviate social problems," said Wilfred Chabrier, Chair of the United Way Board of Trustees. "Our success will not be measured by the campaign dollars we raise and distribute each year, but rather by the measureable community impact goals achieved in each of our focus areas."

Currently funded organizations are not being forgotten in the transition. "To help minimize the impact of the new funding model, the UWEWH Board has voted to continue funding current programs for an additional six months after July 2009, when the program year would usually end," said Keith H. Green, UWEWH President and CEO, "encouraging the organizations to seek alternate funding sources." Green also pointed out that some of the currently funded organizations will be participants in the new funding model that will begin in January 2010.

The United Way's non-profit support arm, the Center for Excellence, will play a key role both in supporting currently funded programs as well as engaging in capacity building and other best-practice training for the newly-created collaboratives. The Center for Excellence will offer technical support in:

• grant writing
• collaborative development
• information technology
• finance issues
• marketing
• outcomes measurement

In addition to the critical services that are likely to continue being funded under the new focus areas of Education, Income and Health, it is also likely that other needed "safety net" services will also qualify for funding under the new funding focus. UWEWH is currently identifying those partnerships and developing an efficient means to ensure support for the community's safety net.

About United Way of Essex and West Hudson

It takes everyone in the community working together to create a brighter future. United Way brings together people from all across the community to advance the common good. We all win when a child succeeds in school, when a family becomes financially stable, when people have good health.

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