Recently there was an article in the Salisbury Post regarding the new Rowan County United Way Strategic Plan. This plan, which will be fully implemented in 2020, is based on Community Impact and Outcome Measurement. The purpose of the change is in response to our contributors who want to know that their gifts are changing lives and that we are tracking our efforts to ensure that we’re being successful.

We are making this strategic change very thoughtfully. In 2018, there will be no change in our process while we develop the Community Impact process and provide training for our member agencies. We will fund our 16 member agencies as we have in the past.

In 2019, we will move to a request-for -proposal format with only our member agencies participating. In anticipation of success, we will finally move fully to this new model in 2020, allowing more non-profits with solution-driven programs a chance to be one of our United Way partner agencies.

The United Way and our funding partners are currently conducting a countywide needs assessment. The information developed will identify the top needs in our community according to you, our citizens.

If contacted to participate in our survey or if asked to join a focus group, we ask you to please participate and respond with your true feelings about issues that are important to you, your family and your community. That is the only way we can identify our most pressing community needs.

With the results of the survey, we can address our community’s most pressing current issues. The United Way will still set aside significant dollars to address “basic needs,” knowing that basic needs address essential day-to-day support many individuals need to survive.

During this operational transition, we ask for your support. As always, our United Way Board of Directors and staff are here for you and our community.

— Bill Burgin

Salisbury