At Rowan County United Way’s first Community Impact Committee meeting last week, Vice President Barry Hill introduced the agency’s new funding approach, which will focus on substance abuse, mental health and healthy lifestyle behaviors.

The annual campaign will match donations with those needs and focus on achieving measurable results.

“Company campaigns are requesting more return on their investments,” Hill said. “They want to know the contributions they make are showing measurable results.”

Executive Director Jenny Lee said members will be assigned to three subcommittees, one for each focus area. Members will develop short- and-long term goals, strategies for partnerships and key performance indicators that will create measurable outcomes for agencies to meet, Lee said. Each component will be used for the upcoming two-year grant cycle, which will include a 10% decrease in the second year to ensure the sustainability of the programs, a news release said.

Lee said agencies will be encouraged to collaborate with others that already address the priority areas, and the organization is willing to fund start-up programs as well.

Associate Director Jackie Harris said basic needs will not be disregarded. However, basic needs will not take precedence over the top issues. 

Further plans related to the implementation of the community impact funding model will continue at the April meeting.

The Community Impact Committee members are Lou Adkins, Shon Barnes, Wendy Barnhardt, Wilson Cherry, Ouida Davis, Greg Dunn, Donna Fayko, Sharon Horton, Carol Ann Houpe, Janet Johnson, Zack Kyle, Brien Lewis, Rashid Muhammed, Miriam Ramirez, Jeff Richards, Jason Walser and Steve Wideman.

In addition, board members serving are Hill, Slipp and Seth Waller.

For questions about community impact, call 704-633-1802.