Past Featured ArticlesAn Organization on the Move!
January 2024 Author: Barbara Edmond, UW NEXT Immediate Past Chair What an amazing year 2023 was for United Way NEXT! Imagine a train slowly leaving the station and then gradually beginning to pick up steam! |
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That is what it has felt like with progress on so many fronts:
*The name “United Way NEXT” (often referred to as “NEXT” for short) now easily rolls off people’s tongues. One now has to pause a moment to remember our old name!
*Adding new Board work groups and the practice of having two co-chairs for each (one on the Board and one not) has lent much more depth, talent, and energy to all our efforts. We increased the number of volunteers actively engaged in making things happen from 57 to 124 … a 44% increase! Tried and true volunteer engagement, coupled with the first full year for our enthusiastic and highly organized CEO Carole Peters and the small but mighty staff, has us meeting new milestones at every turn. My hearty gratitude to all these folks for their amazing work, dedication, and commitment. Many hands make great things happen!
*The number of scheduled events/engagements with members increased from 23 to 35 and participation rose from 243 attendees (2022) to 980 (2023) - 408% increase! Our DEIA programming and endowment/planned giving faculty have fueled a good deal of this growth.
*The number of United Way graduates who enrolled in Third Sector’s Interim Leadership Academy doubled in 2023 and we now have 44 trained and capable people ready to assist local United Way leadership transitions.
*32 mentors were matched to local United Way staff/projects – a 129% increase from 2022!
*Individual and Local United Way memberships grew with 70 NEW individual members and 16 NEW Local United Way’s contributing. The number of leadership donors increased from 184 to 222 – a 122% increase.
*Our social media presence is plentiful, fun, engaging and full of smiling faces of friends and colleagues. Congrats to the staff on keeping this all coming on a regular basis.
*United Way Worldwide reinstated their financial support for United Way NEXT and increasingly understands the value we bring and the legacy of connection and service that makes us unique. We are very grateful for the renewed confidence and commitment to strengthening this partnership.
*A special recognition for UW NEXT Board members whose terms ended in 2023—thank you to Deborah Bayle, Robert Hines, Bob Ferriday, Joe Tolan and Deborah Zuloaga.
*A special recognition for UW NEXT co-chairs who are stepping away from their work group leadership roles to engage in other ways—thank you to Mike Durkin, Pete Manzo and Jeffrey Wilcox.
It has been my pleasure to serve as board chair during this year of growing momentum. My sincere THANK YOU to everyone who is a member, volunteer, mentor, or contributes in any way to our important work. You are all so important to the success we seek. As I turn the baton over to the very capable leadership of our 2024 Board Chair Ed Rivera and new board, I see UW NEXT continuing to pick up speed, membership, impact, and recognition. More work to do … but the future is bright!
Let’s keep on chugging!
Barbara Edmond,
UW NEXT Immediate Past Chair
*The name “United Way NEXT” (often referred to as “NEXT” for short) now easily rolls off people’s tongues. One now has to pause a moment to remember our old name!
*Adding new Board work groups and the practice of having two co-chairs for each (one on the Board and one not) has lent much more depth, talent, and energy to all our efforts. We increased the number of volunteers actively engaged in making things happen from 57 to 124 … a 44% increase! Tried and true volunteer engagement, coupled with the first full year for our enthusiastic and highly organized CEO Carole Peters and the small but mighty staff, has us meeting new milestones at every turn. My hearty gratitude to all these folks for their amazing work, dedication, and commitment. Many hands make great things happen!
*The number of scheduled events/engagements with members increased from 23 to 35 and participation rose from 243 attendees (2022) to 980 (2023) - 408% increase! Our DEIA programming and endowment/planned giving faculty have fueled a good deal of this growth.
*The number of United Way graduates who enrolled in Third Sector’s Interim Leadership Academy doubled in 2023 and we now have 44 trained and capable people ready to assist local United Way leadership transitions.
*32 mentors were matched to local United Way staff/projects – a 129% increase from 2022!
*Individual and Local United Way memberships grew with 70 NEW individual members and 16 NEW Local United Way’s contributing. The number of leadership donors increased from 184 to 222 – a 122% increase.
*Our social media presence is plentiful, fun, engaging and full of smiling faces of friends and colleagues. Congrats to the staff on keeping this all coming on a regular basis.
*United Way Worldwide reinstated their financial support for United Way NEXT and increasingly understands the value we bring and the legacy of connection and service that makes us unique. We are very grateful for the renewed confidence and commitment to strengthening this partnership.
*A special recognition for UW NEXT Board members whose terms ended in 2023—thank you to Deborah Bayle, Robert Hines, Bob Ferriday, Joe Tolan and Deborah Zuloaga.
*A special recognition for UW NEXT co-chairs who are stepping away from their work group leadership roles to engage in other ways—thank you to Mike Durkin, Pete Manzo and Jeffrey Wilcox.
It has been my pleasure to serve as board chair during this year of growing momentum. My sincere THANK YOU to everyone who is a member, volunteer, mentor, or contributes in any way to our important work. You are all so important to the success we seek. As I turn the baton over to the very capable leadership of our 2024 Board Chair Ed Rivera and new board, I see UW NEXT continuing to pick up speed, membership, impact, and recognition. More work to do … but the future is bright!
Let’s keep on chugging!
Barbara Edmond,
UW NEXT Immediate Past Chair
